Auchnagatt

Achadh nan Cat

Meaning

the field of the cats

Settlement

Location

Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire

AB41

NJ928417

English / Map Form: Auchnagatt

Gaelic Form: Achadh nan Cat

Post Town: ELLON

Postcode area: AB41

County: Aberdeenshire

Local Authority: Aberdeenshire

English / Map Form: Auchnagatt

Gaelic Form: Achadh nan Cat

Prepositional Form: Achadh nan Cat

Language Notes

"Ach nan gad, field of the withes, sauchs. This is the best meaning that has been offered. But cat, cat or cat, sheep-cot, would either of them in the genitive plural with the article give, by reason of eclipsis a sound like 'nagatt'.": Alexander 1954, 11

Sources

terciam partem de Aldyngat’ 1328 RRS v no. 347
Myll of Achnagat 1544 Aberdeen-Banff Illustrations iv, 22
Sayhock & Achnagat 1544 Aberdeen-Banff Illustrations iv, 22

Additional Information

Thanks to Simon Taylor for the early forms. It would appear the earliest version was Allt nan Cat ‘the burn of the cats’. Alexander’s second derivation is more likely.

Alternative Forms