The Orkney Image Library
No: 25152 Contributor: Robbie Rendall Year: 2006
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Midgarth Farm looking west. This was my place of work for over 42 years. Photo takin on 31/1.06
View Large VersionPicture added on 23 May 2011 at 12:44
Thank you for posting the picture of Midgarth. Can you tell what/where Upper Midgarth would mean or where it would be? My Grandfather was born there 1896 then they moved to Creya, Evie.
Added by Cheryl (Randall) Bruder on 05 December 2017
Hello Cheryl Bruder.
No doubt your query will attract numerous replies and I thought I might come up with something, leaning heavily on my crutch in such matters: 'Orkney Farm-Names' by Hugh Marwick (W R Mackintosh, Kirkwall, 1952). Unfortunately, UPPER Midgarth isn't mentioned. Marwick refers to three Midgarths, and there are others in Orkney he may have omitted because they weren't active farms. Garth (usually pronounced 'Gar' when combined with other name components such as Mid) comes from the Old Norse for farm; Mid indicates what you might expect - a place between two others (which need not have a 'garth' name). To my ear, the addition of 'Upper' suggests a newer place built a bit further up the hill (again possibly not a farm as such). I haven't found it on the map, but I don't know where to concentrate my search since this thread doesn't seem to be listed under any particular area. The photo suggests Stronsay.
So the best I can do is:
Garth = farm
Mid = between two other places
Upper = further up the slope than Midgarth
This won't help much I'm afraid. Better luck elsewhere!
Ian
No doubt your query will attract numerous replies and I thought I might come up with something, leaning heavily on my crutch in such matters: 'Orkney Farm-Names' by Hugh Marwick (W R Mackintosh, Kirkwall, 1952). Unfortunately, UPPER Midgarth isn't mentioned. Marwick refers to three Midgarths, and there are others in Orkney he may have omitted because they weren't active farms. Garth (usually pronounced 'Gar' when combined with other name components such as Mid) comes from the Old Norse for farm; Mid indicates what you might expect - a place between two others (which need not have a 'garth' name). To my ear, the addition of 'Upper' suggests a newer place built a bit further up the hill (again possibly not a farm as such). I haven't found it on the map, but I don't know where to concentrate my search since this thread doesn't seem to be listed under any particular area. The photo suggests Stronsay.
So the best I can do is:
Garth = farm
Mid = between two other places
Upper = further up the slope than Midgarth
This won't help much I'm afraid. Better luck elsewhere!
Ian
Added by Ian Hourston on 10 December 2017
Thank you for you quick reply and effort to assist, Ian. The Midgarth I am referring to is of Evie Orkney area.
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Added by Cheryl (Randall) Bruder on 28 December 2017
Agriculture and Fishing
