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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wark hous, Werk hous, n. Also: warkhows, vark hous(e, work(e) hous, wirkhouse. [ME and e.m.E. werkhous (1350), workehous (1497), warkhouse (1569, north.).] A workshop or factory.(a) 1496 Treas. Acc. I 289.
For viij^c nalis to the duris of the werkhous in the Castel of Edinburgh 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 69.
Dalis for fluring … to the convent werkhous 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 97.
For … Suadin burdis … to the said werkhous and stabillis and aill sellar durris 1547–8 Stirling B. Rec. I 52.
The said werk hous with furnis, leid and fattis weill wallit [etc.] 1566 Prot. Bk. J. Harlaw 185a.
The werk hous and instrumentis contenit thairin for making of the said salt(b) 1512 Dundee B. Laws 507.
That na woman sall occupy as for maister to hald wirkhouse, bot gif scho be ane fremanis wif(c) 1548 Aberd. B. Rec. I 259.
Item out of my varkhouse, ane litfat 1566 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 69.
That the kyrke nor tolbuicht be not maid ane wark hous to nayne man 1591 Dundee B. Laws 513.
Wnfriemen of our creft quha … bildis wpe at the subbarbis … wark houssis, wirking thair craft 1594 Brechin Test. I 118.
In the wark hous of greithe and warklomes perteneing to the webster craft 1600-1610 Melvill 121.
We went from him to the printar's wark-hous, whom we fand at the end of the 17 Buik of his Cornicle 1603 Inverness Rec. II 19.
Robert Steuart, baxter, he beinge in the bed of infirmity, lyand within his vark hous 1610 Brechin Test. II 72.
In his warkhous thrie brabiner lowmes 1654 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 354.
To … mak their candle owtwith the brugh until such tyme they prowyd themselfis with wark housis 1668 Rothesay B. Rec. 153.
The towne hes designit him ane place … for building of a smiddie and warkhous 1682 Glasgow B. Rec. III 309.
To gett wp a warkhows … for dying of silks and linnens(d) 1581 Reg. Privy C. III 375.
The keyis of all the workhoussis and duelling houssis within his majesties cunyehousfig. 1563-72 Ferg. Tracts 16.
Their new forged religion in the deap dongeon of Sathan's workehous 1645 Rutherford Tryal Faith (1645) 125.
The Ephesians … being the very worke-house, and shop of the Devil, in which he wrought