Knightspottie

[randyscott]

Greetings from Houston Texas;
I'm wondering if any of you can tell me where or how to find a place called "Knightspottie" where my ancestor, Sir John Scott of Scotstarvit was born. Either it no longer exists or has another name(?)
I found one source that said Sir John was born in Knightspottie in the parish of Dumbarney near Abernathy, apparently meaning the border area between Fife & Perthshire (border moved a few times since?). I found Dumbarney kirk in Bridge of Earn and have seen an old map showing the parish all over the area between Earn & Abernathy.

An historian on a forum called ScotsPlace/yahoogroups found the following in a tax record -
"Potyn cum capella c.1250 St A. Lib. p. 34 [tax roll; in deanery of Gowrie (Goueryn); 40 marks]
ecclesia de Potyn cum capella de Dunb[er]by Dunf. Reg. p. 208 [tax roll; decanatus de Goueryn; the second name must refer to Dunbarney]
terras de Magno Pottie alias Knichtis-pottie 1586 RMS v no. 964 [inter limites specificatos, in regalitate de Abirnethie; also Knychtispoty]
"between the limits specified, in the regality of Abernethy; also Knychtispoty"
terras de Potie 1588 RMS v no. 1489 [‘in regalitate S Andree, senesc. de Stratherne’]

Another participant there said that "pot" or "poit" or "pottie" would, in Gaelic, refer to a place where a stream or river created a pond (pot) and might include a mill pond created for driving a grain mill.

While searching maps I have found the following:
"Adair county maps 1682-1737 / "The Mappe of Straithern, Stormont & Cars of Gourie with the rivers Tay and Earn 1683"
South of the "Bridg of Ern", just east of "dron", just south of "Aboraroig", on the River Farq, I find "W. Potte" and "E. Potte", both marked by kirks.

Adair's "The Mappe of Straithern, Stormont & Cars of Gourie with the rivers Tay and Earn 1720" same designation, same location

Stobie, James, "The counties of Perth and Clackmannan 1783" shows "Mill of Pottie" and "Wright of Pottie" south of Aberargy, near Ayton house

Taylor and Skinner's "The Road from Queensferry to Dumfermline, Culross, Clackmannan & Sterling 1776" shows "Potie" east of Abernethy and near "Carmichael Esq."

Also on modern maps (Google) I have found "Pottie Woods" and "Pottie Hill" near the same location. In another source (I can't recall where & I failed to record it) I found a surviving building labeled "Pottie Mill".

Can anyone give me anything more specific than that? If I get a chance to "holiday" in Fife I would like to be able to see something, even if only ruins, and say "That's where 10xGrandfather was born." I know that he spent the rest of his life in Scotstarvit Castle and presumably was buried in/near Ceres.

Alba gu brath
Randy Scott

[rossm]

Hi Randy,

The Canmore site record for Pottie Chapel can be found here: http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/27 ... ie+chapel/

Pottie Mill meanwhile, including a couple of pictures taken in 1974: http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/14 ... ttie+mill/

Rather less of Pottie Mill survives now. Looks like the ivy has taken its toll: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@56.32186 ... Rilb9g!2e0

The slightly more modern (i.e. 19th century) buildingto the South end of the site is now called Glenfarg Lodge.

Cheers
Ross

[randyscott]

Yes, Ross. That's the one I was led to. Nice to have your confirmation. Thanks.