Kildonan
The parish is listed in geographical order starting from the east (or north) bank at the mouth of the river, working westwards and then back eastwards along the south bank. I have included Navidale and East Helmsdale which were anciently part of Kildonan, not Loth. (See OPS II, II p 730).
Under ‘Map Sources’ entries such as ‘Dep.313/3582’ or ‘Acc.10225/111c’ 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 |
| Navidale | 1 davach
6d |
1631
1623 |
ND 0416 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Dep.313/3582 Dep.313/3583(t) Dep.313/3620/31 Dep.313/3591/10 |
GD139/8. Navadell in ER XIII p 265 1509-10 but no silver rent given. GD128/47/8/6. ½ davach of in RS37/1/77v 1618.
Dep.313/1598. |
| (East) Helmsdale | 6d | 1623 | ND 0215 | Dep.313/3582
Dep.313/3583(t) Dep.313/3620/16 |
Dep.313/1598. See below. Broch. |
| Caen | 1 davach
6d |
1360
1623 |
ND 0117 | Cauyn(RMS I (132)), Caven(RRS VI (307)). ER XIII p 267 1509-10 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. Cayen(1623). Broch. | |
| Kilphedir | 1 davach
6d |
1360
1623 |
NC 9818 | Gillepedre(RMS I (132)), Gyllepedir(RRS VI (307)). ER XIII p 267 1509-10 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. Broch to ENE. | |
| Torrish | (1 davach)
6d |
1509-10
1623 |
NC 9718 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | ER XIII p 266 1509-10 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach.
Torris(Blaeu). Torrisch(1623). See below. |
| Balvalaich | 1 davach
(6d) |
1601
1623 |
NC 9418/9419 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | 3s 4d rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10. Half of Balnawalliach is classed as 3d land in GD128/47/8/6 1623 & Dep.313/1598.
See below. Broch. |
| Duible | 2 davachs
12d |
1601
1623 |
NC 9219 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | ER XIII p 265 1509-10 gives a £4 rent which implies 2 davachs. Duybol(Blaeu). 2 davachs in OPS II, II p 670 1601 & Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616. 5 quarters (1¼ davachs) in RS37/1/78v 1618 with the shielings of Grimachore in Drumchatt. Dep.313/1598. Also RS37/5/149v 1634. |
| Kildonan
Kirkton |
2 davachs
12d |
1601
1623 |
NC 9020/9120
NC 9120 |
Blaeu(Sutherland) | ER XIII p 265 1509-10 gives a £4 rent which implies 2 davachs. 2 davachs in OPS II, II p 670 1601 & Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616.
Eastern davach of in RS37/1/78v 1618 & RS37/5/149v 1634. In 1623 3d of this (i.e. a half-davach) was assigned to the minister for his glebe. Dep.313/1598. |
| Suisgill
Upper Suisgill |
1 davach
6d |
1601
1623 |
NC 8925 |
ER XIII p 265 1509-10 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. A davach in OPS II, II p 670 1601 & Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616.
Dep.313/1598. 3 Brochs in vicinity. What is now marked as Upper Suisgill on OS Explorer 444 was simply Suisgill in OS 6″ 1st Series Sutherland Sheet LXVII, 1871. |
|
| Kinbrace | 1 davach
6d |
1601
1623 |
NC 8631 | Acc.10225/111c | ER XIII p 265 1509-10 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. 4d of in GD112/58/1/5 1545. A davach in OPS II, II p 670 1601 & Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616. Dep.313/1598. |
| Greamachary
Grimachcorrie |
|
NC 8539 | Dep.313/3596/1
Acc.10225/111c |
A grazing in 1618, 1623, 1634. RS37/1/78v 1618. Dep.313/1598.
RS37/5/149v 1634. |
|
| Alich | NC 8335 | Dep.313/3596/1
Acc.10225/111c |
= Elig/Ellig (Eileag). | ||
| Knockfin | 1 davach
6d |
1601
1623 |
NC 8935/9035 | Pont(2)
Blaeu(Sutherland) |
ER XIII p 265 1509-10 gives a 40s rent which implies 1 davach. 4d of in GD112/58/1/5 1545. A davach in OPS II, II p 670 1601 & Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616. Dep.313/1598.
= davoch of Knocksyne in CS229/G/1/54 of 1721? |
| Diriechate | 1 davach | 1610 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | See below. | |
| Laddinloch/Baddinlogh | 1623 | c. NC 7833/7933
NC 7834 |
A grazing in GD128/47/8/6 of 1623/Dep.313/1598.
