Heugh

/hjuːx/ noun

Definition

A Scottish and Northern English word (variant spelling of 'heuch') for a steep cliff, ravine, or rocky hollow, often with water running through it.

Etymology

From the same sources as 'heuch'—Old English and Old Norse origins. This spelling variant is particularly common in historical documents and place names across Scotland and Northern England.

Kelly Says

Some of Scotland's most famous places have 'heugh' in their names—like the Pennine Heugh—and these features were strategically important in medieval times because they provided natural fortifications and controlled who could pass through the land!

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