May Williamson: The Non-Celtic Place-Names of the Scottish Border ...

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GREENLAW (Grn): (75, 6M):
Grenlaw (P), c 1170 (c 1320) Kelso. “Green Hill”.
HARELAW (Chrn): Harelaw, c 1300 (1434) Cdstr.
HARELAW (Wst): Harlaw, Blaeu.
HARLAW (Eccl): Harelaw, Blaeu.
OE hara “hare” is probably contained in all three.
HAWKSLAW (Cdstr):
Halksla, Blaeu. MSc halk, from ME hauk, OE hafoc “hawk”, is here used in the plural.
HIGHLAWS (Eym):
Hielawes, 1621 HMC (Wed). “High laws”.
HOWLAWS (Grn):
Hollawis, 1452 RMS; Howlawis, 1509-10 ib. OE holh-hlāwas “hills with a valley” and OE
hōh-hlāwas “hills with a projecting spur” are equally possible. Neither explanation seems
particularly suitable to the topography, for here the ground slopes gently to the Lambden
Burn.
HURDLAW (Grn): (75, 4 L):
Ordlaw, 1575 HMC (Var Coll v); Hordlaw, 1575 /126/ HMC (March); Herdlaw, Blaeu. OE
hord “treasure”, ME hōrd, MSc huird, may be the first element. The idea of a hill covering
buried treasure was common in mediaeval times. Compare *Hordlaw, 1189-99 LSMM, near
Whitton (Mrb).
KELLOE (Edr): (75, 10 K):
Kellaw(e), 1300 CDS; 1368 Cold; 1325 Cold; Kelhouwe (P), 1350 ib; Kello, 1509-10 RMS.
The ending in -law has been confused with -how, from OE hōh. OE cælf-hlāw “calf-hill”.
Compare Kellah, Nb; and Kelloe, Du (PN NbDu, 125).
LINTLAW (B & Pr):
Lintla, Blaeu. “Flax hill”: cf Linthill (Eym) (supra).
RYSLAW (Fogo): (75, 8 L):
Ryselawe, c1300 Cold; Rislaw, 1336-7 CDS; Ryis- 1575 HMC (March). OE hrīs-hlāw,
“brushwood-covered hill”.
SCAR LAW (Lgf):
Skarlaw, Blaeu. Perhaps ON sker “rock, peak, cliff”, but possibly ModEng scar (from Fr
escare), denoting a bare place on the hillside.
WHITELAW (Edr):
Quhitlaw, 1541 RMS. Cf Whitlaw (Hwk), (supra).
/127/
WOOPLAW (Mel): (80, 12 A):
Wowpla, 1606 Mel Reg Rec; Vowplaw, 1654 ib; Wouplaw, 1680 ib. Perhaps OE wulf-hophlāw,
“wolf-hope hill”. The -l- is vocalised and the -f- disappears before the following labial
consonants. Compare Wooplaw (Sdn) and *W~ near Oxton (PN Bwk, 52).