| Place-name: | Reeve Knowe |
| Suggested Meaning: | sheep-pen hillock |
| 1st element (1) | S. reeve ‘pen, enclosure’ |
| 2nd element: | S. knowe ‘hillock, mound’ |
| Blaeu Coila (1654): | No Entry |
| OS Name Books (1855-57): | Reeve Knowe |
| Location: | Ordnance Survey (1894) |
Reeve Knowe
The Ordnance Survey Name Book (1855-57) entry for Reeve Knowe reads –
A small Knowe north of Nether Beoch, near a Sheepfold
Map 1 Reeve Knowe | Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland
1st element: Scots reeve ‘pen, enclosure’ [1]
The Dictionaries of the Scots Language Scots entry for reeve reads –
I. n. 1. A pen or enclosure for confining an animal, e.g. a pen or fold for sheep or cattle, a pig-sty, a chicken-run
A circular sheep pen is shown on the Reeve Knowe near the Gullet Sike and is referred to as a sheep ree; i.e. Scots ree ‘a permanent stone sheep-pen where sheep are confined during stormy weather, shearing etc.‘ [2].
2nd element: Scots knowe ‘hillock’ [3]
The commonly used Scots knowe ‘hillock’ is found throughout the parish of New Cumnock and particularly here in the lands of Beoch – with Bught Knowe, West Knowe, Reeve Knowe and Green Knowe in close proximity.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| References |
| [1] Dictionaries of the Scots Language |reeve |
| [2] Dictionaries of the Scots Language |ree |
| [2] Dictionaries of the Scots Language |knowe |
| Maps |
| Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland |
| https://maps.nls.uk/ |
| Map 1 | Ordnance Survey (1892-1948) |Reeve Knowe |
| Ordnance Survey Name Books |
| By Permission of Scotland’s Places |
| scotlandsplaces.gov.uk |
| Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49| Reeve Knowe |
NEW CUMNOCK HISTORY 