Auchindoir and Kearn

Prior to 1811 Kearn was united with Forbes - See Tullynessle and Forbes

A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875

Etymology
Auchindoir, in Gaelic, is said to signify "the field of the chase," or "the field of pursuit." But this etymology is uncertain, and, if we take Achadh, the fields, Auin, or Aune, the greyish river, and Dour, the deep river, the name would signify the fields between two rivers--the Bogie and the Don. The former is little more than conjecture, although Buchanan says, that Luthlac, son of Macbeth, having been pursued northward by Malcolm, was slain "in the valley of the Bogie." The spot where he was slain is said to be "about two miles north of the church of Auchindoir, but in the parish of Rhynie, where a large stone, with some warlike figures on it, has been set up." The latter etymology is more in accordance with the topographical position of the parish, as the fields or auchs are about equally drained by the Bogie on the north, and the Don on the south. Kearn is said to signify the hill of the Muir-fowl; but as it appears singly, and not as a prefix, it means a monumental heap of stones. It was united to Auchindoir in 1811.

Boundaries
The parish is bounded on the north by the united parish of Rhynie and Essie; on the east by the Parishes of Clatt, and Tullynessle and Forbes; on the south by the parish of Kildrummy; and on the west by the parish of Cabrach.

Extent
The greatest length of the parish is from the Don, at Glenlogie, on the south, to the influx of the burn of Kearn, with the Bogie on the north, and, in a direct line between these two points, it measures about 7 miles. Its greatest breadth is from the Correen hills on the east, to the Buck of Cabrach on the west, and it measures, also in a direct line, 6½ miles. The whole area is estimated to be about 19,000 acres.

Topography
The central valley of Auchindoir commences at Invermossat, on the Don, which is, at this point, 570 feet above sea level, and runs along the Mossat water, by the old toll bar (639 feet), and Birkenbrewel, through the mosses of Blackpots (656 feet), and by the burn of Corchinan to the Bogie; and the bridge on the Rhynie road, over that stream, above Glenbogie cottage, is 641 feet above sea level. The church of Auchindoir is about 655 feet, and the Rhynie and Donside road, in the Square of Lumsden Village, 745 feet. The range of hills east of the valley run from the Don, at Glenlogie, by the top of Lord Arthur"s Cairn (1698 feet), and by the west ridge of Correen (1386 feet), northward, to the burn of Kearn, thence along that stream, to the Bogie, about one mile and a half below the Bridge of Kearn, which is 642 feet above sea level. The division west of the Bogie, and of Rhynie Village is of a more mountainous description, the lowest northerly point being upon the Tomburn, below the Ords, 590 feet above sea level. From this point, the hills and mountains rise in very irregular succession by Knock-allochie (1152 feet), Tomreeach, and Towanreef, or riach (grey hill), to the Buck of Cabrach (2368 feet), which bounds the parish on the west. Viewed from the north-east, the Buck has a very elegant pyramidical shape, and is crowned by a large cairn of stones, from which a very extensive view of the country can be obtained. The surface of both divisions is extremely undulating. The hills on the east division present a rounded flowing outline, gradually depressing into long slopes, which are indented with small valleys, or ravines, with gravelly knolls in the lower parts; the west division presenting many steep acclivities, deep ravines, high ridges and hills, with rocky escarpments, all overtopped by the "Buck."

[A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875]