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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pundfald, Pondfald, Punfa(l)ld, n. Also: -fauld, -fall, -fold; and Pumfell. [ME pond-, pon-, punfolde (Piers Plowman), north. e.m.E. punfolde (1579), later north. Eng. dial. (Cumberland) punfaud, late OE or early ME pund-fald, -fold (a 12th c.), f. OE *pund (see Pound n.²⁾ and fald Fald n.¹ Cf. also Pind-fauld, Poindfald and Poundfauld.]

1. A place for confining stray or distrained cattle, a pinfold, pound.(a) 1288 Exch. R. I 40.
Pro duabus clausuris que vocantur pondfaldys, … vna apud Lanarch, et alia apud Rotherglen 1511 Rentale Dunkeld. MS 97.
Et … namabit aliena in ly pondfald 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 159.
The fourtnight he kepped them [cows] in ane unlawfull pondfold(b) c1450-2 Howlat 783 (A).
The pundar … Had pyndit all his prys hors in a pundfald [B. poynd fald] For caus thai ete of the corne in the kirkland 1510–11 Rentale Dunkeld. MS 103b.
Et in expens edificij lie pund fald in Westsete … x s. iiij d. 1520 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXXIX 61 (see Poindar n.). 1540 Ayr Common Good Acc.
Item for ane carfull of thornis … to mend the pundfall vj d. 1576 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 19b.
That everie towne haif ane biggit pundfald with girs and wattir tharin 1578 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 78.
Thair commone waistlands lyand within the territory of the said burgh besyd the auld pund fauld 1624 Black Bk. Taymouth 366, 367 (see Poindfald n. 1 (a)).
Pund fauld 1626 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 327.
In respect ther is na commoun pundfauld the apprehendar to put thame in his awin hous or clois 1667 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 182.
The pund fauld betuixt the streat and the cleuch(c) 1526 Carnwath Baron Ct. (S.H.S.) 54 (see Pind v. 1 (b)).
Punfalld 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 417.
Putting of the saidis gudis in ane unlauchfull punfauld and withhalding of thame 1588 Lanark B. Rec. 93.
And than passand west the commoun gait to the auld punfald 1659 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 257.
Punfauld

2. transf. A place of confinement, a trap. 1549 Compl. 99/21.
Thai hed the Romans in that pundfald, quhar thai culd nothir fecht nor fle