Applecross & Torridon
Principal Sources
Applecross
OSA Vol 3 No 56
RMS IV (1845) 1569 (original 1567)
RMS V (1426) 1587, (2042) 1591-2
RSS I (2666) 1515
RSS II (3036) 1539, (3459) 1539-40, (3466, 3701) 1540, (4492) 1541-2
RSS III (2946) 1548
RSS IV (259) 1549
RSS V Pt I (869) 1561, (2355) 1565
RSS V Pt II (3173) 1566-7
RSS VI (587) 1569
RSS VII (262) 1575, (638) 1576
RSS VIII (1433, 1484) 1583
Retours (Ross) (117) 1662
GD1/400/2/3 Section I pp 31-32, 1672
GD23/10/35 1649
GD46/21/2 (1767) p 16 1566
GD128/23/1/3 1594
SIG1/115/34 1725
ER XXIII pp 458-460 1596-7
RS36/2/221r 1607
RS37/4/175v 1629
RS37/6/137v 1638
(See also Table of Applecross Farms)
By comparison with other west coast parishes we have little evidence of land-values in Applecross. No doubt this is due to the fact that it seems to have belonged almost wholly to the church – specifically the chaplainry of Applecross. RMS IV (1845) 1569, on an original of 1567, lists half-parts of 14 properties which were set in feufarm to Roderic Mackenzie by the chaplain. The lands then extended to 22½m in rents and casualties – so presumably 45m for the whole properties. (The figure of 22½m included rents, maills, grassums, butter, cheese, arriages and carriages and other profits – so the actual ‘extent’ may have been well less than 22½m).
RMS V (2042) 1591-2 lists 15 properties which once belonged to the chaplainry – as well as Auchmoir which belonged to the bishopric. (Again, all the chaplainry lands are listed in halves). The annual return of the chaplainry lands was £16 (24m) plus 12s for Auchmoir. RSS I (2666) 1515 states there were 2 chaplains in Applecross. Presumably each had a half of the lands but I do not know if RMS IV (1845) and RMS V (2042) refer to the same or different halves.
The Book of Assumptions c. 1561-6 gives the combined values of the chaplainries of St Monance (Kiltearn) and Applecross at 36m. (See also RSS V Pt I (2355) 1565).
RMS V (1426) 1587 grants half the chaplainry lands in Applecross – but the Reddendo is only £4 (6m) which seems out of line with the documents listed above.
ER XXIII pp 458-460 1596-7 gives £32 (2 x £16 or 2 x 24m) as the doubling of the feufarm of the half-lands of the Applecross chaplains (except Culmoir, which was apparently the whole property). 14 chaplainry properties are named. In the same way 24s (2 x 12s) is stipulated for the bishop’s land of Auchmoir.
RS37/4/175v 1629 and RS37/6/137v 1638 are the only documents to give valuations in bovates and fractions of a davach. 9 properties are listed – totalling 21 bovates or 2⅝ davachs.
Retours (Ross) (117) 1662 lists 21 properties in Applecross and they are given an extent of 48m but it is not stated whether this is Old or New Extent. The lands are not stated to be in halves.
Since 21 bovates (2⅝ davachs) are given in 1638 the total is likely to have been at least 3 davachs. This may have included parts of Kishorn.
There are minor differences between the various lists but they all give the same core of properties – as shown in the Table of Applecross Farms.
Applecross, as described in these documents, included Russel and Rossal which lie next to Kishorn (see also Lochcarron table and text files). We do have valuations for these properties which makes me doubtful that they were church properties before 1567. Torridon is not included in any of the lists although at least ½ of Diabaig was. Diabaig was on the border between Torridon and Gairloch and I have included it in Applecross parish.
Torridon
ALI No 76 pp 117-119
RMS IV (2368) 1574-5
RSS VI (1549) 1572
RSS VII (68) 1574-5, (327) 1575
RSS VII (327) 1575
ER XXI p 529 1586
ER XXII p 445 1590-1
Retours (Ross) (12) 1584, (69) 1624, (79) 1633, (179) 1611
GD1/1149/11/1 1700
GD46/21/2 (1767) p 16 1571
GD46/21/2 (1767) p 18 1626
RS37/3/233v 1626
RS37/5/69r 1633
RS38/4/156r 1672
RS38/4/189r 1673
CS44/106/84/36 1825
CS97/100/T5 1824
RHP 4297 1870 & 1883
RHP 14269/1-2 1837
Old Torridon by Murdoch MacDonald, Evanton, 1997
Torridon was 1 davach composed of 4 quarterlands. The boundaries between Torridon and neighbouring estates (especially Gairloch) were much disputed. (See ‘Old Torridon’ by Murdoch MacDonald pp 32, 48-9, 94, 96-101, 115-17).
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