Creich Table

Creich

Under ‘Map Sources’ entries such as ‘Dep.313/3587/4’ or ‘Acc.10225/28’ refer to maps in the National Library of Scotland which appear in their online Digital Map Library. See accompanying text file for fuller descriptions. Blaeu (E.S.) = Blaeu (Extima Scotiae).

Name	Value	Date	Grid Ref	Map Sources	Other forms, comments etc
Pulrossie			NH 7288	Blaeu(Sutherland) RHP 12647	RMS XI (104) 1661 on original of 1649 – pendicles called Prouternach, Shawwell & Kiligin. With pendicles called Pralernach, Shanvell & Riligin in Retours (Sutherland) (13) 1679.
Fload			NH 7088	Blaeu(Sutherland)
Ospisdale	1 davach	1618	NH 7189	Blaeu(Sutherland)	‘devach’ in RH15/13/1 1618. See below.
Acharry	1 davach	1463-4	NH 7089	Forbes(1820)	Named Davacharry in ALI No 82 1463-4.
Newton			NH 7187	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Newtoun in Blaeu.
Spinningdale			NH 6789	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Spainidail in Blaeu.
Dun Creich Creich Mains Little Creich Church & Manse   Creich More	1 davach or 6d   ½ davach	1575     1607	NH 6588 NH 6488 NH 6389 NH 6389   NH 6488/6588	Blaeu(Sutherland) Acc.10225/28 Dep.313/3587/4     Dep.313/3603	See below.   Dawach or 6d of Littill Creych with pendicle called Littill Sordell in RMS V (112) 1575 – ex bishopric. RS37/3/195r 1626. RS37/4/322v 1631. RS37/6/30v 1637. Dep.313/261/2. RS36/2/325v 1607 gives ½ davach of Creichmoir called Belliblair.
Migdale	1 davach or 6d	1575	NH 6392	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3587/4	Dawach or 6d of Migdall in RMS V (112) 1575 – ex bishopric. Pendicles: Reane-mene & Culnara. RS37/3/195r 1626. RS37/4/322v 1631. Dep.313/261/2.
Swordale (Mekill)	1 davach or 6d	1575	NH 6191	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Dawach or 6d of Mekill Sordell in RMS V (112) 1575 – ex bishopric. Pendicles: Tulloch, Reane-golycht & Reane-reycht. RS37/3/195r 1626. RS37/4/322v 1631. Dep.313/261/2.
Belcherrie	¼ land	1637			RS37/6/30v 1637 – linked with salmon fishing of Bonnach.
Airdens Ardinsche	6d     1 davach	1623     1618	NH 6293	Dep.313/3587/4 Thomson(1823) Burnett & Scott (1831-2)	See below. ER XIII p 266 gives a 40s rent for Ardinchyn which implies 1 davach. The Earldom rental in GD128/47/8/6 suggests the earldom only held 1 davach in Creich parish and that was Ardinsche. Ardeens in Burnett & Scott (1831-2). ‘devach’ in RH15/13/1 1618. A Ross quotes NLS Dep314/25 giving Ardinch as 1 davach in 1564.
Maikle	(2 davachs)	1509-10	NH 5993/5994 NH 6093	Roy (FC) Forbes(1820)	ER XIII p 266 gives a £4 rent which implies 2 davachs. RS36/2/226r 1607 & RS36/2/227r 1607 refer to ½ davach of Makell called Bellichraggan. See below.
Inveran	½ davach	1662	NH 5797	Dep.313/3624/7	A Ross quoting NAS SC29/1/1A.
Invershin (Castle)	(1½ davachs) 9d	1509-10 1787	NH 5796	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3588 Dep.313/3587/4	ER XIII p 266 gives a £3 rent which implies 1½ davachs. Part of Skelbo Estate – see also under Dornoch parish. NLS Dep.313/81 Decreet of Sale of Skelbo 1787.
Ausdale			NH 6295	Dep.313/3587/4 Forbes(1820)	Astle in Forbes. See also Astle in Dornoch parish.
Linsidemore   Linsidecroy	1 davach	1620	NH 5499   NH 5598	Blaeu (E.S.) Dep.313/3588 Blaeu (E.S.)	Boundary burns in GD93/81 1566-7. Lincet moir in RS37/1/223v 1620.
