Cupar Muir
Cupar Muir CUP V NO360132 1 362 40m SEF
custodi more de Cupro PRO E 372 /141/m. 56 [payment made by earl of Fife to the forester and ‘to the guardian of the muir of Cupar’; see PNF 5, App. 2]
cum libera communia in mora nuncupata lie Eistermure, Ednismure seu Cuperismure 1593 RMS vi no. 19 [James Clephane (Clapen) in Kingask CUP, the toun and lands of Russell’s Mill (for which see Russell Mains CUP), with mill and mill-lands, ‘with free commonty in the muir called the *Eastermuir, Edens Muir or Cupar Muir’]
10 rudis glebarum infra moram de Cupro 1618 RMS vii no. 1889 [‘10 roods of divots in Cupar Muir’, to Thomas Williamson, Ross Herald (Rose heraldo), with lands in CUP and CER and with office of janitor (door-keeper) of Cupar Castle]
infra moram Cupri 1618 Retours (Fife) no. 278
Covper-Muir 1654 Blaeu (Gordon) Fife [area west of Cupar, north of Eden]
ad moras de Cowper 1665 Retours (Fife) no. 974 [commons rights on muirs]
Cupar Moor 1775 Ainslie/Fife
Cupar Muir Quarry 1856 OS 6 inch 1st edn [also Cupar Muir New Quarry, both ‘Sandstone’, both north of settlement called Brighton, now Cupar Muir]
en Cupar + Sc muir
Cupar Muir is shown as the name of a settlement on OS Pathf., called Brighton on OS 6 inch (1856), at which the same map shows ‘Brighton Brick and Tile Works’, with Commercial Street the name of the road running past the works down towards the railway line (now Commerce Street, beside an industrial estate, Fife Street Atlas, 70). The name Brighton survives in OS Pathf. Brighton Cottage, as well as Brighton Road, Cupar.
After publication of PNF 4, I was delighted to receive the following from Ms M. Anderson of Collessie: “Among papers connected with my mother’s family is one headed ‘Progenitors’ which includes the following paragraph: ‘Archibald Mitchell (born about 1790) became a mason in Ceres and inherited his grandparents’ house. His wife, Janet Edmonston, came from a family that had some money. Archibald’s affairs prospered. In 1837 he moved to Cupar Muir, where he opened a brick and tile works and built up a business as a builder, contractor and farmer ... He was a radical in politics and named the group of houses which he built at Cupar Muir ‘Brighton’ after the politician John Bright.’” John Bright (16 November 1811–27 March 1889), Quaker, born in Rochdale, Lancashire, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy. He sat in the House of Commons from 1843 to 1889 (Wikipedia, accessed 21 Aug. 2011).
This place-name appeared in printed volume 4