Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†BARTESHING, BARTY, n. Variants of bartizan. A battlemented parapet at the top of a castle or church; esp. a battlemented turret projecting from an angle at the top of a tower.Sc. 1710 Descr. Sheriffdom Lnk. and Rnf. (Maitland Club 1831) 46:
The house of Dalyell was ane old castle, with a barteshing.Edb. 1898 J. Baillie Walter Crighton 142:
And opening a door they now got out on to a ledge or steeple barty running round the tower.Edb. 1914 E. Cooper in T.S.D.C. I. 17:
Barty. A battlement. Contraction for bartisan used by boys of George Heriot's Hospital.Edb. 1920 Weekly Scotsman (2 Oct.) 5/2:
The classroom was at the top of one corner of the “barty.”
