1703-1704

Monteith

The earliest known mention of an English monteith was in 1683. In that year the Oxford diarist Anthony à Wood wrote: "This year in the summer time came up a vessel or bason notched at the brims to let drinking glasses hang there by the foot so that the body or drinking place might hang in the water to coole them. Such a bason was called a 'Montleigh' from a fantastical Scot called 'Monsieur Monteigh' who at that time or a little before wore the bottome of his cloake or coate so notched UUUU." The coat of arms is that of the Howe family of Compton, Gloucestershire, England.