Abthain (orabthane) is anEnglish orLowland Scots form of the middle-Latin wordabthania (Gaelicabdhaine), meaningabbacy. The exact sense of the word being lost, it was presumed to denote some ancient dignity, the holder of which was calledabthanus orabthane.[1]
William Forbes Skene[2] holds that the correct meaning ofabthain (orabthane) is not "abbot" or "over-thane", but "abbey" or "monastery". The word has special reference to the territories of the churches and monasteries founded by the oldCeltic orColumban monks, mostly between the mountain chain of theMounth and theFirth of Forth. Skene recommended the use of the wordsabthany orabthanry.[1]
Many of theseabthains passed into the hands of laymen, and were transmitted from father to son. They paid certain ecclesiastical tributes, and seem to have closely resembled thetermonn lands of the earlyIrish Church.[1]
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Abthain".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
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