Durness
Under ‘Map Sources’ references such as ‘Forbes 1820’ or ‘B&S’ (Burnett & Scott) refer to maps viewable within the National Library of Scotland Digital Map Library on the internet. Some can be seen under ‘County’; others under ‘Estate Maps’ and then by ‘County’ (Sutherland).
Blaeu (E.S.) = Blaeu (Extima Scotiae). OSNB = Ordnance Survey Name Book
| Name | Value | Date | Grid Ref | Map Sources | Other forms, comments etc |
| Kearvaig | (¼ davach) | NC 2972 | See Durness Farms under Ceathramh. Ex Bishopric of Caithness. | ||
| Daill | NC 3568 | ||||
| Slains | 1 davach | 1637 | c. NC 3768 | RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. Ex Bishopric of Caithness.
See under Durness Farms. See below. |
|
| Reintraid | 1d | 1665 | Barony of Durness. Linked to Slains in 1665.
See below under Slains. |
||
| Grudie | 1504 | NC 3663 | Thomson | Gruyddech in GD84/2/2 1504.
RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. MGC I p 193 of 1726. |
|
| An Fharaid | ½ davach | 1637 | NC 3870 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Farritt(Blaeu). Farret in RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. RS37/7/138v 1652. Book of Mackay p 161. |
| Keoldale | 3 davachs | 1637 | NC 3866 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) Thomson |
RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. Ex Bishopric of Caithness.
See under Durness Farms. Kildal in MGC I p 193 of 1726. See below. |
| Auchnahannet | 1637 | NC 3865 | Forbes 1820 | Part of Keoldale. See below. | |
| Sarsgrum | 1637 | NC 3763/3764 | B&S 1833 | Part of Keoldale. See below under Keoldale. OSNB 16 p 59.
RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. Sartegrim in MGC I p 193 of 1726. Sartigram – Book of Mackay, Appendix No 56 1756. |
|
| Cranagak | ½ davach | 1637 | RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. Ex Bishopric of Caithness.
See below. |
||
| Balnakeil | ½ davach | 1637 | NC 3968 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) Thomson Dep.313/3622/24 Dep.313/3622/25 |
RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. See below.
See also Manse of Durness below. Dep.313/3624/19 & 20. |
| Iddin & Bellamullich
(Aodann & Balvolich) |
1½ davachs | 1652 | RS37/7/138v 1652. A different configuration of lands to 1637? | ||
| Aodann Mhòr | ½ davach
(1 davach) |
1675 | NC 4069 | Easter ½ davach in RS38/4/334r 1675 with named shielings west of Kyle of Durness. Whole = 1 davach? GD84/1/27/4: easter ½ davoch of the Edinmor. Iddin in Book of Mackay p 161 c. 1640. Cf Iddinnahua under Manse of Durness below. | |
| Balvolich | 2 davachs
|
1637
|
NC 3967 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) Thomson |
RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. Balvolich(Thomson).
?=Bellmullich in Book of Mackay p 161 c. 1640. |
| Knokbreake | ½ davach | 1652 | RS37/7/138v 1652. Knockbreck – apparently close to Balnacille and Crosboll – according to MGC I p 193 of 1726. | ||
| (Loch) Croispol | ½ davach | 1637 | NC 3967/3968 | Dep.313/3622/25 | Crosbol in RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640.
Crospuyll in 1678 rental (Book of Mackay No 63 pp 471-5). Crosboll (farm) in MGC I p 193 of 1726. |
| Uibig | NC 3968 | Uibeg – MGC I p 193 of 1726. | |||
| Borley | 2 davachs
1 davach |
1637
1666 |
NC 3867 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) Dep.313/3624/5 |
RS37/6/85v 1637, RS37/6/269r 1640. 1 davach Borrollie in RS38/3/90v 1666 with named shieling grounds. GD84/1/17/8. Borley(Thomson) just W of N end of Loch Borralie.
