Mains (Scotland)
Encyclopedia
Mains in Scotland
normally refers to the main buildings of a farm
. This may include a farmhouse, farm buildings such as a byre and dairy, and workers' cottages. It is a pseudo-plural, actually being a Lowland Scots
corruption of the French
demesne
, and so is never used in the form "Main" (except occasionally in the tautological "Main farm", although this usage is not traditional).
The mains was usually the principal farm on an estate, or at least the one with the most fertile ground. The Laird's house - if there was one - may have been nearby or some distance away but is not usually part of the mains. The equivalent in England would be a home farm
or perhaps a manor
. Many mains remain as working farms, while others have been converted to residential accommodation. Sometimes the buildings and/or farm have disappeared altogether and only the name survives.
Mains occurs frequently in Scottish placenames, most noticeably/frequently in the north east of the country, and east coast, extending down into Fife
, where the usual form is "Mains of X", without the definite article
. However, the best known example of its use in a Scottish placename is Davidson's Mains
, now a suburb
of Edinburgh
, which does not follow this form, and indeed south of the M8
Mains names almost invariably take the form "X Mains" . The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary notes the same word/corruption/usage to have occurred in Northern England, and farm names of the form "X Mains" can also be found in northern Northumberland. In some cases recently new owners have renamed various mains "manor" in ignorance of the distinction in Scotland, and there are also occasional instances of the media using the tautology
, "Mains of X farm". In the local area of "Mains of X" it will often be referred to as "the mains", there being only one.
Mains is a family name
and a sept of the Scottish clan
Gunn
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
normally refers to the main buildings of a farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
. This may include a farmhouse, farm buildings such as a byre and dairy, and workers' cottages. It is a pseudo-plural, actually being a Lowland Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
corruption of the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
demesne
Demesne
In the feudal system the demesne was all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, which was retained by a lord of the manor for his own use and support, under his own management, as distinguished from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants...
, and so is never used in the form "Main" (except occasionally in the tautological "Main farm", although this usage is not traditional).
The mains was usually the principal farm on an estate, or at least the one with the most fertile ground. The Laird's house - if there was one - may have been nearby or some distance away but is not usually part of the mains. The equivalent in England would be a home farm
Home Farm
Home Farm may refer to:* Home Farm F.C., Irish football club* Home Farm, Brodick, the estate farm for Brodick Castle, in Scotland* Home Farm, Bracknell, a suburb in Berkshire, England* Home Farm , historic farm...
or perhaps a manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
. Many mains remain as working farms, while others have been converted to residential accommodation. Sometimes the buildings and/or farm have disappeared altogether and only the name survives.
Mains occurs frequently in Scottish placenames, most noticeably/frequently in the north east of the country, and east coast, extending down into Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, where the usual form is "Mains of X", without the definite article
Definite Article
Definite Article is the title of British comedian Eddie Izzard's 1996 performance released on VHS. It was recorded on different nights at the Shaftesbury Theatre...
. However, the best known example of its use in a Scottish placename is Davidson's Mains
Davidson's Mains
Davidsons Mains is a former village which is now a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is adjacent to the areas of Barnton, Cramond, Silverknowes, Blackhall and Corbiehill/House O'Hill...
, now a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, which does not follow this form, and indeed south of the M8
M8
M8 or M-8 may refer to:In astronomy:* Lagoon Nebula or Messier 8In aviation:* Loening M-8, a 1910s American fighter monoplane* Miles M.8 Peregrine, a 1930s British twin-engined light transport monoplaneIn computing:...
Mains names almost invariably take the form "X Mains" . The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary notes the same word/corruption/usage to have occurred in Northern England, and farm names of the form "X Mains" can also be found in northern Northumberland. In some cases recently new owners have renamed various mains "manor" in ignorance of the distinction in Scotland, and there are also occasional instances of the media using the tautology
Tautology (rhetoric)
Tautology is an unnecessary or unessential repetition of meaning, using different and dissimilar words that effectively say the same thing...
, "Mains of X farm". In the local area of "Mains of X" it will often be referred to as "the mains", there being only one.
Mains is a family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
and a sept of the Scottish clan
Scottish clan
Scottish clans , give a sense of identity and shared descent to people in Scotland and to their relations throughout the world, with a formal structure of Clan Chiefs recognised by the court of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms which acts as an authority concerning matters of heraldry and Coat of Arms...
Gunn
Clan Gunn
Clan Gunn is a Scottish clan associated with northeastern Scotland, including Caithness and Sutherland as well as the Orkney Islands.The clan's origins stretch over the sea to Norway, and the Clan Gunn themselves claim descent from the legendary viking Sweyn Asleifsson, the progenitor of the clan,...
.