Mary -- Thanks so much for sending this, and for passing along Norma's message and attachments. My guess is that the little sign just marks a turnoff to Balmeg/Torhousemuir (though obviously not at the location shown in Norma's photos). I gather from reading M'Kerlie's History that it was once a very substantial estate; Norma says that in the mid 19th century, there were 54 crofts. According to Joe Whiteford's book, the number of occupied crofts had fallen to around a dozen by 1935. M'Kerlie uses the terms Torhousemuir and Balmeg interchangeably; he derives the name Balmeg from Gaelic baile mbeag (supposedly, "little house"). Thanks again, Guy I. Colby IV Irving, TX ----- Original Message ----- From: Mary Richardson To: Guy Colby Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 6:37 PM Subject: Re: Torhousemuir Photos Have attached Balmeg. I, too, have considered it synonymous with Torhousemuir. If you go to Google maps, you can see what it thinks is Balmeg: Balmeg, Torhousemuir - more info » Wigtown, Newton Stewart, Dumfries and Galloway DG8 9DJ, UK In Streetview, you can drag the little orange person to the fork in the road just north of the white cot. There, you can zoom in on a small sign that reads Balmeg -- next to something covered in a blue tarp. Not sure what all this means as I consider Balmeg/Torhousemuir an extensive estate, not just one building. Today, Norma told me that they've determined exactly where my PARKERs lived in 1841, and she sent me an old map that shows the location. It's basically where Barnanchor Croft appears on the OS map that you can view at Streetmap. In 1841, the household that was enumerated just after Isaac PARKER was that of Thomas and Wilhelmina McCLYMONT. Will forward Norma's e-mail, so you will have her findings, too. Mary From: "GUY I IV COLBY" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]> Subject: Torhousemuir Photos Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:55:52 -0600 Dear Wig List Friends -- Per your request, please find attached the two Torhousemuir photos which Norma Bell sent me last year. The ruined cot house is Mount Pleasant, the home of my 3rd great grandfather's sister, Ann MARSHALL, and her husband, Alexander SMITH. The tidy little crofter's cottage (still occupied today) is Ha' Hill, which was the home of John LAIRD and his wife, Isabella McMEEKAN. John LAIRD was the son of Margaret MARSHALL, another of the sisters of my 3rd great grandfather, James MARSHALL. I note that Norma recently posted to the list a status of her undertaking to match all the crofts and cot houses at Torhousemuir Estates to the families listed in the censuses from 1841 to 1901, and to document her findings photographically. This is a wonderfully ambitious local history project, and I eagerly look forward to seeing the final results. To Mary Richardson: Yes, I would be interested in looking at your Balmeg photos. According to the M'Kerlie History, Balmeg Village was more or less synonymous with Torehousemuir. Regards, Guy I. Colby IV Irving, TX