Place Names in Durness
Until 1724 the parish of Durness extended from Kyle Sku on the west to the water of Borgie, thus including modern Tongue, Durness and Eddrachillis. It is divided by arms of the sea into three sections, the Moine district, including Eriboll, Durness proper, between the Kyle of Durness and Loch Eriboll, and the Parph district, between the Kyle of Durness and the Atlantic. Its place-names are mainly of Scandinavian origin.
DURNESS (Norse, deer and nes point, point of the deer) – in old manuscripts it is always written Dyrnes.
Where I have entered a date this shows the latest date I have seen people recorded living there.
If anyone can add information to this list especially the last known date people actually lived in these places please contact me and I will be happy to add the information.
Please also note that there is good information on the place names of Durness on their Community Website including the districts of the parish and a useful map.
ACHCHAIRN
ACHLOCHY
ACHIMORE (Achumore, Achmore, Achiemore) – Gaelic, large field – Burial Grounds, 1873
ACHNAHUAIGH - see Tongue Parish
ACHNAHANAID
ACHNAHUNAT
AUCHUCHARN
AUCHUGARSAID
ALTNABAD
ARD NEACKIE
ARNABOLL – Norse, township of the eagle – part of Bighouse Estate in 1819 when there were 4 tenants – burial grounds 1886
AUCHHAH-ANAITE – small hirsel on Eriboll farm
AUCHNALOCHIE
AUCHUCHARN (Achuohoran?) – burial grounds 1799
AUCHUGARSAID
AUCHUNAMAR
AULDANDIRG
AULTAN
AULTCOIRFRASKEL – Aultcorifraisgil – 1809 militia list
AULTNACAILLICH – the stream of the old woman – (Aultnacealich, Alt-na-Caillich, Alt-na-Callich, Aultnakalich; Auldncaillich)
BADAMNEAIR
BADILHAVISH (Badlihavas) – burial grounds 1840
BADNAHACHLASH
BADVOIR (Badvoer)
BALMHULICH
BALNAKEIL (Balnakil, Balnakeel) – Gaelic, Baile na Cille, settlement of the church - beautiful beach - see also Faraid Head
BALVOOLICH – burial grounds 1960
BALVULICHMORE
BALBULICHBEG (Balvulichbeg)
BLAID – 1809 militia list
BORLEY
BRESGILL (Braesgill, Bregisgill)
BUAILEBHIG of KEOLDALE
CAMAS an DUIN
CAPE WRATH – Am Parbh or An Carbh – the Gaelic and English names come from a Norse word for ‘turning’ where ships would turn south after passing along the north coast – the big pass – burial grounds 1899 - Clo Mor (great cloth) is the heighest vertical sea cliff in mainland Britain - now used by the Ministry of Defence as a bombardment range
CARBRECK
CASHEL DHU – small hirsel on Eriboll farm – burial ground 1880 - we know there was a family living here in 1901 and at least a shepherd here in 1918 - Cashel dhu is at the south end of Loch Hope.On some maps there is a path marked from Eriboll Farm to Cashel dhu.
CEANNABEINNE – a hamlet beyond Rispond heading west
CLASHCARNACH (Clasnanach) – 1809 militia list
CHASHNEUCH (Clashneach, Clarknaugh) when there was 1 tenant – burial grounds 1820
CRAIGIEMHULIN (Craggywillin)
CRANNACH
CROSPOLL – burial grounds 1878
DAIL AN ANAIRT
DAILL – Dall – 1809 militia list
DAINAHAROW
DALNADUN
DALNAHARVE (Dalnaheru) – 1809 militia list
DRUMBASBIE – 1910 burial grounds
DUN DORNAIGIL
DURINE (Durin) – Gaelic, an Durinn – a modern township, name comes from Gaelic, black field
EILEAN CHORAIDH
EILEAN HOAN (Ellanhoan) – 1809 militia list
ELANAREAR (Elanroiar) – 1809 militia list
ERIBOLL – Norse, pebbly-beach township – large farm which incorporated small hirsels where families lived
FARAID (Farrid Head) – Gaelic, an f hairid, am faire aite, the watch place - Faraid Head is behind the beach at Balnakeil, a narrow headland with dunes, coastal grasslands and steep cliffs
FILINE – 1809 militia list
FRESGILL (Freisgill, Fraskil) Norse, a noisy ravine – burial grounds 1887
GEODHA-NAHAIRBHE
GEODH CHREMHA (Geodha-nahairbhe)
GLASHBHINIOCHDARRACH
GOBERNUISGACH
GRUDIE – 1809 militia list – burial grounds 1922
GUALIN – 1914 burial grounds
HEILIM (Hilliam, Heilam, Hunleam, Huileam) – Norse, an islet, often a rock detached from the mainland – small hirsel on Eriboll farm – part of Bighouse Estate in 1819 when there were 7 tenants – 1907 burial grounds - Heilam is on the east side of Loch Eriboll where the A838 road from
Tongue to Durness turns south
HOPE & INVERHOPE – Hope comes from Norse, hop, a bay or inlet – part of Bighouse Estate in 1819 when there were 7 tenants
INVERAN
INVERHOPE – see Hope
KEARVAIG
KEMPIE
KEOLDALE – Norse, Kyle dale – 1909 burial grounds
KINNABIN – 1809 militia list
KNOCKBREACK
LAID – Gaelic Leathad, slope – close to Loch Eriboll
LANLISH
LERIN – 1809 militia list – 20th century
LERINMORE (Leirinmore) – a hamlet beyond Rispond heading west – 1900 burial grounds
LOCHSION – Lochsian – 1809 militia list
LUBAIN (Lubvain)
MERKAN
MUSSEL (Muisel) – 1898 burial grounds
PARPH – Norse, receding, turning away
PHOALIN
POLLA – Gaelic, a ford – 1886 burial grounds
PORT CHAMUILL (Portchamil)
PORT ODHAR
PORTNANCON – 20th century
RHIGOLTER
RISPOND – Norse, copsewood – 1903 burial grounds
SANGO
SANGOBEG – Norse, sand bay – a hamlet beyond Rispond heading west
SANGOMORE – Norse, sand bay
SARSGRUM (Srascrim, Sartigrim) – there were tenants here up to 1805 when thereafter only a shepherd – cleared! – 1809 militia list shows shepherd
SHININISH (Shinins) – 1809 militia list
SLAINES – near Durness, may have been absorbed into Clashneach or Borley
SMOO – Norse, gole or cleft – 20th century
STRATH BEG – small hirsel on Eriboll farm, Strathbeg – 1809 militia list – 1915 burial grounds
STRATHMORE – cleared in 1808 – 1846 burial grounds
STRATHURRADLE
UAIGHEHAICHIE
UIBEG
WEST MOINE