Join us for six fascinating lectures exploring Scottish place-names from 20 to 22 June in Edinburgh and online.
Place-names make a unique contribution to our understanding of how we humans have interacted with our environment over the centuries. They afford us a rare glimpse into the minds of those who coined them – their concerns, their priorities, their perceptions of the world, both physical and spiritual.
Place-names also have much to teach us about languages, living and dead, and about their societal and political context. They are constantly evolving, acquiring new layers of significance, at the same time helping shape our identity and sense of belonging.
This event is open and free to all.
Please note: online and in-person tickets give you access to all six sessions of the 2025 Rhind Lectures, you may attend any or all of them.
Tickets are free and popular, so early registration is advisable.
If you are unable to attend in-person, please let us know at your earliest convenience.
Presented by Dr Simon Taylor
Dr Simon Taylor is Reader in Scottish Name Studies at the University of Glasgow. He has worked in the field of Scottish place-names since the early 1990s, and has published widely on the subject, including several in-depth regional surveys. One of the founding members of the Scottish Place-Name Society in 1996, he is now its honorary Preses. He was editor of the Journal of Scottish Name Studies from its inception in 2007 until 2020.
Friday 20 June
5pm: Place-names in Scotland, yesterday, today, tomorrow
Humans have always had a fascination with the origins and meanings of place?names, a fascination which in our own civilisation we can trace at least as far back as the Old Testament. The systematic study of place-names in Scotland goes back several centuries, and this lecture will introduce some key fi gures in its evolution. The lecture will conclude with an overview of the present state of the discipline and its future trajectory.
6.30pm: Place-names and Language
Place-names are important, sometimes unique, witnesses to the historical languages of Scotland and the ways in which these languages interacted with each other. This lecture will look both at the languages themselves and at their interaction, from a socio-political as well as from a linguistic perspective. It will also address the issue of dating the different linguistic strata and of assigning names to a particular language.
Followed by a drinks reception. A selection of 
Society books, ties and scarves
 will be available to purchase.
Saturday 21 June
3pm: Place-names, settlement and society
Place-names illuminate many aspects of social history, including settlement, assembly, hunting and the administration of justice. This lecture will discuss some of these aspects of social history through the close analysis of representative place-names from across Scotland, above all those coined in the medieval and early modern periods.
4.30pm: Place-names, archaeology and enviornment
The focus of this lecture will be place-names’ relationship with archaeology and environmental history. It will explore how place-names can be sign-posts for the archaeologist, as well as indicators of how people through the ages have interpreted visible archaeological remains. Place-names also invoke and describe past landscapes reaching back into the medieval period. They are especially valuable as witnesses to early woodland and wetland and their exploitation, as well as to the former distribution of birds and animals.
Sunday 22 June
3pm: Place-names and the church
Christianity in Scotland’s early history is inscribed not just in its manuscripts and stones but also in its place-names. This lecture will look at some key place-name elements associated with the Church and attempt to tease out from them something of that early story. It will also look at another marker of the historical importance of religion, that of the legion of saints commemorated in our namescape.
4.30pm: Place-names great and small
Place-names arise from humans’ creative engagement with their environment, so it is no surprise that they embody a wide range of human responses: prosaic, utilitarian, imaginative, evaluative, humorous, mocking. There is also scarcely anything too small to be given a name, and these so-called microtoponyms can be found in sources from medieval boundary descriptions to modern colloquial language. There is also a lively movement of place-names across the globe, driven by a variety of motivations, both positive and negative. All the above types of names are found in Scotland, and they will provide the focus of this fi nal lecture.
What are the Rhind Lectures?
The 
Rhind Lectures
 are a series of six lectures delivered annually on a subject pertaining to history or archaeology by eminent authorities on the subject.
They have been given since 1876 and 
commemorate Alexander Henry Rhind of Sibster (1833-63) who left a bequest to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland to endow the lectures which perpetuate his name.
Accessibility
The main entrance to the church is up four steps with a handrail.
Step free access is available via a door to the right of the building – please ring the bell for attention. Please note there is a tight turn in this passageway.
A standard accessible toilet is available on the ground floor and lower level (accessible via lift).
Assistance dogs are allowed inside the venue.
If attending via Zoom, captions are included.
You can find further information on Accessibility 
here
.
If you have any further queries, do not hesitate to get in touch at 
events@socantscot.org
.
House Rules
The Society has a zero-tolerance policy on harassment and bullying.
All attendees are requested to act with respect to one another during this hybrid event.
Anyone making comments which we believe to be inappropriate (e.g. offensive or abusive) will be removed from the event immediately. Equivalent procedures (e.g. with regard to spam) will apply online.
Support Us
The Society is grateful for our thousands of Fellows across the globe whose support enables us to make these event free and open to all. If you're interested in being part of this network and supporting a charity that has actively supported the study and enjoyment of Scotland’s past for over 240 years, visit our 
Join Us
 page for more information about the benefits of becoming a Fellow.
Want to keep up to date with our public-facing events and opportunities? Sign up to the Society's 
free public e-newsletter
 and receive updates direct to your inbox.
Image captions:
Detail from 1654 Blaeu (Robert Gordon) map Extima Scotiae (Courtesy of NLS Maps)
Mist clearing over Biggar, looking north-east over Castle Hill with its earthworks to Broomy Law with its masts. On the horizon the Pentland Hills (Credit: William Patterson)
The head of the carline of Carlinhead Rocks, Kinghorn (Credit: Simon Taylor)
Alexander Henry Rhind of Sibster (1833–1863) by Alexander S. Mackay (1832–1899) (Credit: National Museum of Scotland)
Information Source: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland | eventbrite

