Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
AISLAR, AISLER, AISHLER, ESTLER, n. Also aslure (Sc. 1726 W. Macfarlane Geog. Coll. (S.H.S.) I. 145), aceler (Slg. 1726 Slg. Burgh Rec. (1889) 190). Also used attrib. Sc. forms of ashlar, square-hewn stone; masonry constructed of such stone. (See also Ezlar.) [′eslər + ′ɛ-, ′eʃlər + ′ɛ-]Edb. 1710 R. Sibbald Hist. Fife and Kinross 139:
To the west of this, at the end of that Hill, is Scots-Tarvet, an old Tower of Aisler.
Combs.: (1) Aislar-bank (see quot.). (2) Estler stane, square-hewn stone. (3) Aislar wark, aishler — —, aislerwark, ashlar masonry.(1) Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
Aislar-Bank, a reddish-coloured bank, with projecting rocks in a perpendicular form, as resembling ashler-work.
(2) Sc. I 1721 Ramsay Poems 259: Braw Towns shall rise, with Steeples mony a ane, And Houses bigget a' with Estler Stane.(3) Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 334:
Here's a face o' rock, . . . as fine aishler wark as ony o' yer Elgin banks or steeples.Bnff.2 1931:
Fin I wiz an apprentice mason, I vrocht at a new kirk in Aiberdeen — a' aislar wark.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 11:
Aislerwark — Masonic work, with hewn stones.
