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

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ModSc hass, “neck, throat, gap”, from ON hals, “neck of land”, occurs
independently in Hass (Jed), (Mid). It is coupled with Celtic elements in /236/
Guile Hass (Cst), and Mennock Hass (Sqr). There are five other examples in SW
Rxb and Dmf.
In three instances bottom denotes the floor of a valley: Howe Bottom (Slk), Rotten
Bottom (Mof), and Bottom (Lmb). Longbedholm (Mof) is Langbodum, 1581 RPC,
and must represent OE lange botm, “long valley”.
/237/ LXIV ME heved,
“head”, from OE hafod, as a place-name ending has two meanings: (a) “height, hill-top”, as
in Greenhead, Grubbit Law, and (b) “head of, upper extremity of”, as in Burnhead, Cleuchheads.
In one or two names on the Berwickshire coast, Fast Castle Head, St Abb’s Head,
Horse Head, the meaning is “rocky promontory”.
ROXBURGHSHIRE
GREENHEAD (Spr): (81, 8 E):
Greneheved, 1296 CDS; -heid, 1600 HMC (Rxb). “Green hill”: the place stands on a small
mound.
GRUBBIT LAW (Mrb): (81, 8 G):
Grubbeheved, 1165-92 LSMM; Grubes- 1181 ib; Grube-, c 1220 (c 1320) Kelso; Grubber-
1332 Cold; Grubet, 1426 RMS; Blaeu. Originally the hill was called Grubbeheved, then the
name was transferred to a dwelling: cf Blaeu’s Grubethous in the valley of the Kale Water.
Finally, with the addition of Law, the name once more passed to the hill, and remained
attached to it when the dwelling no longer existed. An OE personal name *Grub(b), ME
Grub(b)e, is the first element. This name is not evidenced independently in OE sources; but
compare ON Grubs (Lind, 365), and the modern surname, Grubb, seen in Grubbs Hill (PN
Ess, 32). /238/ *Grub Hill, Nth, is Grobihill, 1337, which may contain an early form of the
adjective grubby, “grub-infested” (PN Nth, 102).
SWINESIDE HALL (Oxn): (81, 6 J):
Swyneshede, 1335-6 CDS; Synesheved, 1336-7 ib; Swynset, 1424 HMC (Home); Swinset,
1471 RMS; Swinsyde, 1541-2 RSS. OE swīnes heafod, “pig’s head”: cf Swineshead, Beds.
(PN BedsHu, 20). On -head with names of animals, v. PN Sr, 403 ff.
DUMFRIESSHIRE
CLEUCHHEADS (Apl): (85, 1 K):
Cleuchheids, 1662 RMS. The place is at the upper end of a small valley. The reason for the
plural ending is not apparent: cf Balgray Cleuchheads 1 mile distant. “Heads” may in this case
represent “hillocks, mounds”.
COREHEAD (Mof):
Corheid, c 1485 Wallace; 1590 RPC. The first element may be Gael corr, “tapered, pointed”:
cf Core Hill (CPNS, 423). This may be a formation of the same type.