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

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“The main characteristic of a ‘plain’ is presumably a piece of ground which is comparatively
level, and also comparatively open or clear, not encumbered with wood” (Hardie, 61). This
might be taken as the 12 th century definition of lēZh in the Border area.
Names in -lee are grouped in certain definite districts where a tradition of ancient woodland is
still maintained. Jedforest and the Forest of Ettrick contain a great number. There is a large
group centred about Melrose in the area where the Ettrick, Gala and Leader join the Tweed;
and where names ending in /71/ -wood, or employing names of trees, are an additional
indication of the existence of forest at one time.
In Dumfriesshire and Berwickshire names in -lee are more scattered, and perhaps later in date
in many cases. The precise interpretation of the ending is often in doubt.
Several of the Northumberland names in -lee must belong to the early OE period. As in South
Scotland, many of them are formed with OE personal names, but the majority incorporate an
adjective, or a common noun denoting a natural feature. They also tend to occur in groups.
They are to be found on slightly higher ground than the habitational names in -hām, -worð,
-wīc, etc, and farther from the sea, often on the upper reaches of rivers and on the crests of
ridges between valleys.
Similar positions are occupied by names in -lee on the Scottish side of the Border.
ROXBURGHSHIRE
BLAINSLIE (Mel): (80, 14 A):
Bleineslei, 1178-1204 LSMM; Blainesleie, 1175-89 ib; Blanesleye, 1175-92 ib. The first
element may be the personal name Blahanus, Bleinus which is found among the signatures to
charters in 1127 and c 1130 (ESC, 60, 119). This may represent OGael Bláán, which Watson
claims as the second element of Dunblane (CPNS, 164).
/72/
BRAIDLEY (Cst):
Braidleis, 1572 HMC (Jhn). MSc braid ley, “broad open space”, the anglicised form of which
is seen in –
BROADLEE (Rbt):
Bradeley(e) (P), 1296 CDS (Seal); 1296 Inst Pub; Braidle, 1511 RMS.
COLMSLIE (Mel): (80, 13 B):
Cumbesley, c 1160 (16 th ) Dryb; 1153-65 (c 1280) LSMM; -leia, 1189 ib; Colmislie, 1543
ALC; Coumsly, Blaeu. OE Cumbes-lah from OE cumb, “valley”, in the genitive singular.
Examples of cumb- in this case are rare, although it frequently occurs in the plural when in
independent use. In ME, cumb was spelt coumb, which, after the loss of the final b, was
represented as colm by MSc copyists.
FODDERLEE (Bdr): (81, 2 K):
Fodderlie, 1566 RMS, Blaeu; Fodderley, 1588 L Ch. “Clearing, or pasture, where fodder was
obtained”.
HARDLEE (Sdn): (86, 2 D):