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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Scheling, S(c)heil(l)ing, n. Also: s(c)heal(l)-, sheell-; s(c)hel(l)-, shelle-; scha(e)l-; s(c)hil(l)-; scheild-. [Schele n.]In early (12th-13th c.) use, Latinised as scalinga, chiefly in the east from Roxburgh to Angus. Also (once) as skeling (c1199 Liber Aberbr. I 60). a1153 Early Chart. 205.
Per suas rectas divisas et scalingas de Fathenechten a1153 Regesta I 159.
Cum omnibus appendiciis suis … in Nemore plano pratis pascuis et aquis et scalinggas que sunt ab occidente de Richeldonne a1164 Ib. 245.
Skalingas de Bothkil 1172–3 Ib. II 210.
In forestis tristriis in moris scalingis omnibus aliis iustis pertinenciis suis 1180 Ib. 276.
Heredes eius non facient nec habebunt domum nec scalingas nec logias [etc.] c1200 Liber Dryburgh 165. 1225 Reg. Paisley 212.
Cum libertate … faciendi domos et scalingas piscatoribus suis tam in insulis predicti lacus quam in terris meis circumjacentibus

1. (An) outfield pasture, freq. a clearing in a forest or a piece of grassy upland, to which sheep, cattle, etc. were driven for summer grazing.Common in charters in detailed lists of the parts and pendicles of an estate.Also, particularised by a place-name.pl. 1577 Reg. Privy S. VII 156/2.
Coilheuchis [and] saltpannis, outsettis [and] schelingis(b) 1590 (1598) Ib. 261/2.
Cum silvis … , lie gressingis, scheillingis omnium dictarum terrarum 1599 Aboyne Rec. 180.
Frie pasturage, scheillingis and grasingis 1605 Reg. Great S. 585/2.
Cum … manerie, cottagiis, lie scheillingis et grissingis, in parochia de Logy 1608 Ib. 750/1.
Cum molendino, silvis, piscariis et lie outscheillingis in comitatu de Ros 1615 Red Bk. Grandtully I 50.
The forrest … of Byrnane, with the wodis, schawis, glennis, scheillingis of the samene 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 355.
That na cattell scheip or uther guidis … salbe callit to the Mounth scheillingis or girssingis … bot be the month 1623 Ib. 364.
Ky hors … and scheip … to pas to scheillingis … and nane to cum hame … except a kow that is a lifting 1623 Reg. Great S. 186/1.
Cum molendinis, lie glenyngis, girssingis, scheillingis … que ad monasterium de Ycolmkill pertinuerunt 1656 Marischal Coll. Rec. 214.
The scheillingis grassingis and pasturage usit and wount in Glaschscheill and Corribeg 1657 Bk. Dunvegan 83. 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 229.
The whole lands, forrests, sheillinges, woods, fishinges … lying within the shireffdom of Banff 1687 Black Bk. Taymouth 426.
[A forester] being bound not to have any sheillings nor to pasture any goods within the old limits thereof(c) 1593 Grant Chart. 294.
The toune … off Waster Tulloch, with the milne, … scheallingis … and pertinent 1610 Old Ross-shire I 160.
Two sheallings and grassings in Strathderie 1627 Rep. Parishes 188.
The scheallingis of Ledchrosk 1629 Monteith Stewartrie Ct. 10 June.
With the maner place housis … ȝairdis woodis park schealingis 1632 Retours II Inq. Spec. Perth (407).
Lie schealingis appellatis Ruichragan, Bincraig, Wreck 1673 Dingwall Presb. 330.
[The] Popishe dishaunters were not cited in reguard that they were dwelling at their sheallings 1683 Old Ross-shire II 18.
Men on the E., &c., should [not] mak sheallings within a mile of A., but to use common pasturage in that boundes(d) 1641 Acts V 520/2.
Togidder with … other corries gleins … sheellingis and pasturadge 1672 Highland P. I 255.
Sheellings 1676 Echt-Forbes Chart. 215.
The forest of Birs, with the corries, the streams, … the glens and the sheellings of the same(e) 1637 Bamff Chart. 248.
