NO. VI.

ENQUIRY INTO THE ORIGIN AND MEANING OF SOME NAMES OF PLACES IN SCOTLAND, AND PARTICULARLY IN CLYDESDALE:

BY

ALEXANDER GALLOWAY, Esq.

[Read at a Meeting of the Glasgow Archæological Society, on 3d January, 1859.]

Ar the anniversary meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland held in Edinburgh, 30th November last, Lord Neaves, the president, remarked that the study of antiquities is important in two principal ways, first, as a help to the history of periods which have records, and, second, as a substitute for history as to those earlier periods of which no written memorials remain; that the study should be pursued independently, with minuteness and detail, for the customs and usages, the remains and traditions of many other nations must be known before we can draw safe inferences from what we meet with in our own country; that in these pursuits caution must go hand in hand with knowledge; that one of the most important subjects of antiquarian research is language, which is indeed the most certain and significant of all the signs of pre-historic events; and that the names of places in Scotland, when examined with minuteness and care, seem to point at important information.

The following slight contribution in the department of enquiry as to old names of places is here submitted, not as pretending to contain important information, but as being some results of an "independent" examination, in so far as researches of the kind may be properly so termed. If, fortunately, it shall stimulate to similar efforts others more competent and having more leisure for such pursuits, some of the good which the National Society's respected president has thought derivable from them may be ultimately attained.

The difficulties in the way of enquirers should not discourage them, neither should even the vexatious uncertainties which are inseparable from the subject. When we begin to study the laboured productions of the writers on Scottish history and philology who have attracted

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the most attention, and, comparing one with another, see that hardly any of them are in conformity as to fundamental facts from which results are to be drawn; that if such facts as they do assume were sufficiently vouched, their reasonings are seldom satisfactory; and that, after all, the practice has been to assume fancies quite as often as facts for the basis of broad conclusions; we gradually feel relieved from some of the awe at first conceived. When, after much weary labour in acquiring knowledge of languages deemed suitable for enabling us to progress, we find that our skill is of small avail, and that we are confused by endless differences in dialect and provincialisms in pronunciation, we need not despair, but we should persevere rather, and believe that fresh efforts in comparing and analysing those differences may help us out of our perplexities.

Unfortunately, it has happened that some of our most industrious enquirers in this line have been drawn aside by the spirit of controversy, or that the aims and objects of party have largely influenced them in the investigation. They have evidently sought more earnestly to support a theory than to discover exact truth; and, in this spirit, those who have most loudly professed impartiality and condemned the one-sided speculations of predecessors have commonly made themselves liable to censure for similar error. Boldly denouncing dogmatism, they have been intolerant and dogmatic in a still higher degree.

One of the leading parties has sought to convince us that the original and only language in all the country now called Scotland was Gaelic; that prior to the time of the first Roman invasion Celtic tribes alone occupied the whole inhabited surface; that English-Saxon dialects gained access into the Lowlands after the tenth century; that the partial immigration of Scandinavian tribes at various times modified the Saxon, and produced the Scottish language of Gawin Douglas and Robert Burns; and, that in seeking to trace the origin and meaning of very old names, it is only necessary to go to the fountain-head, which they affirm to be the Gaelic. Another class of writers has seen reason to doubt the whole of these facts, and particularly to disbelieve such results of English invasions upon the dialects of the Scottish Lowlands. These are disposed to assign earlier dates to the occupation of the country by Teutonic population, and do not see in the ancient names of places trustworthy evidence of Gaelic origin. They tell us that upon a close investigation of names in districts known to have been exclusively, or at least chiefly occupied by Celts

during the last six centuries, many are, in their opinion, not at all Gaelic, some are doubtful, and others, although certainly Gaelic, are without proof of great antiquity. In not a few instances, they say, the first recorded names have been laid aside and a Gaelic translation has been substituted.

The brief space of time which can be allowed for the reading of a Paper at a meeting of this Society forbids details by which principles so broadly based may be materially affected. Moreover, the present object is comparatively a humble and narrow one. Still, for assisting those of the Members who have not turned their thoughts much in the direction of philological objects to judge of results here presented, a preliminary glance at some conditions and circumstances tending to produce those results may be advisable.

The British islands, so near to the Continent and so similar in physical aspect, may be conceived to have been shaken off from it in some great convulsion of nature. Passing along the water space which has filled up the crevice, we see the geological features on either side the same, only the mountains and plains of the Continent are larger. Between the opposite shores of England and France the distance is so small as that both are in view at the same time. Northward the space becomes broader. The coasts of Flanders, Holland, and Friesland are about one hundred miles from the landline between the Thames and the Wash; those of Bremen, Holstein, Schleswig, and Jutland are about two hundred miles from ours of Lincoln, York, Durham, Northumberland, and Scotland up to the Forth; and the general breadth of the water between the west of Scotland and Norway is about three hundred and fifty miles. These narrow seas are, by the all-wise providence of the Creator, bountifully stored with large supplies of food of one kind for the use of man. On either side extend fertile plains, rich valleys, grassy dunes, hills, and mountains, well fitted for the culture and the rearing of other foods needed by teeming multitudes of the human family, besides supplying, in profusion of timber and minerals, the means of shelter and commerce, and affording favourable scope for the application of skill and industry to accumulate wealth, and for the enjoyment of what wealth will command.

It seems to be an almost universal belief that the plains of Asia were first peopled, and that emigration proceeded thence westward into Europe. How soon the European plains became extensively peopled we know not. Our first information about their condition