A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1561-1699
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Corfhous, n. Also: corff-, corfe-. [? Corf n.] ‘A house or shade erected for the purpose of curing salmon, and for keeping the nets in, during the close season’ (J).Jamieson gives examples of date 1782 and 1804. 1561 Reg. Privy S. MS. XXX. 42 b.
All and sindrie the landis, fischeingis, mylnis, places, corfhousis … of the said priourie of Pluscardin 1578 Reg. Great S. 788/1.
Salmonum piscariam … cum domo edificata prope dictam aquam vocata lie corfhous 1581 Protocol Book of W. Cumming 269 b.
Robert Fraser arrestit the said fyschis … in the corf hus of Bewling 1589 Sutherland Chart. 162.
The spoliation of certane lastis of salmond out of the said erl of Suthirland corfhous 1625 Edinburgh Testaments LIII. 121 b.
In the said vmquhile erle his corfhous in Spey xxi last … salmond 1627 Ib. LIV. 147.
In the defunctis corff hous in Spay tuentie sex barrell ffattis c 1670 J. Gordon Descr. Aberd. 18.
Ther are some inshes within the harborie … upon which stand some corfe houses or lodgings belonging to the salmond fishers, for laying up ther salmond 1699 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs IV. 292.
Ane … third pairt coble salmond fishing … , with the corffhouse and pertinents thereto belongingattrib. 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 650/1.
That thair be twa lokis put on the corfhous dure
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"Corfhous n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/corfhous>
