A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
March-, Merch-dyk(e, n. Also: marche-, mercheand -dik(e, -dyik(e. [March n.2 3 d.] A boundarywall (or, possibly on occasion, -ditch) (see Dyke n.).Our collections contain only central and south Scottish examples.(a) 1472 Peebles B. Rec. I. 169.
Fra the march dik est with al the laf of the ester hyl 1490 Reg. Paisley 266.
Le marchedik de Inch ?1665 M. Bruce Six Dreadfull Alarms 21.
Wow, sirs, but that is a long march-dyke, there is many aikers of land within that march-dyke Id. Soul-Confirmation 7.
The soul-confirmed man … is … unmoveable because his master has … casten him a march dyke 1680 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS. 3 May.
That he … had visited the mairches and fand that the old march dyk to be teiled up 1700 Foulis Acc. Bk. 272.
For upholding our marchdyke(b) 1588 Crawford Mun. Invent. II. 191.
[That John Lindsay] is begane to big ane merch dyk betuix Kilhillis boundis and my headrume 1615 Lanark B. Rec. 123.
For breking doun of ane merche dyk within the saming yet 1632 Ib. 324. 1665 Peebles B. Rec. II. 69. 1674 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II. 46 (7 Oct.). 1675 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. [30 Oct.].
