Black Saline
Black Saline * SLN S NS986939 2
Blak Savling 1466 Fraser, Colquhoun ii no. 27 [resignation by John Haliburton in favour of John Colquhoun of Luss of that ilk of ‘the landis of the twa Savlingis, that is to say Blak Savling and Litil Savling’]
(the mansion of) Blacsauling 1482 RMS ii no. 1507 [David Haliburton sells to John Livingston (Levingtoun) the lands and barony of Saline (Sauling) except for the mansion of Black Saline (Blacsauling)]
Blaksawling 1493 RMS ii no. 2141 [Blaksawling et Litilsawling cum silvis et lucis earundem (‘with the woods and groves of those ilk’)]
(Robert Bruce of) Blaksauling 1515 Fife Ct. Bk. 2
Blaksawling 1515 Fife Ct. Bk. 12 [Sawling and Blaksawling]
Blacksalling 1621 Retours (Fife) no. 928 [to Mr Robert Colvill]
Blacksauling 1655 RMS x no. 362 [the lands of Litlesauling alias Blacksauling]
Sc black + en Saline
These lands were a subdivision of the lands of Saline, the core of which lies about 4 km to the south-east. The lands of Black Saline lay on the Black Devon (river), which probably accounts for the affix black.
From the earliest references it is clear that Black Saline and Little Saline were originally two distinct but closely connected land-holdings. By 1655 they appear to have been merged but to have kept both names, either of which could be used of the whole estate: hence ‘Litlesauling alias Blacksauling.’ The Black Devon is first recorded as the *Little Devon (see Black Devon above p. 38), and this may account for the early alternation between Little Saline and Black Saline.
The NGR is supplied by OS Pathf. Little Saline.
This place-name appeared in printed volume 1