Dornoch Table

Dornoch

Under ‘Map Sources’ entries such as ‘Dep.313/3617/49’ or ‘Acc.10225/73’ refer to maps in the National Library of Scotland which appear in their online Digital Map Library. See accompanying text file for fuller descriptions.

The Cathedral dignitaries were supported by parishes elsewhere but they also seem to have had plots of ground in Dornoch to maintain them whilst in residence. So we know of ‘fields’ in Dornoch parish belonging to the Chancellor, Treasurer, Chanter, Dean and Archdean. We know the first three rented at 40s p.a. c. 1561. Since Achinchanter was 3d in 1623 it is probable Achintreasurer and Pitgrudy had the same value. In addition there were also crofts and houses in Dornoch itself – both for church dignitaries and parish clergy (rectors and vicars). See, for example, RMS V (1729) 1590.

Name	Value	Date	Grid Ref	Map Sources	Other forms, comments etc
Dornoch	1 davach?		NH 7989	Blaeu(Sutherland)	See below.
Achinchanter	3d	1623	NH 8090	Dep.313/3617/49 Dep.313/3617/50 Acc.10225/38	GD128/47/8/6. NLS Dep.313/1598. This is N. of Dornoch and there was also a chanter’s croft to the S. of the burgh. OPS II, II, pp 618, 643. Referred to in RMS IV (2995) 1561. Chanter’s field 40s p.a. in J. Kirk, (ed.), The Books of Assumption of the Thirds of Benefices, Oxford, p 630. See also RSS VII (1056) 1577.
Michaelwells				Dep.313/3617/49 Dep.313/3617/50 Acc.10225/38
Achurach				Dep.313/3617/49 Dep.313/3617/50 Acc.10225/38
Achintreasurer	(3d)	c. 1561			RMS IV (2995) 1580, on original of 1561- paying 5m old rent. See below.
Auchindean	6d	1623			GD128/47/8/6. NLS Dep.313/1598. Davach belonging to dean?
Balnaknok		1561		Blaeu(Sutherland) Gordon(10)	‘called the Archedenisfeild’ (Archdean’s field) in RMS IV (2995) 1561 & RSS VII (1056) 1577. Paying 5m p.a. in RMS V (1077) 1586 on original of 1556. Probably = Pale-chnuik in Blaeu (E of Dornoch). OPS II, II p 621.
Pitgrudy (Chancellor’s field)	(3d)	c. 1561	NH 7991	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3617/51 Dep.313/3617/2 Dep.313/3617/8 Dep.313/3617/9	RMS V (72) 1580 on original of 1560 – paying 4m. Petgrody called the ‘Chancellaris-feild’ (Chancellor’s field) in RMS IV (2995) 1561. Chancellor’s field 40s p.a. in J. Kirk, (ed.), The Books of Assumption of the Thirds of Benefices, Oxford, p 630. Pitgrwthee 1560, OPS II, II p 619. RS36/2/48v 1606. Pitgroudie (Blaeu). Acc.10225/38.
Skelbo	(2 davachs)	1509-10	NH 7995	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3587/5 Dep.313/3591/8 Dep.313/3617/40 Dep.313/3617/41	Skelbe (Blaeu). See below.
Casteltoun of Skelbo	(2 davachs)	1509-10			ER XIII p 266 gives a £4 rent which implies 2 davachs.
Pitmayne	(1 davach)	1509-10			ER XIII p 266 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. Bentinck, Dornoch, p 514, says part of Skelbo.
Balvraid	(1 davach)	1509-10	NH 7695	Dep.313/3591/11 Dep.313/3617/53 Dep.313/3617/54 Dep.313/3617/55 Dep.313/3617/33	ER XIII p 266 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. 2 davachs 1551 in OPS II, II p 631. Wester ½ davach in RS37/3/224r 1626. Part of the Skelbo estate. 1½d of in NLS Dep.313/81.
Achavandra (Muir)	(1 davach)	1509-10	NH 7793	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3617/52 Acc.10225/73 Dep.313/3591/1 Acc.10225/45 Dep.313/3609/2	ER XIII p 266 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach.
Cambusavie	(1 davach)	1509-10	NH 7696/7796	Dep.313/3617/30 Dep.313/3617/31 Dep.313/3617/32 Dep.313/3617/33 Dep.313/3591/18	ER XIII p 266 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. See below.
Coul	(⅓ davach)	1509-10	NH 8194	Dep.313/3617/23 Acc.10225/74a Dep.313/3617/24	ER XIII p 266 gives a 13s 4d rent which implies ⅓ davach (or 2d). ER XIII p cxl suggested Assynt. I think near Skelbo more likely. Perhaps it once made a davach with ‘Fourpenny’.
Fourpenny	4d		NH 8094	Dep.313/3617/52 Acc.10225/74 Dep.313/3617/28	Part (⅔) of a davach with Coul above?
Torboll	3 davachs	1275	NH 7598	Dep.313/3617/44 Dep.313/3617/45 Dep.313/3617/47 Dep.313/3587/2 Dep.313/3587/3 Dep.313/3617/46	See below.
Dalnamain	(1 davach)	1509-10	NH 7298	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Probably part of 3 davachs Torboll in 1275. ER XIII p 267 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. 4d of in NLS Dep.313/81. Also called Strathcharne (i.e. Strath Carnaig).
