Kilmorack
Principal Sources
OSA Vol 20 No 19
RMS I App 2 No 65 p 512, Index B No 60
RMS I App 2 Index A No 1976 p 650, Index B No 9
RMS II (3730) 1512, (3831) 1513
RMS III (1639) 1536, (1943) 1538-9, (1958)
RMS IV (987) 1554-5, (2020-21) 1571, (2958) 1579-80
RMS V (2165) 1592
RMS VII (330) 1610, (2078) 1619
RMS VIII (508) 1623
RMS IX (227) 1634, (658) 1637, (1260, 3) 1642 on original of 1640, (1410) 1643 on original of 1638
RSS II (4673) 1542
RPS 1584/5/97
Robertson’s Index p 2 No 60
Liber Insule Missarum, Edinburgh, 1847
GD23/4/190 1763
GD90/1/104 1515, GD90/1/237 1620
GD111/6/8 1578
GD209/20 1532
GD297/179 1398
GD305/1/128/2 1670
Retours (Ross) (130) 1673, (162) 1697, (171) 1590
Retours (Inverness) (49) 1630, (52) 1633, (58) 1635, (83) 1657, (97) 1665, (103) 1677, (107) 1685
RS36/2/193r 1607, RS36/2/194v 1607, RS36/2/321r 1607, RS36/2/374v 1608
RS37/7/31r 1648
RS38/5/344r 1685
E769/69 1755
NLS Dep 327/56/1 1574, Dep 327/56/6 1607, Dep 327/56/12 1694
RHP 3717 Wester & Mid Crochail
RHP 6586 1757
RHP 11605 1795
RHP 11638 1807
RHP 46402
RHP 86086
The following two collections under NLS Lovat & NLS GB can be found via the NLS digital map library for Lovat Estates:
NLS Lovat021, Lovat022, Lovat023, Lovat024, Lovat025, Lovat026, Lovat028, Lovat032, Lovat033, Lovat034, Lovat035, Lovat036, Lovat037, Lovat038, Lovat088, Lovat093, Lovat096, Lovat099, Lovat103, Lovat104, Lovat106, Lovat109, Lovat111, Lovat115, Lovat120, Lovat121, Lovat143, Lovat152, Lovat158, Lovat172, Lovat173, Lovat174, Lovat181, Lovat201, Lovat202, Lovat208, Lovat215, Lovat223, Lovat224, Lovat234, Lovat235, Lovat236/1&2, Lovat237, Lovat238, Lovat243, Lovat245, Lovat259, Lovat261, Lovat262, Lovat264, Lovat265, Lovat266, Lovat271, Lovat279, Lovat280, Lovat281, Lovat286, Lovat287, Lovat289, Lovat290, Lovat291, Lovat316, Lovat321, Lovat323, Lovat345, Lovat348, Lovat351
NLS GB091, GB093, GB095, GB097, GB105, GB107, GB111, GB113, GB115, GB117, GB119, GB121, GB123, GB125, GB127, GB129, GB135
Batten, E.C., The Charters of the Priory of Beauly, London, 1877
Records of the Monastery of Kinloss, J Stuart, Edinburgh, 1872
S Taylor, Place-Name Survey of the parishes of Kilmorack, Kiltarlity & Convinth, and Kirkhill, Inverness-shire, 2002 (Pdf file available on the Internet)
S Taylor with R MacLean & Jacob King, Place-Names of the Aird and Strathglass, Inverness-shire, Kiltarlity Community Council, 2019
J Munro, The Inventory of Chisholm Writs 1456-1810, Scottish Record Society, Edinburgh, 1992
RH MacDonald, Estate of Chisholm – Surviving Rental Lists of 1665 to 1871, TGSI 54, pp 58-136, 1984-6
Highland Papers Vol II pp 289-311
Atlas of Scottish History to 1707, McNeill & MacQueen (eds.), Edinburgh, 1996
OPS II, II pp 507-8 states this was anciently in the earldom of Ross and consists of a plain N of the River Beauly with Glenaffaric, Glencannich, Glenfarrar and part of Strathglass.
OPS II, II pp 515-6 quotes an indenture of 1401 where a davach of Croychel (Kilmorack parish) and a half-davach of Comyr Kynbady (Kiltarlity parish) amounted to 15 merklands. This gives a ratio of 1 davach = 10 merks which was, I think, the New Extent ratio in Ross. However this also means that New Extent was active in Ross by 1401. Fortunately this is not the only piece of evidence to that effect.
