creech, creach local.
(kriːtʃ)
[Derivation unknown.]
Local name of a kind of stony or gravelly soil: see quots.
| 1610 [see creechy below]. 1798 Young Ann. Agric. XXXI. 201 Much creech lime from near Matlock. 1801 Ibid. XXXVII. 533 The soil is creach upon limestone. 1851 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. XII. i. 266 A good red deep loam with fragments of stone (locally [Lincolnshire] termed ‘creech’ land). Ibid. 267 The soil varies from clay to creech and sand; the creech making good arable land. |
Hence creechy, creachy a., of the nature of creech; gravelly.
| 1610 W. Folkingham Art of Survey i. ii. 3 Either Simple, as Clay, Moulde, Moore, Grauell, Sande: Or Commixt, as Creachie, Chaulkie, Clayie, Sandie Earth. Ibid. xi. 35 Vetches are fruitfull in Creachie Countries. Ibid. i. 43 Best fitted with a glareous soyle, viz. dry, leane and creachy. |