Evelix	2 davachs	1275	NH 7690/7790	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3617/36 Dep.313/3617/37 Dep.313/3617/38 Dep.313/3617/39	Part of the Torboll estate. ER XIII p 267 gives a £4 rent which implies 2 davachs. Dep.313/3617/34 & 35.
Astle	1 davach	1360	NH 7391	Blaeu(Sutherland) Acc.10225/39 Acc.10225/40 Acc.10225/41 Acc.10225/43	Aisdail in Blaeu. See below. ER XIII p 267 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. Acc.10225/44: Asdale Dep.313/3609/1: Astel
Cambusmore			NH 7697
Proncycroy	1 davach	1360	NH 7791	Dep.313/3617/6 Dep.313/3617/8 Dep.313/3617/10 Dep.313/3617/11	ER XIII p 267 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach.
Proncynain	1 davach	1509-10		Dep.313/3617/1 Dep.313/3617/3 Dep.313/3617/7 Dep.313/3617/8 Dep.313/3617/9	ER XIII p 267 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach.
Proncy	3 davachs	1275	NH 7792	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Part of the Torboll estate. RMS I (132) 1363 divides these 3 davachs into 1 of Upper, 1 of Lower and 1 of Proncycroy.
Mains of Proncy				Dep.313/3617/4 Dep.313/3617/5 Dep.313/3617/12
Casteltoun of Proncy	2 davachs?	1509-10			ER XIII p 267 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach – as well as 24 bolls of barley which might mean a second davach.
Achley			NH 7890	Dep.313/3617/2 Dep.313/3617/48
Kinnauld	2 davachs	1275	NC 7301	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3616/9 Dep.313/3616/10 Dep.313/3616/23	West & East today. Rinald in Blaeu. Appears as both 2 bovates and 2 davachs in RS36/2/34v 1606 – latter is correct. Also Laing Charters (2463) 1655. Broch(s). Pendicle of Dalmoir – RS38/3/119r 1666.
Cuthill	1 davach	1275	NH 7587	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Cuttel in Blaeu. See below.
Ullestrie	6d	1623			GD128/47/8/6. NLS Dep.313/1598. = Cuthill or Dall-Ullustie above. Vllest in Sutherland Book III (97) 1557.
Skibo	6 davachs	1275	NH 7389	Blaeu(Sutherland)	The castle is said to have had 6 davachs adajacent in 1275. See below and following entries.
Overskibo & Auchornilie	12d or 2 davachs	1623	NH 7289	Blaeu(Sutherland)	See below under Skibo. See below under Achvaich.
Ardalie	6d or 1 davach	1623	NH 745884	Blaeu(Sutherland) Burnett & Scott	Blaeu marks Ardalis south of Skibo so probably one of the 6 davachs of Skibo. Ardalles in Sutherland Book III (97) 1557. Ardaillis in 1623.
The Ferritoun & Achvaich	3d or ½ davach	1623		Blaeu(Sutherland)	The Ferritoun will be the old Meikle Ferry. But see also under Cyderhall. See below under Achvaich.
Davochfin	6d or 1 davach	1623	NH 7789	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3617/56 Dep.313/3617/57	GD128/47/8/6. 40s (or 3m) silver duty in 1623. NLS Dep.313/1598. Name implies a davach
Drumdivan	6d	1623	NH 7889	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3617/56 Acc.10225/38	Doundivan in 1623. Silver rent was 8s per pennyland. NLS Dep.313/1598.
Clashmore			NH 7489	Dep.313/3617/19 Dep.313/3617/20 Dep.313/3617/21
Cyderhall/Sidera	6 davachs 12d	1275 1623	NH 7588	Blaeu(Sutherland) Dep.313/3617/13 Dep.313/3617/14 Dep.313/3617/15 Dep.313/3617/16 Dep.313/3617/17 Dep.313/3617/18	6 davachs Syttheraw with the ferry 1275 must have included other farms. 12d or 2 davachs in GD128/47/8/6, 1623. NLS Dep.313/1598. Siddera (Blaeu).
Teachlybe			NH 7689	Dep.313/3617/13	Ex Bishopric. RMS IV (2965) 1579-80 on original of 1576 – paying 5s old rent. RMS VI (2155) 1608 (on an original of 1607) – Tayclyb is named as a croft of Sithera. RS37/3/195r 1626.
Embo	6d 2 davachs	1574 1608	NH 8092	Blaeu(Sutherland) Acc.10225/72	Ex Bishopric. Innerbo or Indbo in 1574 (OPS II, II p 643). Eyndboll in OPS II, II p 617 of 1610. Amboill in Macgill p 296, No 750, 1636. See below.
Rearquhar	1 davach	1275	NH 7492	Blaeu(Sutherland) Acc.10225/39 Acc.10225/40 Acc.10225/41 Acc.10225/43	Part of Torboll estate. 1 davach Remeharkar in RMS I (132) 1363. 1 davach Renuharkar in GD305/1/126/582  c. 1362. Riarachar in Blaeu. ER XIII p 267 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. Acc.10225/44, Dep.313/3609/1, Dep.313/3609/3.
Achosnich	½ davach	1275	NH 7293/7294		Hacchencossy. See also Astle (above and in Torboll table).
Breamorton	1d	1728			1d of Breamorton ‘extending to 6 Bolls’ in Bangor-Jones p 155 quoting NAS RS 38/8 f 368 of 1728.
Achvaich			NH 7194	Blaeu(Sutherland)	Achavaich in Blaeu. See below.
Achormlarie			NH 6994		See below under Achvaich.
Total	c. 35 davachs				The difficulty in marrying the data from 1275, 1360 and 1509-10 means that this total may include some double-counting.

