Place-name: | Boig, Boigcurroch |
Suggested Meaning : | bog, fen. marshy round |
First element: | 1. Scots boig ‘bog’ 2.Gaelic bog, buig ‘marshy, fen, swampy, ground’ |
Second element: | Gaelic currach ‘bog, fen, where shrubs grow‘ |
Blaeu Coila (1654): | N. Boigcurroch, O. Boigcuroch |
OS Name Books (1855-57): | North Boig, South Boig, High Boig |
Location: | Ordnance Survey (1892-1960) |
Earlier Forms |
Bogcorrocht (1512), Boig (1601), Bogcorrechen (1605), Bogcorroche (1622), Bogcurroch (1634), Boigcurroch (Blaeu,1645), Bogge, Boig (1684), Netherbogg (Roy, 1752) |
The Dunbars of Cumnock, descended from the Earls of Dunbar, were established as the Barons of Cumnock in the late 14th century, with Cumnock Castle as their baronial seat. Branches of this family held other properties in what was the parish of Cumnock (i.e. Old Cumnock and New Cumnock) including in 1512 Patrick Dunbar, called of Bogcorocht , alledged attorney for Patrick Dunbar, son of Patrick Dunbar of Corsincon; who had been murdered whilst attending mass of Cumnock Kirk.
The lands of Boigcurroch were later divided into Nether and Over Boigcurroch. The name appears to be an example of tautology with both elements boig and curroch a reference to the boggy, marshy aspect of the land. The first element may be Scots boig pre-fixed to the earlier Gaelic curroch
Nether Boigcurrach sits on the south bank of the River Nith and the plain would be susceptible flooding,
In later years the Scots element boig is retained and Galeic element currach is dropped. Like many other place-names in New Cumnock the terms Nether and Over are replaced and Nether Boigcurrach is now North Boig while Over Boigcurrach is now South Boig. In addition there is a High Boig which perhaps originally waspart of Over Boigcurrach.
The Ordnance Survey Name Books (1855-57) entry for the Boigs read –
- North Boig: A good farm house and Steading, near the River Nith, occupied by John Hastings
- South Boig: A farm house occupied by John Hyslop Esq. the property of Mrs H D. Boswell
- High Boig: A farm house occupied by John Hyslop Esq – Bank
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
References |
Maps |
By Permission of National Library of Scotland |
https://maps.nls.uk/ |
Map 1 |Blaeu (1645) |Boigcurrach |
Map 2 | OS (1892-1960) | North, South and High Boig |
Ordnance Survey Name Books |
By Permission of Scotland’s Places |
scotlandsplaces.gov.uk |
Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49 | North Boig |
Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49 | South Boig |
Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49 |High Boig |