Achinduich	(1½ davachs) 9d	1509-10 1787	NH 5899	Blaeu(Sutherland)	ER XIII p 266 gives a £3 rent which implies 1½ davachs. Part of Skelbo Estate – see also under Dornoch parish. NLS Dep.313/81 Decreet of Sale of Skelbo 1787.
Altassmore Mid Altass Altasbeag/Little Altas	1 davach   1 davach	1607   1620	NC 4900 NC 5000 NH 5299		See below.   RS37/1/225v 1620. OS 6″ 1st Series Sutherland Sheet CII, 1874. RS38/5/623v 1693.
NE side of R. Cassley					Working roughly SE to NW
Achness	1 davach	1627	NC4602 NC 4702	RHP 183 (1792)	Waterfall (from which Achness gets its name) is at NC4602. RS37/3/331r 1627 & RS37/4/8v 1627 + named shielings. 2 brochs & B-G nearby. GD93/328 1726 lists as ‘in Kincardine’.
Durcha		1627	NC 5002	RHP 183 (1792)	Diricha (shieling of Auchnes) in RS37/3/331r 1627 & RS37/4/8v 1627. Macfarlane’s Geographical Collections I, p 202.
Achurigill			NC 4901	RHP 183 (1792)
Rosehall			NC 4701	RHP 183 (1792)	See below. ?GD93/328 1726 lists as ‘in Kincardine’.
Coire Bog		1627	NC 4705/4805		Correboig (shieling of Auchnes) in RS37/3/331r 1627 & RS37/4/8v 1627.
Rasail			NC 4405/4406	RHP 183 (1792)	See below.
Glencassley Castle			NC 4407	Blaeu(Sutherland)
Bad a’ Chreamha		1627	NC 4308	RHP 183 (1792)	Badechrew (shieling of Auchnes) in RS37/3/331r 1627 & RS37/4/8v 1627.
Badintagairt			NC 4210	RHP 183 (1792)	GD93/328 1726 lists as ‘in Kincardine’.
(Dail) Langwell		1620	NC 4111	RHP 183 (1792)	Broch. Pasture linked with Litle Altes in RS37/1/225v 1620. GD93/328 1726 lists as ‘in Kincardine’. Formerly just called Langwell.
Dailteamhair		1627	NC 3914	RHP 183 (1792)	Daltarrach (shieling of Auchnes) in RS37/3/331r 1627 & RS37/4/8v 1627. Daltarre in RHP 183 (1792). Now Dalphaid (Explorer 440).
Poltarrach		1627			Shieling of Auchnes in RS37/3/331r 1627 & RS37/4/8v 1627. Near Daltarrach?
Duchally (Lodge)			NC 3817	RHP 183 (1792)
SW side of R. Cassley					Working roughly NW to SE.
Glenmuick			NC 3912	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Linked with the davach of Invercassley in RSS VIII (1977) 1584.
Croich			NC 4210	RHP 183 (1792)	RS37/6/331v 1640 gives a hard-to-read place-name – Cr(ior?)ig – as part of the davoch of Knoken (Cnocan nam Braithrean). This may be Croich.
Rosehall			NC 4702		See below.
Invercassley	1 davach	1584	NC 4601/4701	RHP 183 (1792)	RS37/3/146r 1625. RS37/6/331v 1640. See below.
N side Strath Oykell					Working E to W.
Cnocan nam Braithrean	1 davach	1640	NC 4301	Blaeu(Sutherland)	RS37/6/331v 1640. Knoken in Blaeu. See below.
Tuiteam Tarbhach	1 davach	1365 1640	NC 4301	Blaeu(Sutherland)	GD297/198. See also ‘Ane Breve Cronicle’ p 39. RS37/6/331v 1640. See below.
Wester Turnaig Easter Turnaig	⅛ davach ⅛ davach	1651 1651	NC 3900 NC 4000	Blaeu(Sutherland)	In Blaeu and Gordon they are Upper (W) and Lower (E). GD297/198. See also ‘Ane Breve Cronicle’ p 39. See below under Tuiteam Tarbhach.
Kinlochailsh	¼ davach	1651	NC 3211	Blaeu(Sutherland)	See below under Tuiteam Tarbhach.
Salachy			NC 3307		Grazings – RS38/4/347v 1675.
Davachs North of R. Oykel	4 davachs	1558			SC29/1/1 f40r & f40v 1558. Between Oykel & Cassley? See text file – and also under Kincardine parish, Ross-shire.
Total	Min 22½ davachs				Probably 29-30. See text file for explanation.

