Crawhengan

[John Shields]

Hi Michael and Alan,

Any ideas about the derivation of “Crawhengan Point”? It is the headland on the west side of Kirkandrews Bay, opposite Meggerland Point.

Cheers,

John

[John Shields]

From Michael Ansell – 21 May 2020

Good afternoon John, not sure if Alan has dealt with this one but at first glance looks to me as though it might contain G crò in the sense of ‘eye of the needle’ + seangan, ostensibly ‘ant’ from such an animal’s narrow waist but which can mean thin/narrow (I think). Is there a rock formation like this in the vicinity?

If not could be crò-sheangan, ant-fold?

Kind Regards

Michael

[John Shields]

From Alan James – 21 May 2020

I agree, it’s likely to be crò-sheangan. Both words can mean ‘a narrow place’, of cró DIL says ‘A term of very wide application, the basic meaning being enclosure, enclosed space, fold, pen, etc.’; while seangán is primarily just ‘a little narrow thing’, so ‘a creature with a thin waist’. I think here it’s just ‘tight place of (the) narrows’. The entrance to the eastern arm of Kirkandrews Bay is indeed narrow, I think the name is a warning to sailors that getting into here means navigating between a rock and a hard place!

Alan

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