Spittal
Spittal ADN S NT211944 1 385 90m NOF
hospitale 1519 Fife Ct. Bk. 148 [‘the gersome57 of Dundownald & hospitale’]
le Spittale 1526 RMS iii no. 403 [associated with Dundonald; Boswells of Balmuto and Glassmount]
Spittale 1531 RMS iii no. 980 [Colvilles]
Spittell 1592 Retours (Fife) no. 1508 [Robert Wardlaw, annual rent of ten shillings from half the lands of Spittell in Lochoreshire (Loquhoiri-Schyre) in the barony of Inchegall]
Spittell 1605 RMS vi no. 1658 [part of the barony of Wester Lochoreshire (Loquhorschyre)]
Spittell 1616 RMS vii no. 1405 [part of the lands of Wester Lochoreshire]
(half of) Southmest Spittell 1636 RMS ix no. 541 [Boswells of Balmuto, barony of Glassmount (Glasmonth) KGH]
Colheuch Spittel 1654 Blaeu (Pont) West Fife
Spittell mill 1654 Blaeu (Pont) West Fife
Spittell 1654 Blaeu (Gordon) Fife
Spittle 1753 Roy sheet 17, 5
Meickle Spittle 1753 Roy sheet 17, 5
Little Spittle 1775 Ainslie/Fife
Mickle Spittle 1775 Ainslie/Fife
Spittle 1786 Sasines no. 1389 [part of the barony of Lochoreshire]
Sc spittal
‘Hospital’. Cowan and Easson suggest the name derives from the fact that in the late sixteenth century the lands of Dundonald and Spittal were held in capite of the prebendary or chaplain of the St Katherine aisle of the church of Wemyss, which church itself was annexed to Trinity College Hospital in Edinburgh (1976, 195).58 This seems a bit tenuous, especially in the light of the Latin translation of the name (hospitale) in 1519 (Fife Ct. Bk. 148), which points rather to the existence of an actual hospital. However, NMRS cards, quoting Cowan and Easson as above, note that no physical evidence for a hospital can be found.
There are several factual errors in the above-mentioned Cowan and Easson entry: their two RMS, and one Retours (1603 no. 129) references are to Spittal MAI. Also their RMS vii no. 1058 (Spittal MAI) should be RMS viii. They do not seem to be aware of Spittal MAI as a separate entity.
Part of Spittal, chiefly or entirely that part which later became known as Brigghills, lay in a detached part of BGY until 1891, by dint of belonging to the barony of Wester Lochoreshire (see also ADN and BGY Introductions).
OS Pathf. also shows Spittal Den Wood.
This place-name appeared in printed volume 1