Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

S(c)haft, n.² Also: chaft; schacht; (sheft), shaffe. [Late ME and e.m.E. shaft (1433–4, north.), MLG schacht, prob. specif. application of S(c)haft,n.¹] A pit-shaft, the well-like excavation made to allow working of a mine and to give access to it. Also attrib. 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII 358.
To draw levallis, watergangis, sinkis, conductis, shaftis and uthiris necessaris for the same [sc. mines] 1608 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 12b.
Brome to mak covers for the schaftis to cover the windes men fra the iniurie of the wedder Ib. 30b.
Hadder for cradilling of the new schaftis 1609 Mining Rec. 146.
Of these pickmen thair is onlie sevin in the day and sevin in the nicht employed in working in that schaft whairin the mettell is found
[The principal shafts at Hilderstoun are mentioned under the following names:-] Blissing shaft. … Germans West shaft. … A new shaft set down by David the German calli—Serve them all. ?c1610 Ib. 156.
Harlies shaft [etc.] 1646 J. Hope Diary (1958) 178.
There [sc. alum mines] sc[h]achtes or fosses … are … timbred with wands and small roddes. … Wee went doune into one of them. … in returneing towards the schacht I [etc.] 1683 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 23 June.
For fliting the windises from one chaft to ane other 1683 Ellon Presb. 222.
20 laids of hedder and kinling for ane eye shaffe 1695 Reg. Privy C. MS in R. Chambers Domestic Annals of Scotland III (1861) 102.
[We can raise in two minutes' time a ton of water, provided the pit or sheft will admit of two such casks to pass one another]attrib. 1653 J. Hope Diary (1919) 155.
The earth about it … lay all in litle heapes as if it had beene new coupped out of hurlebarrowes just as my pryon does about the schacht mouths