| Place-name: | Blubber Well |
| Suggested Meaning: | ‘blubbering, bubbling well’ |
| element | Old Scots blubber ’emits bubbles’ |
| element | Standard Scottish English well ‘well’ |
| Blaeu Coila (1654): | No Entry |
| OS Name Books (1855-57): | Blubber Well |
| Location: | Ordnance Survey (1892-1960) |
Blubber Well
Old Scots blubber ’emits bubbles’ S.S.E. well ‘well’
The Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-57) entry for Blubber Well reads –
A spring 16 chains S. S. E. [South South East] of Garclaugh Pendicle
The entry for Scots ‘blubber’ included the following footnote [1] –
O.Sc. blubbir, bluber, to blubber, emit bubbles’ to besmear (D.O.S.T.). Mid.Eng. blober, bluber, n.; dial. Ger. blubbern, of water, to cast up bubbles (N.E.D.).]
Blubber Field takes its name from the well, farmer Andy McClounie explains –
My sheep graze the Blubber’s field at Meikle Garclaugh. A good dry field with area fenced off and a constant run of water running from the spring out the bottom giving my sheep the best drinking water.
Blubber Well has given its name to the adjoining field – Blubber’s Field.
Photos of Blubber’s Field along with those of Garclaugh Burn and its environs, courtesy of Andy McClounie.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| Photographs and Video |
| Many thanks to Andy McClounie for photos and video |
| References |
| [1] Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd| blubber |
| Maps |
| Reproduced with the permission of National Library of Scotland |
| https://maps.nls.uk/ |
| Map 1: Ordnance Survey Maps – Six-inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1960 | Blubber Well |
| Ordnance Survey Name Books |
| By Permission of Scotland’s Places |
| scotlandsplaces.gov.uk |
| Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49| Blubber Well |