Ex Bishopric of Caithness. See under Durness Farms. See below. |
| Claisneach | 1726 | ¼ mile up the Kyle from Borley according to MGC I p 193 of 1726. | |||
| Durness | 1½ davachs | c. 1640 | NC 4067 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Loch, K(irk) and River in Pont (2).
Book of Mackay p 161 |
| Manse of Durness
(Mains) |
3 davachs | c. 1640 | ‘called Bellachastell, Galdwell & Iddinnahua etc’, Book of Mackay p 161. Also RS37/7/138v 1652. For Galdwell see following entry.
For Iddinnahua see Aodann. |
||
| Galdwell | Ex Bishopric of Caithness. See under Durness Farms. | ||||
| Laid | NC 4158/4159 | ||||
| Ceannabeinne | 1726 | NC 4365 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Keanbeym in Blaeu. Keanbinn in MGC I p 192 of 1726. | |
| Eriboll | 1 davach | 1499 | NC 4356 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Davach-Erebull (RMS II (2506)). Daach-Irrebole in RSS IV (3060) 1555. 1 davach Ereboll (ER XIX p 53 1556-8). 1 davach in Book of Mackay pp 287-8 1620. See below. |
| Arnaboll | ½ davach | 1556-8 | NC 4657 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Annaboll in ER XIX p 53 1556-8. |
| Merkan | NC 4654 | ||||
| Braesgill | 1726 | NC 4756/4757 | Dep.313/3622/49 | Bregisgill in MGC I p 194 of 1726. | |
| Hope | 1 davach | 1556-8 | NC 4760 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Hope in ER XIX p 53 1556-8. See below. |
| Inverhope | NC 4761 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
|||
| Freisgill | ¼ davach | 1666 | NC 4965 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Frothsgill(Blaeu). Frosgill in MGC I p 192 of 1726.
RS38/3/89v 1666. See below. |
| Eilean Hoan | 2d
½ davach |
1539
1652 |
NC 4467 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Ylen Haa(Blaeu). Ex Bishopric of Caithness.
See below and under Durness Farms. RS37/7/138v 1652. |
| Eilean Choraidh | NC 4257/4258 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Ylen Chorry(Blaeu) with settlement symbol. RS37/1/203v 1620 &
RS37/1/205r 1620. |
||
| Polla | NC 3854 | ||||
| Eilean an Ruathair | ½ davach | 1606 | NC 4544 | Ellanryre in RS36/2/26v 1606. Elanryre in GD84/1/11/4. RS37/1/203v 1620. Ellanrighair in MGC I p 194 of 1726.
See below. |
|
| Heilam | ½ davach | 1556-8 | NC 4560 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Wulem in RSS II (624) 1530. Unlem in RSS IV (1375) 1551.
Hundleym in ER XIX p 53 1556-8. Chain-Leim(Pont, Blaeu). Hunleim in MGC I p 192 of 1726. |
| Stra Vrredell | Pont(2) & (3)
Blaeu(Strathnaver) |
Now = Strath More running S from Loch Hope. See below.
Strahuridale in MGC I p 194 of 1726. |
|||
| Muiseal | 1726 | NC 4647 | Forbes(1820) | In Strath More. Book of Mackay Appendix No 9 pp 381-4.
Mussal/Mussall in MGC I p 194 of 1726. |
|
| Crannach | NC 4543 | In Strath More. <> Cranagak above. | |||
| Blaid | NC 4543 | Thomson(1823)
Dep.313/3622/49 |
In Strath More. Blaad in 1678 rental (Book of Mackay No 63 pp 471-5). See below. | ||
| Sandwood | 2d | 1634 | NC 2264 | Blaeu (E.S.)
Dep.313/3624/5 |
RS37/5/171r 1634. Dep.313/3624/5 gives Abhainn an t-Srathain as the parish march. This would put the settlement at Sandwood on the Edderachylis side. See also under Edderachylis.
