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Keithhall and Kinkell

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

Etymology
The ancient name of Keith-hall was Montkeggie. Kinkell retains the old name, which is derived from the Gaelic, Ceann-coille, and signifies "the head of the wood." Montkeggie became Keith-hall after the greater part of the parish was possessed by Keith, the Earl Marischal of Scotland. "In 1754, the Lords Commissioners for the plantation of kirks disjoined about one-third of the parish of Kinkell lying west of the Don, and annexed it to Kintore. The other two-thirds they annexed to Keith-hall, and appointed that these parishes, in all time coming, should be called the united parishes of Keith-hall and Kinkell."

Boundaries
The parishes are bounded on the north by the parish of Bourtie; on the east by the parishes of Udny, New Machar, and Fintray; on the south by part of Fintray; and on the west by the Don, the Ury, and the Lochter burn, and the parishes of Kintore, Inverurie, and Chapel of Garioch.

Extent
In a direct line, from Kintore on the south, to Lethenty on the north, the distance is about five miles; and from Straloch on the east, to Inverurie on the west, the distance is also, in a direct line, 4¾ miles. The whole area is computed to be 7,693 acres, 137 decs.

Topography
The general appearance of the parish is undulating and hilly; the most prominent hills appearing along the valley of the Don and the Ury, are the hills of Balbithan and Upper Kinkell, with the hills of Craigforthie (471 feet), Heatherwick, and Kinmuck, behind. The northern ridge rises from the Lochter burn on the west, by Boynds and Lofthillock, to the hill of Selbie, a southern spur the Lawal-hill in Bourtie, which is 616 feet above sea level, and the highest land in the parish. On the north-eastern division there is the hill of Kendal; and on the eastern boundary with Fintray, there is the rounded hill of Tillykeira (415 feet). The Ladies' Pool, in the Don, on the boundary of the burgh of Kintore, is 153 feet above sea level; the public road, in the hamlet of Kinmuck, is 370 feet; and the water of Ury, at the influx of the Lochter burn, is 180 feet above sea level. Kinmuck, in Gaelic Ceann-muc, signifies "the boar's head;" Kendal, Ceann-daile, signifies "the head of the field," where there are the ruins of a castle; and Balbythan, Baile-beithan, signifies "the town beside the boggy stream."

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