Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1799-1830, 1948
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COVIN TREE, n. comb. A large tree standing in front of a Scottish mansion. At this tree the laird met his visitors on arrival, and to it he escorted them when they departed. Also covine-tree, coving-tree. For form covan tree, see quot. s.v. Coglin Tree. Hist.Sc. a.1800 Lord Thomas in Ballads (ed. Child 1882–98) II. 193:
Thick, thick lie your lands, Willie, Down by the coving-tree.Sc. 1823 Scott Q. Durward iii.:
To speak truth, I love not the Castle when the covin-tree bears such acorns.Sc. 1830 Scott Demonology ix.:
He wis Lord of the hunting horn, And King of the Covine tree.Ags. [1826] R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1870) 265:
The Covin or company tree of Finhaven — that is, the tree under which the lord of the mansion met and parted with his company — was a Spanish chestnut.Bwk. 1948 W.B. in Edb. Ev. News (24 April):
I was examining the centuries-old Covin Tree at Bemersyde a few days ago. . . . [It] is of the Spanish chestnut variety.
