| Place-name: | Palmsike |
| Suggested Meaning: | sluggish stream crossing boggy land |
| 1st element: | SSE palm ‘palm of the hand’ |
| 2nd element: | Scots sike, syke ‘small sluggish stream crossing boggy land” |
| Place-name: | Place-name: Palmsike + Scots burn ‘stream’ |
| Blaeu Coila (1654): | No Entry |
| OS Name Books (1855-57): | Palmsike Burn |
| Location: | Palmsike Burn |
Palmsike
The first element appears to be SSE palm ‘palm of the hand’ while the second element is Scots sike, syke‘ sluggish stream meandering across boggy land’ and is fully described below [2]. It may be the case that the Palmsike is being compared with the creases on the palm of the hand.
A small stream, rill or water-course, especially one that meanders through a hollow or across flat or boggy ground and is freqently dry in summer
Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd [2]
The Laird of Logan makes reference to sykes along with a number of other physical features in a landscape that is familiar with the uplands in New Cumnock.
the sheughs and the sykes
Palmsike Burn
Place-Name: Palmsike + Scots burn ‘stream’
The Palmsike Burn flows into the Black Water as does Mitchell’s Syke and Otter Sike. Unlike the latter two, the Scots burn ‘stream’ [3] had been appended to the name.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
| References |
| [1] Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd |syke, sike |
| [2] The Laird of Logan, Or, Anecdotes and Tales Illustrative of the Wit and Humour of Scotland |
| [3] Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd | burn |
| Maps |
| Reproduced with the Permission of National Library of Scotland |
| https://maps.nls.uk/ |
| Map 1: Ordnance Survey Maps – Six-inch 2nd and later editions, Scotland, 1892-1960 (1892-1960) |Palmsike Burn |
| Ordnance Survey Name Books |
| By Permission of Scotland’s Places |
| scotlandsplaces.gov.uk |
| Ayrshire OS Name Books (1855-57) Vol. 49|Palmsike Burn |