Monquhitter

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

Etymology
Monquhitter, or Mount-quhiter, the more ancicnt spelling of the name, is said to signify, in the Celtic language, "a place for the snaring of deer;" but we are unable to trace any such meaning to it; the Gaelic for the name being Monadh-Chul-tir which means "the hills of the back lying country," where deer from the Monadh-feidh, or the "Deer-hill" of Fyvie, might have been snared.

Boundaries
The parish is bounded on the north by King-Edward; on the east by New Deer; on the south by the parishes of Methlick anf Fyvie; and on the west by the parish of Turriff.

Extent
The greatest length of it in a direct line, from the lowermost point on the Black Water of Gight, to the burn of Litterty, at Craigston in King-Edward, is 8¼ miles; and the greatest breadth, also in a direct line, from Whitestones in New Deer, to the Turriff boundary at Lendrum, is seven miles. The whole area is computed to be 17,455¼ acres.

Topography
The surface of the whole parish is monotonous, but somewhat undulatory, with extensive muirs in the north and south-east divisions, and extensive tracts of peat moss on the south and south-west divisions. The lowest point in the water of Idoch, at Balquhindachy, is about 158 feet above sea level; and the hill of Cotburn, in the north-west division, is 558 feet. The church is about 320 feet; and the highest land in the Balthangie Hills is upwards of 400 feet. The lowermost point in the parish, on the Black Water of Gight, is 151 feet above sea level.

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