 

 

RH15/13/1 1618 refers to the ‘devachs’ of Swordell, Migdaill, Litill Creiche, Ospidaill and Ardneische (Ardinsche).

RS37/6/331v 1640 gives 5 davachs of the barony of Strathoykell.

RHP 183 1792 is a very useful source in placing the various properties on the east side of Glen Cassley. Reading from SE to NW they run:

Achurigil, Rosehall, Rossel, Baddichrieve, Badditaggart, Langwell, Daltarre & Deuchally.

 

Ospisdale

This was a property of the Ross family of Balnagown and is not to be confused with Obsdale in Rosskeen parish, Ross. It is sometimes described in the documents as in the earldom of Ross. However I am not sure if it all belonged to the Balnagowan family. SC29/1/1 f40r & f40v 1558 gives Hospisdell as a ½ davach. Hospostyl in 1384 (GD297/177 or OPS II, II, 469 quoting Balnagown charters); Osbudule in GD297/180 1439-40; Olsbustule in ALI No 54 1450 or GD297/191; Hospitall in RMS II (1978) 1490; Ospitell in GD274/1 1549; Hospittill in Retours (Ross) (13) 1597. See also Macgill p 365 No 926.

 

Creich

Creich was obviously an important local centre with dun and church. Our earliest evidence is from the bishop of Caithness’s charter of 1275 which refers to 2½ davachs of Miggewet (Migdale), Swerdisdale (Swordale), Creych (Creich) with the fishing of the Bunnach. The problem is that RMS V (112) 1575 states that Migdale and Swordale were each davachs whilst Little Creich (which included Little Swordale) was also a davach. The later evidence suggest at least 3 davachs – excluding Creichmore. I suspect that the 1275 charter does not include all of each property. GD93/184 1628 details the towns and lands of Creithmoir, Cammiss, Creithblair, Rynfinmack, Badderhowie, Cammiss with the wood and pasture of Leadmoir and the sheiling of Torbreck lying in Ferrincoskie. Some of these places have now vanished from the map but probably lay close to Creich. Ledmore is in NH 6689 while, according to RHP 4202/4203, Torbreck was near Garvary (NH 6399). Torbreak is given under Rogart parish in SHS Sutherland Estate Management Vol 1 Report by P Sellar 1811 Section V. It is mapped by Forbes (1820) and Burnett & Scott (1823) by Loch Buidhe towards the head of Srath Carnaig. Thomson (1823) shows Loch Buidhe as in Creich parish. I would enter a caveat about the parish boundaries here since I would expect them, in their most ancient form, to follow watersheds. See also NLS Dep.313/3587/4 Plan of grounds in dispute between W.S. Dempster, Skibo, and H. Houston of Creech, 1815.

RS36/2/325v 1607 gives ½ davach of Creichmoir called Belliblair. See also GD84/2/2 1504.

RS37/6/30v 1637 gives davach of Little Creich.

Rev. A. Pope in Pennant mentions Mertil-Creich and Mrydol.