Ex Bishopric of Caithness. See under Durness Farms. |
| Ceathramh …? | ¼ davach | Ex Bishopric of Caithness. See Durness Farms under Ceathramh. = Kearvaig above? | |||
| Ceathramh Meanach | (¼ davach) | 1551 | Ex Bishopric of Caithness.
See Durness Farms under Ceathramh Meanach. |
||
| Ceathramh Garbh
(Edderachylis) |
¼ davach | 1551 | Blaeu (E.S.) | Ex Bishopric of Caithness. See Durness Farms under Ceathramh Garbh. See also under Edderachylis – Text & Table. | |
| Srath Coille na Feàrna | NC 3750/3851 | Probably = Coulnafearn – see Book of Mackay App. No 46, 1681. | |||
| Total | >20¾
davachs? |
See text file. |
Blaeu gives the district name West Moan to the area between Loch Eriboll (on the west) and Loch Kintail (to the east).
Stra Vrredall (Strathuridale) in Blaeu (running south from Loch Hope) is now Strathmore.
- Gareroun of Gordon(2) = Loch Inchard.
Slains
RSS IV (3060) 1555 gives ‘Barolleslanis’ which represents two place-names run together: ‘Barolle’ [Borley] and ‘Slanis’.
GD84/1/27/6 of 1712 (on an original of 1665) refers to Slanness with a penny land called Reintraid and port called Portnacalichabeg. The place-name Slanes has disappeared but we can locate it on the basis of MGC I p 193 of 1726 which puts it at the mouth of the Kyle of Grudie (now Kyle of Durness) – on the east side. This was possibly at Solmar (NC 3768). (MGC I p 195 also mentions ‘the Loch of Slaness’ which may be what is now called Loch Lanlish). Reintraid was possibly by one of the beaches nearby. (There is a Rientraid in Assynt, which I think was different). Slaines was still a farm-unit in the 1678 rental – see Book of Mackay p 473.
(The Durness Parish Register has references to Shinins/Shinnins which will be Shinness at NC 3559).
Keoldale
RS37/6/85v 1637 & RS37/6/269r 1640 give the names of two places which appear to have been part of Keoldale: Auchownahonnet and Seutegreinie(?). The former appears to be a variant of Auchnahannet where the last element is from annaid – notionally a mother-church. Book of Mackay App. No 56, 1756, lists Sartigram after Keoldale.
Auchnahannet
Ach’ na h-Anaite NC 3865. OS 6″ 1st Series Sutherland Sheet V 1874 gives Cnoc nan Ceannan here with the description “Human Bones and an Elliptical Cockade found here A.D.1835”. To NE is marked Cnoc Ach’ na h-Anaite. It is worth noting that Auchnahannet is some 3 kilometres from Balnakeil.
Cranagak
There is a place called Craniga or similar which occurs in lots of Durness documents. The context usually implies a location near Borley but no such name appears on the map. The only name I can match is Crannach (in table above) but this is some distance away and unlikely. Craniga was formerly church land.
Ross (TMC 14 p 304) reads the name (in RS37/6/85v 1637) as Branagak or Guanagak.
Balnakeil
MGC I p 193 of 1726 gives this as the site of the ‘mannour’ (manor) of Lord Reay. Apparently a large wall (perhaps belonging to the old castle?) had recently been taken down.
Borley
Borly in MGC I p 193 of 1726. The NAS online catalogue suggests that GD84/1/17/8 1703 refers to Borgie. Whatever the derivation of the place-name Borley this is not the Borgie south of Torrisdale but the Borley west of Durness. The catalogue description refers to the ‘shealings and shealing grazings between Aldnacreich and Aldnaherrow with the shielings and shieling grazings of Badfearloath and with both the sides of the waters of Clinoch and Insheure’. Aldnacreich is probably for a now-elusive Allt na Criche (‘the boundary or march burn’) – perhaps to the south of Daill (NC 3568)? Aldnaherrow is possibly for Alltan na h-Araid which enters the sea at NC 3471. Badfearloath is probably Loch Bad an Fheur-loch at NC 3367. The water of Clinoch is possibly Amhainn na Claigionnaich which appeared on OS 6″ 1st Series Sutherland Sheet V 1874 at NC 3467/3468 but which is now called Daill River. Insheure is now Inshore (& loch) at NC 3269. Essentially the description is of shieling grounds opposite Borley across the Kyle of Durness. See also Book of Mackay pp 249, 292-3 & RS38/3/90v 1666.