The lands of Beauly Priory lay mainly in Kilmorack parish. They are listed in RMS IV (2020) 1571. The charter gives a detailed Reddendo and from it we can work out at least some valuations. There was undoubtedly a ‘going rate’ per davach which applied particularly to the rents in kind. This is confirmed by the 1568 tack given in Batten pp 254-8 for an ‘auchtant’ part (i.e. ⅛) of Rheindown. In all Beauly probably owned at least 7 and possibly up to 10 davachs of land.
It is worth remembering that parishes are artificial constructs and whilst they are generally subject to geography there are often anomalies. So, Erchless was not in Kilmorack, but Crochail was. In light of these historical surprises it is difficult to be sure if there was once a standard parish of so many davachs.
The table shows a minimum of 11⅝ davachs in the parish but the true total was higher. I have no valuations for Kilmorack itself, nor parts of Aigas and Struy. Neither do I know the values of some of the smaller Beauly Priory properties.
Sheilings
The upper reaches of Kilmorack and Kiltarlity parishes include enormous areas of hill ground that were primarily used as grazing. Were they ever assessed? The short answer is that we cannot know this. If assesssments date back to the Early Historic period; if the climate was kinder and allowed more cultivation; then they may have been and their values lost over the centuries since. On the other hand we could argue that the relative absence of arable ground means they were only ever grazings. The most we can do is point to the documents which provide evidence of what these sheilings were called and what farms they were attached to. I have done this occasionally in the tables but here I provide some further sources:
CW No 45 1593 – sheiling of Drumleyr
CW No 148 1636 – sheilings of Culvie, Leacavie and the forest of Affrick
CW No 151 1636 – sheiling of Beynnivean and Strathnaschalig
CW No 155 1636 – sheiling of Teavaniche
CW No 194 1647 – Glengowrie
CW No 210 1650 – sheilings of Affarick, Mulach and Beala ne mulich
CW No 211 1650 – Glengrivie
CW No 243 1658 – sheilings of Binivayne, Pollan, Brimildiche, Inschinveine, Tomcoymiche & Strainschalagie
CW No 373 1669 – sheilings of Mullardiche and Scheallwanische
CW No 477 1677 – sheiling of Cullein in Affric
CW No 579 1689 – Beinvein, Lockavie, Glenfingle, Pollans, Teinconich, Inschvein, Stranishalk
CW No 613 1696 – sheiling of Easter Altbea in Affrick
CW No 615 1696 – grazings of Anamullich in Affarick
RH MacDonald p109 for grazings of Carrie, Glascory and Milardie in 1721
CW No 801 1724 – grazings of Cambane in Affrick
CW No 810 1727 – grazings of Affarick, Louberaigvolgen, Corriseall, Auld Beheimie, Gollan, Loubchromockdie, Glengrivie, Auldbeakgarve, Finglen & Camban
CW No 825 1728 – sheiling of Aicharichvullach
CW No 842 1730 – sheiling of Coulan in Affrick
CW No 855 1732 – grazing of Coulin in Affrick
CW No 912 1743 – grazings of Glasletter and Corrienacullen
CW No 943 1749 – grazings of Frenachbeg, Goulinmore & height of Goulinbegg
CW No 952 1754 – Coulovie, Baik, Finglen, Cambain, Glengrivie, Auld Bengarve
CW No 968 1759 – grazings of Affrick viz: Glengrivie, Aultbeagarve, Aulbeamien, Coulan, Baik, Cairnbain & Finglen.
CW No 970 1759 – Benevean, Inchvune, Glenfea and two Pollans
CW No 992 1764 – grazings of Lungart, Sheagie, Frienach, Goulinmore, Goulinbeg, Lupranin, Kellach, Lupmore, Sleagh
RH MacDonald p117 – grazings for Glen Cannich & Glen Affric in 1775
CW No 1045 1790 – grazings of Corriennacuilen
Many of these have been located by J Munro (see Index pp 198-205), RH MacDonald or S Taylor. Some are a little disguised e.g. Milardie = Mullardiche = Mullardoch. A few remain elusive. There is still work to be done mapping them and the farms they were associated with but I am not sure we can resolve the issue of any assessments they may have had.
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