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FRASERBURGH, AB43 7EH

This curiously named farm has an array of large relatively modern sheds. The old steading at far left now houses a farm shop.

One of two farms that share this curious name. John Milne's 'Celtic Place Names in Aberdeenshire' says that it is from Gaelic "peirse" meaning a row (of houses) and "a' chairnain", from "carnan", meaning hillock, and he comments that there is a shingle hillock at Percyhorner. As my Gaelic dictionary contains neither of these words, I reserve judgment. (It does contain "càrn" meaning a pile of stones.) Thanks to James Yardley, who comments: 'None of my vast collection of Gaelic dictionaries includes either of these words, except of course that "càrnan" is a diminutive of "càrn" meaning a pile of stones (cairn), or rarely a sledge, or (according to Maclennan's dictionary of 1925) a horning, whatever that may be. Hills that resemble a cairn are of course sometimes given names in Càrn, so the hillock theory is possible - but I can find no such word as "peirse". The great W J Watson refers to Persey at the foot of Glenshee in Perthshire being called Parsaidh in Gaelic; Percie in Birse, Aberdeen is Parci in a register of 1170." There is also Persie near Mulben in Banffshire, which ... may be a derivative of 'preas', a copse." Don't think we can solve this one!'