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

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DUMFRIESSHIRE
ARCHBANK (Mof): (84, 14 D):
Ersbank, 1542 RMS; Ersh-, 1592 HMC (Jhn). For the first element compare Archwood (No
XX).
CORSEBANK (Kcl):
Corsbanck, Blaeu. W cors, “bog”, or ME crosse, “cross”, may be the first element.
MARJORIEBANKS (Lmb): (88, 13 B):
Mariorybank, 1486-7 HMC (Drml); Marjoribank(s), 1529 RMS; 1578 HMC (Drml). It is
doubtful whether the first element represents the feminine name Marjorie or a corruption of
some other name: cf Margery Wood, c 1840 (PN Herts, 233).
SUPPLEBANK (Hod): (89, 3 E):
Sowplebanke, 1544 Ham.Pap; Soupilbank, 1574 HMC (Jhn); -bonck, Blaeu. This place is at a
curve in the hillside above the /250/ Mein Water. The first element might be ModSc souple,
“the lower part of a flail”, from some resemblance in shape. It is possible that ModSc souple
(adj), “pliant, flexible”, is used in the sense of “sinuous, twisting”.
SELKIRKSHIRE
ELIBANK (Cad): (80, 9 C):
Elebank alias Eleburne, 1595 RMS; Eliebank alias Elieburne, 1601 ib; Elybanck, Blaeu. A
personal name Eli, may be the first element.
SCROGBANK RIG (Cad): (80, 9 C):
lie Scrogbank, 1595 RMS; Scrogbar, Blaeu. ModSc scrog is “stunted bush, brushwood”, and
in Rxb is used of the crab-apple tree (Watson, s.v.). In this name, as in the previous example,
-bank signifies “river-bank”.
There are 33 other names in -bank, the largest proportion of which are in Dmf.
MSc bynk, cognate with ME bench, benk, may be represented by BINKS (Tvt): Benks, 1596
CBP; Binks, Blaeu, a plural form. Ledges on a hillside may be indicated.
/251/ LXVIII MSc steil,
has varied meanings. Generally, it is “a precipice, rock, ridge, tongue of land” (EDD). In
Liddesdale the meaning is “wooded cleugh or precipice: lower part of a ridge projecting from
a hill where the ground declines on each side” (Jam). The origin of the word is OE stīgol,
“steep, precipitous”.
ROXBURGHSHIRE
THE STEELE (Cst): (85, 13 H):
the Steill, 1572 HMC (Jhn); Steele, 1583 CBP; Steell, Blaeu. In the 16 th century this was the
name of a house, no doubt transferred from the hill which now bears the name. It fulfils the
conditions of a projecting ridge: Jamieson’s definition may be based on this example.