Field names were used extensively to direct workers to the correct site. Today we may need to identify the field acreage in order to calculate the amount of chemicals required, and the right field to apply them to if employing a contractor in much the same way, but the farm maps will indicate numbers rather than names.
In England and Wales a valuable source of the old names are the Tithe Maps - but these do not exist for Scotland so the oral history carried down by you the farmers is possibly the only way we can capture these old - sometimes ancient - names.
They can be describing some quality of productivity, named after a previous farmer, named for the shape of the field, and some archaeologists can use them to indicate ancient barrows and remains.
Over to you......
Avisyard Hill this link shows proximilty to a drove road, which opens the possibility that the name 'The Layers' might refer to a stopping place for watering and feeding animals on their way to market, known as a lairage. Alternatively it could just mean lots of rabbit burrows or fox lairs.
Maggie's Meadow at Garrallan, named after Maggie Thomson who had a bowing there. Presumably it would have previously been known as Aggie's Meadow after her mother before her.
The Cott Field at Avisyard : Photograph by Morag Gordon.
The Horses field at Avisyard
Jimmy's field, Avisyard - named for Jimmy Swan who hand dug and drained it.
Sheila Green at Polshill
Sheila Green at Polshill
Scotlands Places of 1855/57 for Polshill refers to the name Polshiel in the estate books although they say there is no other reference to this spelling.
In old scots, according to the website Scots Words and Placenames, poll can mean "a slowmoving ditchlike stream flowing through carseland, a shallow pool, a marshy place, a sea pool, a creek or inlet or a marshy field". Shiel is a shepherds hut type building or a small cottage.
Auchins Meadow at Blackwood, New Cumnock. which lies apart from the rest of the farm on the other side of the river by the ford (Johnny Nairn)
Blubber Well at Meikle Garclaugh to the east of the farm, on old maps
a spring
https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/digital-volumes/ordnance-survey-name-books/ayrshire-os-name-books-1855-1857/ayrshire-volume-49/78
Wee specs at Barmickhill - as used to have a wee wood that looked like specs
Garlaff field names
