Cromarty
MGC = Macfarlane’s Genealogical Collections
| Name | Value | Date | Grid Ref | Map Sources | Other forms, comments etc |
| Cromarty
Cromarty Mains Farm |
2 davachs | 1578 | NH 7867
NH 7966 |
Blaeu(Moray)
RHP 1046 |
See below. |
| Nielston | ½ oxgang | 1518 | NH 7766 | Blaeu(Moray)
RHP 1046 |
2 acres called ½ oxgang. See below. |
| Navity | (1 davach) | NH 7864 | RHP 1046 | See below. | |
| Farness
Meikle Little |
1 davach 1 davach |
1693 1667 |
NH 7364 | Blaeu(Moray)
RHP 1046 RHP 5497 |
W Fraser’s evidence (Earls of Cromartie, II pp 445-6) suggests that Farnes was at least 3 davachs in the 13th century.
Retours (Ross) (156) 1693. RS38/3/169r 1667. ¼ davach GD305/1/154/40 1716. Little Farnes was ex bishopric. MGC II p 366 No 47 1664. Render in GD305/1/70/26 1567 implies it was a davach then. |
| Udale | ½ davach | 1564 | NH 7264 | Blaeu(Moray) | Ex bishopric (RMS IV (1225), RMS V (1052)). Idol (Blaeu). |
| Davidston | 1 davach | 1606 | NH 7564 | RHP 1046
RHP 5494 |
Dauiston existed by 1449 (see W Fraser, Earls of Cromartie, II pp 324-5). RS36/2/33r 1606. GD305/1/42/12 1629.
GD305/1/42/22 1672. GD305/1/43/4 1678. |
| Peddieston | 1 davach | 1667 | NH 7463/7464 | RHP 1046
RHP 5495 |
RS38/3/169r 1667 (specified as 8 oxgates).
GD305/1/43/4 1678. GD46/21/2 p 14 1678. |
| Total | 5½ + davachs | 7½ + davachs if we include Cromarty at 2 davachs.
|
Cromarty
OPS II, II, 558-9 quotes RSS referring to the teinds of Cromartie c. 1578 as drawn from the towns of Cromartie, Navitie, Eistir Farnes, Dauidstoun, Peddistoun, Litill Farnes and Vddall. On the basis of the teinds due from each and the known valuations of some of the farms I have estimated the extent of each farm in davachs and show this in brackets. These figures can only provide an estimate but they are broadly consistent with the table above and suggest a valuation for the farm of Cromarty itself – which is otherwise lacking.
Cromartie (2 davachs)
Navitie (1+ davachs)
Eistir Farnes (1 davach)
Dauidstoun (1 davach)
Peddistoun (1 davach)
Litill Farnes (1 davach)
Vddall (½ davach)
Total (7½ + davachs)
Macfarlane’s Genealogical Collections, II, pp 359-360, No’s 15-16, 1470 & 1475; Retours (Ross) (176) 1599, refer to the moot-hill of Cromarty.
The burgh of Cromarty itself contained numerous small parcels of land. We learn of ‘pecks’ and ‘acres’ in 1407 (Macfarlane’s Genealogical Collections, II, p 358 No 6). RS38/2/236r 1664 gives ‘aikers’, ‘roods’, ‘riggs’ and a ‘particat’.
Nielston
NRAS2570/Bundle 43 includes a charter of 1518 which refers to the half-oxgang in the plain called Neylstavin (=Nielston?).
RS38/2/235r 1664 refers to a half oxgait in Neilstoune. See also Macgill pp 305, 306, 307.
Navity
OPS II, II, p 586 quotes RSS referring to 2 oxgangs of Navitie in 1585. Another oxgate was part of the endowment of the chaplainry of Morinchy (see RMS V (1971) 1591). RSS VII (2283) 1579-80 & VIII (833) 1582 refer to the common lands of Navitie (formerly belonging to the chaplains of the cathedral church of Ross) extending to 12 bolls victual (possibly a ¼ davach). A further oxgang may have been held by the parson of Kiltearn – see ALI No 32 pp 49-50, 1439-40, which refers to an ‘ousgang’ (oxgang?) of Newaty. Retours (Ross) (143) 1685 & (158) 1694 establish that Navity consisted of more than 7 bovates. It was most likely a davach. I am unsure precisely how much of it belonged to the church.
Retours (Ross) (143) 1685 & (158) 1694 refer to oxgates and pecks of land (the latter were subdivisions of oxgates).
Farness
RMS VI (265) shows that before 1595 at least 1 davach had been church land.
Farnes may have been much bigger in the thirteenth century – possibly 4 davachs which were later subdivided into Farnes (2 davachs), Davidston (1 davach) and Peddiston(1 davach).
GD305/1/43/4 1678 lists davachs of Davidstoun, Pediestoun, Farnes and the ‘Crofts’ or ‘Craftis’. This last may be another name for one of the davachs of Farnes. Alternatively it could be in the neighbouring parish of Kirkmichael (qv.).
There is a Tobar na Marg at NH 7564. The use of the term ‘marg’ here may refer to old merks as in Drumnamarg (Killearnan) q.v.
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