English / Map Form: Lower Bighouse
Gaelic Form: An Tòrr
County: Caithness
Local Authority: Highland
English / Map Form: Lower Bighouse
Gaelic Form: An Tòrr
Language Notes
Element Meaning
Sources
terris de Beghous | 1626 Retours (Caithness) | 15 |
Torr or Bighouse | 1820 Thomson | |
Tor or Bighouse | 1820 Forbes |
“Bighouse. Gaelic an Torr, Norse big hus. There are two places of this name on the strath; and they are interesting as showing the part which the sinking of the accent plays in Gaelic phonetics. In the case of upper Big-house, the first syllable is accented, and with the accent thus sunk upon it, it ceases to be used as a compound word, and appears on the map as Begas – Its origin forgotten, it is used as a Gaelic word. But the lower Bighouse still remains a compound word, and it is never called Bighouse in Gaelic, but an Torr, the heap or fortified place, where of old a castle stood to defend the entrance to the bay. “Gunn, Sutherland and Reay Country
Additional Information
There are two places called Bighouse in Strath Halladale, this is the one by Melvich. See Upper Bighouse.