Kilchrenan and Dalavich

Kilchrenan and Dalavich

Under Map Sources ‘Fairhurst XVIII’ means Map XVIII in the Appendix to H Fairhurst’s article in Scottish Studies (12) 1968. The maps are in Inveraray Castle.

Sonachan/Portsonachan

Argyll VII p 540 note 152 gives details of the ferry croft at Sonachan in 1439. The marches between Portsonachan and Lephin were the subject of a submission in 1752 (Clan Campbell III p 77). Details of the boundaries of Portsonachan and the ferrying rights are given in AS II (828) of 1654, AS I (435) of 1660 and NAS CS 46/1913/May No 6 pp 103-109 of 1667. Upper Sonachan, Portsonachan and Lower Sonachan were all distinct properties.

Cruachan

Cruachan was the largest farm in a 12m estate which is listed in GD 170/87 of 1686. The farms are there detailed and valued as above. In Argyll Retours (38) of 1630 the estate is given as 11½m, Cruachan is called Crochan-middill and Arivdonich is called Derrimoldonych. Unfortunately the farms are not given individual valuations but the situation was probably much the same as in 1686. In Laing Charters No 716 of 1559-60 there is reference to 3m of Crochane Middle with the 40d (ie 3s 4d or ¼m) land of Dirmaldony. (Dirmaldony = Derrimoldonych = Arivdonich). From the reddendo it sounds as if this was one-third of the estate.

Maolachy

The earliest listing of the Barbreck estate is given in OPS II, I pp 98-9 for 1572. It gives 1d Auchanasaule and 1d Upper Auchanasaule as two separate units. In the later listings of the estate found in AS I (314) of 1650 and GD 1/426/1/8/1 of 1678 only the latter appears. I have no comparable early listing for Maolachy but in RHP 31880 it is shown as part of the Barbreck estate, just south of Auchinsaul which it adjoins. I suspect Upper Auchanasaule became the Achnasaal found today at NM 9013 whilst the old 1d Auchanasaule became Maolachy. These pennylands above Glen Domhain generally seem to have become 1½m units but Maolachy is only 1¼m. I think the ¼m balance was added to Barlia which has the equally unusual valuation of 1¾m.

Duaig

Duaig was 1d of the 4d lands lying by Loch Avich which were long associated with the estate of Craignish. The 4d are referred to in 1412 in Misc (SHS) IV p 292 No 4. The four properties are listed (without valuations) in Hist MSS Comm IV p 477 No 59 of 1546 and AS II (1386) of 1667. They are Duaig, Narrachan, Kilmun and Duninveran and we know from other sources they were each worth 1d. Narrachan, Kilmun & Duninveran are given as 3d in Argyll Retours (30) of 1627 and the same three properties are valued at 1m each in RMS IV (1592) referring to 1559, and AS I (410) of 1659. The upshot of all this is that all the pennylands SW of Loch Avich were exchanged at the rate of 1d : 1½m as were the other properties on the Craignish/Barbreck estate. However although this exchange rate crossed the watershed from Glen Domhain and extended to the SW extremity of Loch Avich it does not seem to have penetrated further. A different exchange rate of 1d : 1m prevailed around the rest of Loch Avich and the other parts of Dalavich and Kilchrenan.

Craignamoraig

There is some ambiguity about the number of pennylands in Craignamoraig. OPS II, I p 126 refers to 5d Cragbamoryain in 1432. HP IV p 199 (referring to the same charter) merely says ‘denariatas terre Cragbamoryam’ – ie pennylands in the plural but without stating how many. HP IV p 201 gives the precept from December 1432 which refers to ‘denariatam terre de Cragbamoryam’ – ie 1d of Craignamoraig. Given the local topography I am confident 1d is correct. GD 112/2/111/3 of 1598 & AS I (313) of 1649 confirm this.

Achnacraobh

The earliest and most frequent valuation is as 4m but it must have been sudivided from an early date because we have references to 10s (¾m) Auchincreif in 1542, 1594-5 & 1686; 2m in 1542, 1543, 1558, 1589, 1594-5 and 1617 whilst Argyll Retours (90) of 1686 implies it was 4¾m in total.