http://edina.ac.uk/cgi/StatAcc/StatAcc.cgi ("The Statistical Account of Scotland") Angela Boon (of this lists) posted the above URL today and although I was a bit put off by the title, I decided to check it out. I am SO glad I did! It is fantastic. When you click on the URL above, it takes you to a page where you select a county and/or parish, and a time period (later 1700's or early 1800's). I chose Leuchars Parish, Fife, late 1700's where most of my people originated. Then was taken to several pages of a most fascintating report written by a Rev. Mr. Kettle. The report, of course, descrives the county geographically, but not the usual way. Rev. Kettle described places, tells who were owners, inserted bits of interesting personal data and history. As an example, he tells about the naming of Tentsmuirs (anyone have people from there? If so, you MUST read this.) It was named because the people put up tents to live in on the moors there, that the original name of this area was Sheughy-dyke. But the reason for the name Tentsmuirs is what makes this so fascinating... shipwrecks, etc. I found in the report something I had long been searching for - information about the old castle that once stood outside the present village of Leuchars. It also told about Earl's Hall which was thenowned by Robert Bruce Henderson, Esquire. (One of my relatives was a docent at Earl's Hall until it was purchased by a German family a few years ago and closed to public. A great shame because around the wall of the great hall are ancient swords of clansmen and the ceiling is painted with the arms of the men). The report is filled with names of men living at time the report was written, for example he tells about Pitcullo, "the estate of Neil Ferguson, Esq.", Ardit, the estate of John Anstruther, Esq.; Dron, the estate of Robert Meldrum of Clayton. And mentioned that the "garden belonging to Pitlethie once stood one of the hunting seats of James VI, King of Scotland". So if you want to spend some time reading some really interesting ready, please do click on the URl at beginning of this message and explore. REMEMBER, you may find the spelling disconcerting at first. In the report I read, the letter S at beginning and middle of a word was written like the letter F (but not exactly - but I can't describe how here). But when printed, it really shows as letter F. This makes it fun to read. Have fun. Mary Inglis