 

 

Dornoch

Many small parcels of land in and around the burgh of Dornoch are referred to in the documents: e.g. Auchinecloich, Blechinghill, Croftmauld, Croftowlay, Gunneris Croft, Croftphaill, Chanter’s Croft, Dean’s Croft, The Delvingis, Croft Annabill, Croft Canvik, Croft Niell, Croft Mowden etc. In the case of Croftphaill (=Croftmore) we are given an extent of 5 bolls 2 firlots. If, by analogy with Moray, we reckon 48 bolls per davach then Croftphaill may have been about an oxgang. The best we can do is estimate the total extent of Dornoch as at least 1 davach. See also RMS VI (2141) 1608.

Bentinck gives a map (facing p 142) showing the old crofts. On pp 167-9 he describes some of Dornoch’s old boundaries.

 

Achintreasurer

Description of location in RMS IV (2995) 1580, on original of 1561. Bentinck p 504. Also Munro, J., The Inventory of Chisholm Writs 1456-1810, Scottish Record Society, Edinburgh, 1992, No 24 p 4. RMS VI (2110) 1608 on original of 1603. OPS II, II, p 620 – cf Retours (Caithness) (1) 1563 & Retours (Sutherland) (6) 1656. Treasurer’s field 40s p.a. in J. Kirk, (ed.), The Books of Assumption of the Thirds of Benefices, Oxford, p 630.

 

Skelbo

Skelbo was not just the name of a farm, it was also the name of a 12-davach estate. OPS II, II p 845 gives a reference to the ‘bordland of Skelbow’ in 1456. ER XIII p 266 gives a £4 rent which implies 2 davachs. See also table for Skelbo estate. RSS I (2023) 1509-10.

 

Cambusavie

According to SHS Sutherland Estate Management Vol 1 Report by P Sellar 1811 Section IV Lands in Parish of Dornoch p 63 Cambusavie included a unit called Leadoch (i.e. half-davach).

 

Torboll

Torboll was not just the name of a farm, it was also the name of a 16-davach estate. Torboll itself was 3 davachs in 1275 and 1360. ER XIII p 267 gives 40s rent for each of Turbomor and Turbobeg – which implies 1 davach each. Possibly the third davach had splintered off by 1509-10 and been renamed. OPS II, II p 634 refers to a davach of Torboll in 1564. See also table for Torboll estate.

