Chapter intro

Toun

- like hame, this word has altered little in the course of its evolution from Old English tūn, which could denote either an enclosure, a dwelling or a village. In place-names, the term frequently combines with the name of a person, as in Edgarton in Dumfriesshire, Johnston in Renfrewshire and Malcolmstone in Midlothian. Peterhead in Aberdeenshire is known as The Blue Toun and Langholm in Dumfriesshire is known as The Muckle Toun.

Shieling Unthank