Cragg, Scotland

[augustpilot]

Please does anyone know where Cragg is located. There is a monument to Ellington Reed (died 1758) in Cragg. The family was seated at Cragg for 900 years. I am going over to Scotland and am trying to find location.
Any help would be appreciated. Tks
James A. Reed
augustpilot AT hotmail DOT com

email address altered by SarahND to prevent spamming

[Anne H]

Hi James,

A warm welcome to TalkingScot

Must admit I've never heard of Cragg, but from what I make out from a Google search it is the Cairngorm, Rothiemurchus and Glenmore area (CRAGG).

Hopefully, someone will be along who might know the area and enlighten you a little.

Regards,
Anne H

[trotterbeck]

Hi
Could it be a shortened form of Cragganmore on the A97 nr Bridge of Avon between Grantown-on-Spey and Dufftown.

[ellenavon]

I'm really intrigued here. I come from Grantown on Spey, and have never heard of Cragg.

There is also a hamlet called Craggan immediately south of Grantown on Spey on the Grantown to Dulnain Bridge road.

But all of that area is and was Grant country. (I'm a Grant!)

I'm off to see what I can find out.

Cheers

Ellen.

[LesleyB]

Hi James
..and welcome to Talking Scot

There is a monument to Ellington Reed (died 1758) in Cragg.

Can you maybe give us a little more background here? Did you find the info about the monument in a book or has it been handind down the family? By "monument" do you mean a grave stone or is it a differeint kind of monument commemorating some deed or battle or something else perhaps? Did Ellington marry or have children in Scotland? If you have any more information it may help us find the location for you.

Best wishes
Lesley

[ellenavon]

According to www.houseofnames.com the Reed name was first noted in Aberdeenshire, where it had been known since the 14th century.

There's info on there about famous Reeds, but no Ellington (not on the front page anyway, didn't dig deeper for now).

Off to check out Aberdeenshire for Cragg. Although the Cairngorms do border on the west with the east of Aberdeenshire, so we may still be in the right general area.

Added later, in a Moir family history ( http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/Moir.html ) it mentions a Reynauld Mor of Cragg, Lanarkshire. This is about 1296.

The other mentions of Cragg on Google are predominantly from the Hebden Bridge/Halifax area of West Yorkshire, and a Cragg Vale, "a peaceful Pennine valley".

And added later still: from IGI, only mention of an Ellington Reed comes up as:

Male Christening, Elington Read, 01 Oct 1714 @ Elsdon, Northumberland. Father: Gabriel. Extracted entry.


Ellen.

[Currie]

Hello James,

In this Google Book you won’t find a Cragg but there are Craig’s of many varieties including a Parish in Angus. (Is Craig likely to be more Scottish than Cragg?)

A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, By David Webster – 1819 (looks younger)

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=7KU ... J&pg=PA143

A Google Book search for “Ellington Reed” brings up only about 25 results most connected with Duke Ellington but with a few that may be interesting, but unfortunately the content isn’t viewable. It might be best to check them yourself in case they are only viewable on your side of the Pond.

Hope this helps,
Alan

[augustpilot]

Thanks everyone, first tme here and i am thrilled at the replys. The information is from a book that is passed down in the family. Following is part of first page. The moors of the Scottish-English border were the original home of the Reids, who are believed to have been descended from the Boernecians: they being a mixture of Scottish Picts and Angles. This race dated from about four centuries after the birth of Christ. The Reid clan was originally part of the Robertson Clan, although the Reid family, according to a monument to Ellington Reed(died 1758) was seated at Cragg, Scotland for nine hundred years. This would place the beginning of the name to at least the mid-ninth century.

I do not know how accurate the above is, it is just what I have.
Tks.
Jim Reed

[Currie]

Hello Jim,

If you google for terms such as “moors of the Scottish-English border” or “Scottish Picts and Angles” or “Boernecians” You come up with a great variety of surnames claiming descent from the Boernicians but not much in the way of anything to support it.

The impression I get is that maybe they all originate from Coat of Arms documentations or something similar. Most with the “Boer” spelling seem to be of that ilk. I don’t know how reliable these are when it comes down to detail about specific names or specific individuals such as Ellington Reed..

Searching in Google Books “Full view” will bring up things old and separate the wheat from the chaff and there is nothing old for Boernecian(s) or Boernician(s) maybe suggesting that the spelling is relatively modern or a misspelling by the Coat of Arms people.

There are of course many results for Bernician(s) and Bernicia in Google Books and Google but I couldn’t spot anything helpful so far as Reed or Reid is concerned. If nothing turns up for Ellington Reed this time around it might be worthwhile occasionally checking Google Books in particular in case he turns up later as they’re putting new old books online all the time.

Hope this helps,
Alan

[augustpilot]

Alan,
Thank you for the reply, wll keep looking and hope.
Jim
Texas