 

Airdens

I lack early map evidence but assume Airdens is the same as Ardinchyn (1509-10) and Ardinsche (1623). See also RH15/13/1 1618.

 

Maikle

A Ross quotes NLS Dep314/25 giving Machall as 1 davach and East Machall as ½ davach in 1564. ½ davach Mackell in NLS Dep.313/87 Bundle 12 No’s 113 (1581), 114 (1581), 125 (1597). 9d (=1½ davachs) Mackaill in NLS Dep.313/261/2 1836 referring to charter of 1649.

 

Altassmore/Altasbeag

RS36/2/322r 1607 refers to davach of Meikill Altess.

RS37/1/225v 1620 refers to davach of Litle Altes with the lands and grazings of Langwoll in Glencaslay. RS38/5/623v 1693 gives ‘davoch Lands off Litle Altas comonlie callet Langoll’. (I think the latter is simply confused). Langol or Langal is from the Norse for ‘long-field’.

RS38/3/250r 1667 gives davach of Litle Altes with pendicles (Tullich, Auchin[tinnich?] & Languoll).

RS38/3/251r 1667 gives wester and easter half davachs of Litle Altes.

RS38/5/624r 1693 gives Middtoun and Achintoull (= Auchintoul NH 5199) as parts of Litle Altas.

 

Cnocan nam Braithrean

RSS I (3967) gives 3 merklands of Crokkane in 1528.

 

Tuiteam Tarbhach

RS37/7/109v 1651 refers to half of the davach of Tuttintarroch ‘commonly called Turnak and Kendlochalsche’. RS37/7/126r 1651 refers to quarter of the davach of Tuttintarroch ‘commonly called eister and wester Turnaks’. From these documents we may infer that Kinlochailsh was also a quarterland and that E & W Turnaig were probably ⅛ davach each. This davach covered a very large area.

 

Rosehall

In earlier maps this is marked on the E side of R. Shin (e.g. RHP 183 1792). On Explorer 440 it is on the West Bank.

Rosehall is probably an anglicised version of Rossal which an Old Norse place-name meaning ‘horse-field’. There are similar place-names on both sides of the River Cassley. On the East bank we find Glenrossal House (NC 4604), Loch an Ràsail, Allt an Ràsail, Coir’ an Ràsail and Drochaid Allt an Ràsail which are, respectively, Rassal Loch, Burn, Coire and Bridge over Rassal Burn. Rasail, the settlement name, is marked in NC 4406. In RHP 183 (1792) it appears as the farm of Rossel, immediately north of the farm of Rosehall.

On the West bank we find Beinn Rosail (NC 4106), Beinn an Rosail Beag (NC 4304) and Rossal Wood (NC 4504).

I think the farms on the two banks were originally separate units – and their names may once have been slightly different, just as with Rassal and Russel by Kishorn in Lochcarron parish, Ross-shire. The latter two are distinct units, close by each other, and hard to distinguish in the documentary record. (See also under Applecross). I think we have a similar situation here by the River Cassley. The Norse may have distinguished them but, over the centuries, as they became Gaelicised, and then Anglicised to Rosehall, they became melded into one. Old Norse appears to have had two very similar words hross (horse) and hryssa (mare). It may be that these two names, and perhaps farming practice, meant that we have two distinct farms, one for stallions, one for mares, on opposite sides of the River Cassley.

 

Invercassley

Invercassley (in a bewildering array of spellings) often appears with Ospisdale as a property of the Ross family of Balnagown. So:

Innverkascolayne in 1384 (GD297/177); Innercasly in GD297/180 1439-40; Innerwyrcastelaye in ALI No 54 1450 or Innerovyrcascelayne in GD297/191 (same document); Innerwrchaslaa in GD297/197 1454. RSS VII (486) 1575-6 refers to a ½ davach of Innercaslay. RSS VIII (1977) 1584 refers to a davach of the lands of Innercaslaw with Glenmuk, Stronroschir and fishings. Glenmuick is at NC 3912 (the NW end of Glen Cassley).