In *Scotland Through Her Country Dances*, George S. Emmerson writes:

> »Sir Archibald Grant of Monymusk« is one of the great Strathspey tunes, composed by that very original composer in the traditional idioms, Daniel Dow (1732-83), music teacher in Edinburgh.

> The name is Gaelic, »moine mus(g)ach«, »nasty, filthy bog«. Not, perhaps, the most prepossessing of names. The laird of this territory in Aberdeenshire is Grant, Baronet of Monymusk. The Third Baronet, who died in 1796, is doubtless the one honoured by Daniel Dow.

One must always be wary when Emmerson uses words like »doubtless«, but in this instance his theory seems sound. There are other conjectures about the name which are more absurd.

Monymusk is 50 kilometers or so (30 miles) north-west of Aberdeen and can be found using Google Maps. <<http://www.scottish-places.info/towns/townfirst4089.html|The Gazetteer for Scotland>> contains more information about the place than anyone other than serious Scottish history buffs would find useful.

<<link:thereel/16||3>> contains an article about Monymusk.