 

Astle

It is difficult to be sure when the documents are talking about this farm rather than Ausdale at NH 6295 or Achosnich at NH 7293/7294. The 1275 charter refers to the three-quarters of Haskesdale. RRS VI (307) on original of 1360 gives the davach of Assaftell (more probably Assastel as in OPS II, II p 628), Hassastelle in RMS I (132) or Hostashill in GD305/1/126/582. Askadaile in Sutherland Book III No 38 1472. Askisdale in ER XIII p 267 1509-10. Austisdaill of OPS II, II p 629 of 1525. Probably = Arsdaill of 1607 in OPS II, II pp 618-9. See also ‘Astraydaill in Brachat’ under Lairg parish and Torboll table under column ‘h’ for discussion. In the estate maps it often appears as Astle of Rearcher (Rearquhar).

 

Cuthill

Given as 1 davach of Cuttheldawach in 1275. RMS V (112) 1575 describes this as ‘the davach or 6 pennyland of Cuthill or Cuthill-Daill or Dall-Ullustie with its newly-cultivated pendicles of Stanefurde and Newlandis’. There is another reference in Retours (Caithness) (6) 1605 but I have not tried to unscramble this because I suspect the description is becoming rather confused. RS37/3/195r 1626 gives davach or 6d of Cuthillhill, Cuthilldaill or Daill Ullestie with its pendicles viz Stainfuird, Newlandis also called Belblair. See also RS37/4/322v 1631 and RS37/6/30v 1637 with named pendicles. NLS Dep.313/261/2. The name Cuthill is uncommon this far north but there is also a reference to Cuthyl Curitin (Rosemarkie, Easter Ross) in GD93/12 1379-80. See McNeill, P.G.B. & MacQueen, H.L., (eds.), Atlas of Scottish History, Edinburgh, 2000, p 191.

 

Skibo

Skibo comprised 6 davachs in 1275 (Sutherland Book III (7)). I am not sure what these were but likely candidates include:

Over Skibo & Auchornilie = 12d (2 davachs) in 1623. GD128/47/8/6. NLS Dep.313/1598.

2 davachs Over Skibo in NLS Dep.313/261/2 1836 on charter of 1649.

Ardaillis = 6d (1 davach) in 1623. GD128/47/8/6. NLS Dep.313/1598.

The Ferritoun & Achvaich = 3d (½ davach) in 1623. (There is a complication in that the ferry was part of Cyderhall in 1275). GD128/47/8/6. NLS Dep.313/1598.

Plus Skibo itself which included Blackpenny NLS Dep.313/261/2 1836 on charter of 1649.

For Skibo Castle see also RMS II (1404) 1478 on original of 1455.

See also Sutherland Book III (97) 1557. The editor has the name correct in the charter but not in the Abstract where it is confused with Skelbo.

RMS V (561) 1583 on originals of 1576 & 1565.

 

Embo

RS36/2/40v 1606 is just one of a number of documents where the scribe shows confusion about land-assessment terms. Inbo is described as 2 pennyland – plainly a mistake for 2 davachs. RS36/2/357v 1608 refers to 2 davachs of Ynbo/Imbo (ex Bishop of Caithness) – and then, twice later in the same document, to two bovates. The latter is a mistake. (See Kinnauld above for a similar error). RMS VI (2102) 1608 has 2 davachs Ynbo. RS38/2/267v 1665 gives 2 davachs but the initial ‘E’ in Eaynbo is easily misread for a ‘D’ which is presumably why Ross (TMC14) p 321 has misplaced it under Dingwall. Gunn, A. & Mackay, J. (eds.), Sutherland and the Reay Country, Glasgow, 1897, p 164, claim ‘The natives pronounce it Eriboll in Gaelic’.

 

Achvaich

In Sutherland Book III No 97 1557 Auchiveyauch appears with pendicles called Auchegormolaye and Auchenecolas. In RMS IV (1669) 1565 Auchewaicht is listed with its pendicles called Auchegormoley and Auchenicolas. In RMS V (277) 1581 Auchevaich is listed with its pendicles called Auchegormela and Auchenicolais. Achvaich and Achormlarie are on the north side of the River Evelix, some distance away from Overskibo or Ferritoun. RMS VIII (1045) 1627 on original of 1626. Also referred to in NLS Dep.313/261/1 & 2 1836.