Golspie or Culmalie
Under ‘Map Sources’ entries such as ‘Dep.313/3581’ or ‘Acc.10225/135’ refer to maps in the National Library of Scotland which appear in their online Digital Map Library. See accompanying text file for fuller descriptions.
| Name | Value | Date | Grid Ref | Map Sources | Other forms, comments etc |
| Platagall | 1548 | See below. | |||
| Innerboll | 6d | 1623 | NC 8601/8701 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3581(i) |
Innerbow in GD128/47/8/6; Innerbo & Brewland in ER XIII p 264 1509-10. Dep.313/1598. Centred on Carn Liath Broch NC 8701. |
| Uppat | 6d | 1623 | NC 8702 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3618/5 |
GD128/47/8/6; 40s (3m) rent in ER XIII p 264 1509-10 which implies 1 davach. Dep.313/1598. |
| Mellaig | 6d | 1623 | NC 8601 | Dep.313/3581(g)
Dep.313/3581(f) |
Mellak in GD128/47/8/6; Mellok in ER XIII p 264 1509-10.
1½d Mellack in NLS Dep 313/3312 1674. Dep.313/1598. |
| Clayside | 6d | 1623 | NC 8501 | Dep.313/3581(i) | Cleysid in GD128/47/8/6; 4m rent in ER XIII p 264 1509-10.
Dep.313/1598. |
| Dunrobin (Mains) | (1½ davachs)
9d |
1509-10
1623 |
NC 8401 | Dep.313/3581(h)
Dep.313/3618/20 Dep.313/3601 |
ER XIII p 264 1509-10 gives Dunrobyne a £3 rent which implies 1½ davachs. Name (only) given in GD128/47/8/6.
9d in Dep.313/1598. 9d says Bangor-Jones p 164. See below. |
| Backies | 1 davach
6d |
1471
1623 |
NC 8302 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3618/3 Dep.313/3618/4 |
OPS II, II p 673 quoting Fors Charters.
Bakeis in GD128/47/8/6; RSS I (2024) 1509-10. Broch. Lands supplied millstones – OPS II, II p 673. |
| Glen House | 3d | 1623 | NC 7805 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | Glen of Dunrobin in GD128/47/8/6. Dep.313/1598. |
| Eldi(??)ble | 6d | 1625 | See below. | ||
| Allertoun | 6d | 1623 | Allertouns in GD128/47/8/6; ER XIII p 264 1509-10. Dep.313/1598. See below. | ||
| (Golspie) Tower Farm | 6d
9d |
1623 | NC 8300 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3581(e) Dep.313/3581(m) Dep.313/3618/14 Dep.313/3618/19 Dep.313/3618/16 |
Golspy Toure in 1509-10. Gollspitor in GD128/47/8/6.
6d Golspytor in NLS Dep 313/3312 1674. 9d says Bangor-Jones. |
| Golspie Kirktoun | 3d | 1623 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | GD128/47/8/6. RS37/4/279r 1630. See below. | |
| Mekill Golspie | 9d | 1623 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3581(e) |
Golspimoir in GD128/47/8/6; with mill in ER XIII p 264 1509-10.
Dep.313/1598. Between Rives & Golspytower in Kirk. |
|
| Rhives
Old Rives |
1 davach
6d |
1509-10
1623 |
NC 8200 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3581(d) Dep.313/3581(e) Dep.313/3581(m) Dep.313/3618/9 Dep.313/3618/10 Dep.313/3581(a) |
Ruffis, 1 dawati (davach) with 40s (3m) rent in ER XIII p 264 1509-10; wester ½ davach in RS37/3/162v 1625.
Dep.313/1598. Reiffis 6d in GD128/47/8/6. Ruifis in Blaeu. |
| Ballalom | 3d | 1623 | NH 8198 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3581(a) |
GD128/47/8/6. Dep.313/1598. Baloan in Home. 3d Balloan says Bangor-Jones. Blaeu(Sutherland) marks Balelon on N. side Strath Fleet. |
| Drummuie | 1 davach
6d |
1471
1623 |
NH 8199/8299 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3581(c) Dep.313/3618/28 Dep.313/3618/29 Dep.313/3581(a) |
OPS II, II p 673 quoting Fors Charters.
40s (3m) rent in ER XIII p 266 implies 1 davach. Drummoy in Blaeu. Drummoy in GD128/47/8/6. Driemuy in Kirk. Caithness and Sutherland Records Vol I, Part IX, No 197. |
| Culmaily Farm
Cylmaliemoir |
3 davachs
18d |
1509-10
1623 |
NH 8099 | Dep.313/3581(b)
Dep.313/3581(a) Dep.313/3618/31 |
3 davachs Kilmalemor in ER XIII p 264 1509-10.