Eriboll
Dawach-Erebull in RMS IV (1635) 1565. See Records of the Parliaments of Scotland (online), 19/4/1567 – NAS PA2/10, II, ff 22v-23r. The commas in the online version are misleading. It is clear from other contemporary documents that this should read ‘Davach Eriboll’. Dawache Irreboll in ER XXI p 466 1581-2. RS37/1/203v 1620 links Ereboll with Ellanchoir (Eilean Choraidh). Also RS36/2/26v 1606. RS37/1/205r 1620 & RS37/3/25v 1624 include Strathbeg.
GD84/1/19/1 of 1706 implies that Achinaranich, Achinaharsad, Inveran & Ferlan were associated with the farm of Eriboll. Ferlan might just be for Feorlan (which would be a farthingland).
Hope
OSA Vol VI No 33 p 297 for Edderachylis in 1793 refers to the davach of Hope. This may have included more than just the farm of Hope. See also Book of Mackay Appendix No 2 pp 370-1, No 9 pp 381-4.
Freisgill
RS38/3/89v 1666 gives boundaries. The southern boundary was Auldanchonduy, eastern was Loachnabreakachbuy, northern was Aldanreach. These are Alltan a’ Choin Duibh (NC 5164), Lochan nam Breac buidhe (NC 5264) and Alltan Riabhach (NC 5167) respectively, on OS Explorer 447. From Thomson’s map of Sutherland (1823) it looks as if the northern and eastern boundary was also the parish boundary.
Separate to Coire Fresgill on west side of Kyle of Durness.
Eilean Hoan
Elanehoga in 1386 (Caithness and Sutherland Records Vol I, Part VII, No 132, pp 173-4, London, 1913).
Hoga was 2d in 1539 (RMS III (2048)) & 1540 (Book of Mackay Appendix No 14 pp 391-3). OPS II, II p 712, quoting Sutherland Charters and RSS Vol XXIV ff 97-8, gives a grant of 1551 by Queen Mary to Robert, bishop of Orkney. (See RSS IV (1371) 1551). This includes Howga 2d. This is repeated in OPS II, II p 714, quoting Sutherland Charters in 1613. Hoga 2d in ER XXI p 466 1581-2. Also in Records of the Parliaments of Scotland (online), 19/4/1567 – NAS PA2/10, II, ff 22v-23r. 2d Hoga in RMS IV (1635) 1565.
Eilean an Ruathair
Appears on OS 6″ 1st Series Sutherland Sheet XLII 1873. Not marked on Explorer 447 but there is a large island mid-stream. Ilanryr in Book of Mackay pp 287-8 1620. Islandryre in Book of Mackay p 160 fn 1 1681.
Stra Vrredell
Strathe Ridaill in ER XXI p 466 1581-2.
GD84/1/18/1B 1634 gives
Strathuridaill viz. Massoill Dalcheppache Ellenryre
i.e. ‘Stra Vrredell’ of Blaeu which is now Strath More running south from Loch Hope, with its farms of Muiseal, Dalkeppoch and Eilean an Ruathair.
Similarly in RS37/1/205r 1620 & RS37/3/25v 1624.
Blaid
In OS 6″ 1st Series Sutherland Sheet XLII 1873 what is now Allt a’ Bhlaid was then named Allt a’ Charn-Achaidh. Allt a’ Bhlaid was then two burns further south. The Durness Parish Register has references to Plaiad (or similar).
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