See below under Diriechate. |
||
| Srath na Frithe | 1 davach
1 davach 6d |
1509-10
1601 1623 |
NC 8327 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | ER XIII p 265 1509-10 gives Dawachfree a 40s rent – where both name and rent imply a davach. Frie(Blaeu). 4d of in GD112/58/1/5 1545. A davach in OPS II, II p 670 1601 & Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616. Dep.313/1598. Broch at Feranach. Broch at Altanduin. |
| Borrobol | 6d | 1623 | NC 8626 | Forbes (1820) | Borboll(1623). Dep.313/1598. Linked to church of Kildonan. See below. |
| Askaig | 1½d | 1623 | NC 8624 | Eskak(1623). 1½d would constitute a ¼ davach. Dep.313/1598. | |
| Ullisdaill | ¾ davach | 1618 | ¾ davach Ullisdaill in RS37/1/78v 1618. RS37/5/149v 1634.
This appears to be the Norse version of Strath Ullie which was a name for the Strath of Kildonan. It could be Ulbster or Eldrable. |
||
| Learable | ¾ davach | 1618 | NC 8923 | Thomson (1823) | ¾ davach Liriboll in RS37/1/78v 1618. 30s (2¼m) rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10. The data from 1509-10 matches with that from 1618 & 1623. Dep.313/1598. Broch. |
| Killearnan
Wester Easter |
9d 6d |
1623 1623 |
NC 9218/9219 | Blaeu(Sutherland) | Westir Killernane is £3 (4½m) rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10 – which implies 1½ davachs. Killernan (=Easter?) is 40s (3m) rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10 – implying 1 davach. The rental ratios of 1509-10 match the assessments of 1623. Dep.313/1598. 2 Brochs. |
| Gailiable |
¾ land |
1624-5 |
NC 9418 | 30s (2¼m) rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10. This would imply a ¾ land but 1623 states a ¼ land. I think there is a mistake here. 3/4 land in Dep.313/1598. Broch. | |
| Ulbster | ¾ land | 1623 | NC 9618 | 30s (2¼m) rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10. This would imply a ¾ land which matches with 1623. Dep.313/1598. | |
| Eldrable | ¾ land | 1623 | NC 9818 | Altrouble 30s (2¼m) rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10. This would imply a ¾ land which matches with 1623. Dep.313/1598. Broch. | |
| Rimsdale
Rinbisdall |
1623 |
NC 7340 | Blaeu(Sutherland)
Roy (FC) |
A grazing in 1623. Dep.313/1598. |
|
| Gearnsary | NC 7332 | Dep.313/3590/20 | = Geru(d?)farrie? Dep.313/1598. | ||
| Geru(d?)farrie | 1623 | = Gearnsary? A grazing in 1623. | |||
| Halmadarie | NC 6931 | Dep.313/3590/20 | |||
| Achinquay | 1623 | A grazing in 1623. Achinhuay in Dep.313/1598. | |||
| Breakach | 1623 | NC 7731 | Roy (FC) | A grazing in 1623. Dep.313/1598.
=Breacough at NC 7731 on OS Explorer 448. |
|
| Total | 21¾
davachs |
Standard rental in 1509-10 seems to have been 3m per davach; 15m per davach in 1623. There is remarkable consistency over the century separating these two documents.
(East) Helmsdale
i.e. settlement on the east bank of the river Helmsdale at its mouth. (For West Helmsdale see under Loth parish).
ER XIII p 265 1509-10 gives Yondir Helmysdell at 40s rent which implies a davach. ‘Yondir’ (yonder) might mean East Helmsdale (i.e. beyond the Water of Helmsdale). The 1623 rental implies there was a davach on each side of the river.
Torrish
One-third of a davach (i.e. 2d) of Torrois (Torrish) is referred to in 1471 (OPS II, II p 673 quoting Fors Charters). See also OPS II, II p 738 for Torowys in 1401.
Balvalaich
OPS II, II p 670, quoting Sutherland Charters for 1601, refers to ‘a davach of Balnabaleach’. In Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616 this becomes ‘a bovata of Balnavaleach’ where ‘bovata’ is possibly a mistake for ‘davata’. (A bovate would only be ⅛ of a davach). Having said that the very low silver rent in 1509-10 makes me wonder if Balvalaich was subdivided – with only a part being assessed in 1509-10 and 1616. Eastern ½ davach of in RS37/1/77v 1618.
Diriechate
OPS II, II pp 736-7 quotes from a document amongst the Sutherland Charters, dated 1610, which refers to the ‘Dawache of Diriechate on both sides of the water of Lendloche’. OPS II, II pp 734-5 also states that the upper part of the parish was called the Dirrichat and was an old hunting forest. The Lendloche of 1610 is probably the same as Laddinloch of 1623 and Badanloch of today. Sutherland Book III No 135 p 206 refers to the davach of ‘Dyrie’ in 1675.
Dawachdeir (= the davach of Dirie = Diriechate?) is 40s (3m) rent in ER XIII p 265 1509-10.
Borrobol
In 1332 & 1371 Borrobol seems to have been linked to the church of Kildonan (OPS II, II p 736 quoting Lib. Eccles. de Scon pp 120-1 & p 139). SHS Sutherland Estate Management Vol 1, pp 226-8, Parish of Kildonan 1808, gives 4 parts to Borable.
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