All and sundrie pendicles outsettis schellingis, girsingis and pertinentis quhatsumever 1659 Stewart Mem. 134.
With houssis … crofts grassings shellings moissis muires(f) 1568 (1574–5) Reg. Great S. 628/1.
Cum silvis memoribus virgultis lie schaelingis in baroniis de … Bewfort(g) 1685 Retours I Inq. Spec. Aberdeen (466).
Forestam de Birs, silvas, lie corries, burns, glens, et schillings earundem 1697 Argyll Justic. Rec. 162.
Which three horses and mear within a day or tuo thereafter were found in their posession upon the shilings called Inishnalongart in the moor of the brae of Glenfynesing.(1) 1599 Retours II Inq. Spec. Ross et Cromarty (177).
Et ly scheling vocata Garbet 1600 Reg. Great S. 384/1.
Terras et villam de Ballater, cimbam, lie cobilseat et scheling earundem 1606 Sutherland Chart. in Orig. Par. II ii 637.
The said litle hill and sheling callit Rachan(b) 1590 Reg. Great S. 611/1.
Cum communi pasturagio lie scheilding infra lie Glen de Glengorf 1590 Digest Justiciary Proc. M 41.
The thifteows stealling of four oxin … furthe of his scheilling 1663 Black Bk. Taymouth 426.
Johne Campbell … sets to Johne Dow Crerar … the sheilling of Corriegoir 1666 Argyll Sas. II 430.
Sasine of half the 20 s. land of Eriskay … the part disponed is that half of the land in which the grantor's wife … is not infefted … the pendicle or sheiling called Darrenanneach is reserved to the grantor(c) 1687 Black Bk. Taymouth 427 (see Schele v.²
Shealing(d) 1665 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 139.
Tack … of the third thereof containing the] shelleing [ … for the space of 1 year](e) 1575–6 Reg. Privy S. VII 64/1.
[The pasture called the] schaling [of Drumboir](f) 1595–6 Reg. Great S. 132/1.
Cum communia et communi pastura ac lie schilling in Glenalmond consueta(2) ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 65.
Ane ile … , gude heavin for hieland galayis, utter fyne for storme [? store] and symmer and wynter scheling also Ib. 72.
Ane ile … abundand of girsing and pasture, mair useit for scheling and store than for corn land(b) a1585 Polwart Flyt. 201 (T).
In stoir of lambes and lang taillit wedders, Thow wattis quhair money cupple gais, In scheilling, tyit fast in tedderis, In felloun flokis of anes and twais 1631 Black Bk. Taymouth 423.
[The said Ronald binds himself … to have sufficient tenants upon the saids landis, and not to set them in] scheilling [or to the nearest landlord] c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 544.
Having sum fresche lochs, prettie wood and sheiling marching with the hycht of the forest of Glasletyr

2. A roughly built hut, usu., and ? orig., to accommodate a shepherd who was staying with his flock or herd on an outfield pasture, see 1 above. 1621 Breadalbane Doc. No. 448.
That I … sall nocht big bwild nor edifie aney howsis or scheillingis … vpone the ground … of Finglenbeg nor within no pairt nor portioun of the samyn 1635 Dumbarton B. Rec. 47.
The sheillings erecit on the muir, and cast doun at the last marching

3. attrib. and comb.(1) 1577 Reg. Privy S. VII 144/1.
[The] scheling place [thereof called Garbat] 1589 Sutherland Bk. III 162.
Ky and oxin … pasturand in … his scheling places 1639 Reg. Great S. 322/1.
[Without] eating of the scheilling grasse or bringing of oxin or kyn thairintill 1640 Retours I Inq. Spec. Caithness (20).
Cum pendiculis et sheilling-places earundem nuncupatis Polybwyak, Tornessan, Tornreoch 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 229.
Mosses, muires, commonties, sheillinges and sheilling places … of the same lordship(2) 1700 Argyll Justic. Rec. 192.
While he was darned and lurking in ane sheiling house belonging to Glenliver