poquelaye

poquelaye

English

Etymology

From (Jersey) Norman poquelaye (now pouquelaye).

Noun

poquelaye (plural poquelayes)

1. A dolmen, cairn or similar ancient structure on the island of Jersey.
   • 1826, A Brief Description and Historical Notices of the Island of Jersey, p. 129:

     This Poquelaye consists of a large stone measuring in length about fifteen feet, in its breadth about ten, and nearly three in depth or thickness, formerly resting transversely upon five supporting masses of a smaller size […] .

   • 1834, Harriet Martineau, The Jerseymen Parting:

     “You and I gathered nuts, as children, in the same deep lanes, and played about the same poquelaye […] .”

   • 1991, Lawrence Norfolk, Lemprière's Dictionary, Grove Press 1999, p. 21:

     The druids had left their menhirs and poquelayes, the Romans their houghes, although raised fortifications seemed superfluous on the inland sites where they were to be found.