Edinburgh

United Kingdom

Searching for information and tickets regarding Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church taking place in Edinburgh on Jun 20, 2025 (UTC+1)? Trip.com has you covered. Check the dates, itineraries, and other information about Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church now! Trip.com has also prepared more similar exciting activities and discounted flight and hotel packages.

Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church: Tickets, Dates & Itineraries | Trip.com

Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church

Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Trip.com

null | Trip.com

Spread the word! Share your result with friends and discover their opinions!

The Witchery by the Castle

Near Princes Street|Edinburgh Old Town, Edinburgh

The Balmoral Hotel

Near Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station|New Town, Edinburgh

Cultural Hotels

Edinburgh Castle

Immediate access

Book now for today

Best Things to Do

Historic buildings

Night view

苏河家园

Edinburgh Castle is the soul of the city. Stepping up the castle, as if crossing the medieval period, the ancient walls, the black ancient guns, all tell the smoke of the war. Standing on the height of the castle, overlooking the city of Edinburgh, the red tiles and green trees, the blue sea and blue sky, have a panoramic view.

Edinburgh Old Town

Book now for tomorrow

Edinburgh Old City, England, is surrounded by medieval stone buildings and beautiful scenery. Edinburgh is not only a financial town, but also a palace of art. Walking on the street, you can see entertainers&#39; happy performances everywhere. This is the origin of traditional Scottish dress skirts, the blend of art and life makes people linger, it is worth a visit.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

可爱的旅游生活89

The Holy Lutheran Palace, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland, dates back to 1128 and has a beautiful Baroque architecture, blending medieval Renaissance and Baroque style, beautiful stone carvings and magnificent structures. Here you can see Queen Mary&#39;s bedding palace, throne hall, etc., as well as the relics of the Holy Cross Abbey, with Chinese voice guides, and a full sense of historical atmosphere. It is very suitable for historical lovers to come and punch in.

The Scotch Whisky Experience

Jayshan115

I&rsquo;m a whiskey enthusiast I really loved the royal mile and whiskey experience at the whisky trail, so much of variety to try helpful and experienced staff

Calton Hill

Mountain climbing

Oo西野司oO

&quot;The bagpipes came from afar, I only care about your news. The castle is a secret for love, and I am a memory for you.&quot; This is the location of Zhou Dong&#39;s &quot;Ming Ming&quot; MV, and the birthplace of J.K. Rowling&#39;s Harry Potter creation. If you dream of a medieval ancient city in a magical world, you must visit here in your life. Every building is a natural film background, and every corner seems to hide a secret passage to another world. Eventually, when the sunset in Carlton Hill confiscated time, Edinburgh, becoming an ever-fading amber, will remain in my memory.

Time:	Jun 20, 2025 (UTC+1) ENDED
Location:	Augustine United Church

Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church

Details

Vote

Are you interested in Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid)?

Recommended Products for Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church

The Witchery by the Castle

The Balmoral Hotel

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Old Town

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Scotch Whisky Experience

Calton Hill

Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church

Details

Vote

Are you interested in Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid)?

Recommended Products for Rhind Lectures 2025: Scotland's Place-Names (Hybrid) | Augustine United Church

The Witchery by the Castle

The Balmoral Hotel

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Old Town

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Scotch Whisky Experience

Calton Hill

More contents about Edinburgh