Culmaily in Kirk. Culmelie in Home. Dep.313/1598. See below. |
| Kirkton | 6d | 1623 | NH 7998 | Dep.313/3581(b)
Dep.313/3581(a) Dep.313/3591/9 Dep.313/3618/13 |
Kylmalie Kirktoun in GD128/47/8/6. See below. Dep.313/3591/9 & Dep.313/3618/13 are very similar. Confusingly, the latter is titled Plan of Kirkton of Golspie. However they are both of Kirkton by Culmaily and the fields marked in 1829 match with those on Explorer 441. Dep.313/1598. |
| Sallich-town | NH 808983 | Dep.313/3581(b)
Dep.313/3581(a) |
Bangor-Jones p 163 says part of Culmaily. | ||
| Rhiorn | Dep.313/3581(a) | Rihon in Home. Bangor-Jones p 163. Part of Culmaily? | |||
| Cragtoun | 2 davachs
12d |
1509-10
1623 |
NH 7898 | Dep.313/3581(b)
Dep.313/3581(a) |
2 davachs in ER XIII p 264 1509-10. According to OPS II, II p 675 it had a ‘fische gartht’ (i.e. a caraidh or yair or fish-trap) in 1554. Craigtoun 12d, Dep.313/1598. |
| Balblair | 3d | 1623 | NH 7997 | Dep.313/3581(b)
Dep.313/3581(a) |
See below. |
| Littleferry | NH 8095 | Ferytoune in ER XIII p 264 1509-10. =Unes? OPS II, II pp 650-1. | |||
| Unes | 1 davach | 1275 | c. NH 8196 | = Littleferry? Loch Unes is just north of Littleferry. OPS II, II pp 650-1. Owenes in 1275. See below. | |
| Aberscross | (3 davachs) | 1509-10
|
NC 7600 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3618/1
|
ER XIII p 266 1509-10 gives 40s rent from Abirscors and £4 rent from Abircors Westir. These imply 1 and 2 davachs respectively. See below. |
| Morvich Farm | (1 davach?) | NC 7500 | Dep.313/3618/1
Dep.313/3616/23 Acc.10225/96 |
Linked with Abircors Westir. See also OPS II, II p 679. | |
| Total | 25
davachs |
Reckoning 6d = 1 davach. |
OPS II, II p 649 gives a listing of the parish farms in 1581.
Platagall
RMS IV (241) 1548 refers to the now-lost lands of Platagall. See also RSS III (2899) 1548, RSS V Pt II (2718) 1566.
Dunrobin
ER XIII p 268 1509-10 indicates that the rents of 8 davachs (£16) went to William Jameson, keeper of the castle, for his fee and expenses that year. This implies a money rent of £2 (or 3 merks) per davach.
Eldi(??)ble
There is an enigmatic name in NLS Dep.313/1598 – for which I have no other reference. It is unlikely to be Eldrable in Kildonan since that is also referred to in the same document. It could be – like Lirable in Rogart – a lost Norse boll-name. I can find no trace of it in the cartographic record.
Allertoun
Bangor-Jones p 164 places Orletown between Backies & Dunrobin Mains. 2d of Allertown and also 2d of Allyrtown in NLS Dep 313/3312 1674.
Golspie Kirktoun
This needs to be distinguished from the Kirkton of Culmaily since they appear separately in 1623. OPS II, II pp 650-2 shows that the chaplainry of St Andrew of Golspie was supported by the lands of Golspie Kirktoun, a yearly revenue from Drummuie and by the privilege of the ferryboat of Unis (Unes). OPS II, II pp 680-1 shows there was a yearly fair called Andersmes or St Andrew’s Fair held on 30 November at Golspirkirktown on the seashore. In 1630 there was a yearly fair held at Kilmaly called ‘Sanct Carden his fayre’.
Culmaily Kirkton was probably the Early Christian site. At 4 davachs (Kilmaily + Kirkton) it was a much more substantial foundation than Golspie Kirktoun which was only half a davach of land. We should probably date the chaplainry associated with the latter to sometime prior to 1330 and possibly to the growing importance of a small settlement here. Golspie Kirktoun was possibly hived off Golspie More.
Culmaily Farm
3 davachs Culmaily in 1577 – Bangor-Jones p 163 quoting NLS 313/213/166. See also OPS II, II pp 675-6. Dep.313/2099 late 17th C.
Kirkton
Kilmale-Kirktoun with pendicle called Auchnachaill in RMS IV (1669) 1565. See also above under Golspie Kirktoun.
Balblair
Davachdow (the black davach) ‘now called Balblair’ in GD128/47/8/6. However it is only given as 3d in 1623 and since davachs were 6d in Sutherland either 3d have been lost or they are hidden to us within another farm name. Davighdow or Ballvolair, 3d, in Dep.313/1598.
Unes
1 davach Owenes apparently worth ½ a mark in 1275. This valuation in merks appears completely anomalous. SHS Sutherland Estate Management Vol 1 Report by P Sellar 1811 p 64 refers to Ferryoons. See also OPS II, II pp 650-1.
Sir Robert Gordon (p 4) lists the River Unes as one of the 5 main rivers in Sutherland. This suggests it was formerly much more important than appears on today’s maps:
ther ar in Sutherland fyve principall rivers, to witt, Vnes, Broray, Holmisdell or Vlly, and Casley;
Aberscross
In GD128/47/8/6 of 1623 they appear as Waster Abirscors & the Morvich, Easter Abirscors (without values). In NLS Dep.313/1598 Sir Robert Gordon’s tutor accounts with copy of the Sutherland Rental of 1624-5 they appear as Waster Abirscors & Morenish, Easter Abirscors (without values). In NLS Dep.313/81 Decreet of Sale of Skelbo 1787, p 190, Easter Aberscross is 4d + croft, Wester Aberscross is 9d. (13d would be just over 2 davachs). On the basis of this – and the earlier ER data – it is probable Aberscross totalled 3 davachs, and Morvich another.
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