Kildonan
Principal Sources
OSA Vol 3 No 60
RMS I (132) 1363
RMS III (475) 1527, (3165) 1545
RMS IV (1484) 1563
RMS VI (1170) 1601
RSS VII (1032) 1577
RRS VI (307) on original of 1360
ER XIII pp 263-5 1509-10
ER XVIII p 380 1543; pp 381, 384 1544-5
ER XXI p 525 1586
The Acts of the Lords of Council in Civil Causes, Vol 1 (1478-95), 1839, pp 345-6, (hereafter ADC).
GD95/11/5/6 List of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Kildonnan 1755
GD96/32 1545
GD112/58/1/5 1545
GD112/58/1/17 1586
GD139/8 1631
GD305/1/71/40 1767
NLS Dep.313/1598 Sir Robert Gordon’s tutor accounts with copy of the Sutherland Rental of 1624-5
NLS Dep.313/2099 late 17th century
RS37/1/77v 1618, RS37/1/78v 1618
RS37/5/149v 1634
CS229/G/1/54 of 1721
Retours (Caithness) (4) 1602
Retours (Sutherland) (4) 1616, (11) 1670
Sutherland Book III No’s 62-65 1516, 119-120 1591
Liber Ecclesie de Scon, Edinburgh, 1843
The following are available online via the National Library of Scotland’s Digital Map Library:
(I have added a distinguishing letter to each of NLS Dep.313/3583 for easier identification in the tables).
NLS Dep.313/3582 Plan of Part of the Estate of Sutherland, John Kirk, 1771: Easter Helmsdale and Navidale
NLS Dep.313/3583(t) Plan of Part of the Estate of Sutherland, John Kirk, 1771: Easter Helmsdale and Navidale
NLS Dep.313/3590/20 Heights of Strathnaver, 1811
NLS Dep.313/3620/31 Plan of Navidale Farm 1826
NLS Dep.313/3591/10 Plan of Naviedale 1829
NLS Dep.313/3596/1 Sutherland Estate 1815
NLS Dep.313/3597/1 Sketch of the county of Sutherland, 1815
NLS Dep.313/3613 Sutherland by Burnett, Scott & Morrison, 1855
NLS Dep.313/3621/1 Plan of the ground allotted for Fishermen at and near Helmsdale, 1817
NLS Acc.10225/102-104 Plans of Helmsdale allotments, 1820
NLS Dep.313/3620/16 East & West Helmsdale and Gartymore, n.d.
NLS Acc.10225/111c Sketch showing Kinbrace Sheep Farm, 1876
GD95/11/5/6 List of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Kildonnan 1755 & SHS Sutherland Estate Management Vol 1 Report by P Sellar 1811 Section IX Lands in Parish of Kildonan give us detailed listings of individual holdings. In the latter volume are further lists from 1808, 1815 and 1802-16. In 1815 there is an instance of Kerrow of Kinbrace where ‘Kerrow’ will be for ceathramh or quarterland.
ADC pp 345-6 shows that Strathuleze (Strathullie or Kildonan Glen) contained (at least) £40 (60m) worth of lands in 1494. Sutherland Book III No 62, p 63, is an agreement from 1516 about £20 (30m) worth of lands lying within ‘Strathwlze’ (Strathullie); (i.e. apparently half of the Strath of Kildonan). Sutherland Book III No 63, p 65, is a subsequent Bond of Reversion which specifies these lands as:
Helmisdell
Balnavale
Dowypoll
Kyldonnan
Frysgill or Swesgill (i.e. Suisgill)
Kynbraice
Knokfyn
Fre
(The deal was balanced by £20 of lands in Caithness). The lands are listed again in GD96/32 – a sasine of 1545. Sutherland Book III No 120 gives their eventual renunciation in 1591. The same lands are listed except that Auchadalie (Loth parish) is linked to Helmsdale.
The lands were the subject of much dispute and Sutherland Book III No 72 gives details of a compromise brokered in March 1524-5. It is there clarified that the lands of Helmsdale meant on both sides of the river at Helmsdale. The difficulty that presents is that East and West Helmsdale were each 1 davach which would take the total to 11 davachs, not 10. Perhaps we should see the 1524-5 agreement as something of a political fudge and not worry too much about the arithmetic. This would explain why Auchadalie is listed in the 1591 renunciation but not in in the 1516 agreement.
GD112/58/1/5 1545 deals with parts of four of these properties and states that 12d amounted to 2 davachs – so confirming a local exchange rate of 1 davach to 6 pennylands. (The farms referred to all seem to be two-third parts thereof).
From surviving land-assessment data we can show that the lands listed above came to 10 davachs. This assessment was plainly public knowledge at the time because the
‘Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland, from its origin to the year 1630’, p 89, states that there had been a grant of 10 davachs of land on the east (i.e. north) side of the river in 1516.
Adam Earle of Southerland forseing great trubles liklie to fall furth in his cuntrey, he entred in familiaritie and freindship with John Sinckler, Erle of Catteynes, this yeir of God 1516; at which tyme Earle Adam gave vnto the Earle of Catteynes … the ten davaghs of land that ly vpon the east syd of the water of Vlly, for assisting him against his enemies, … which nevertheless the Earle of Catteynes did not performe, … and yit keipt still the lands, vntill Alexander Earle of Southerland did purchase them bake from Earle John his successor, by excambion, for certane church lands within Catteynes, the yeir of God 1591.
The ten davachs referred to are listed in OPS II, II p 670 & pp 739-40 on the basis of a charter of 1601. (I do not see this charter in Sutherland Book III – however the lands are given these values in Retours (Sutherland) (4) of 1616). They were:
1 davach Knokfyn
1 davach Fre
1 davach Swyisgill
1 davach Kynbrasche
2 davachs Kyldonan
2 davachs Dwyboill
1 davach Balnabaleach (the retour mistakenly calls this a ‘bovata’, not a ‘davata’)
1 davach Helmisdaill with pendicles called Achaadaleyis.
(This last davach appears anomalous since East Helmsdale [1 davach] was part of the 1516 agreement whereas West Helmsdale [1 davach] with Achaadaleyis appeared at the time of the 1524-5 compromise).
The next problem is whether or not these 10 davachs really were half of Kildonan.
According to my table, there must have been at least 13 davachs – excluding Dirriechat – on the North side of Kildonan. We should also take into account that ‘Fre’ (Strath na Frithe) is west of the River Helmsdale. The table suggests a total of at least 21¾ davachs. The anomaly may be explained if church lands were not always included in the early references.
What were these lands valued at? On 30/6/1494 the Acts of the Lords of Council pp 345-6 tells us that Strathullie was worth (at least) £40 (60m). The 1516 agreement showed that 10 davachs was thought to be worth £20 (30m). This would suggest £40 worth of land would equal 20 davachs. However, in 1616 (Retours (Sutherland) (4)) half of Strathullie (i.e. 10 davachs) was said to be worth £36 (54m) in time of peace i.e. Old Extent. This later valuation, like others in Ross, Sutherland and Caithness, suggests that merkland valuations were never attached to davachs in such a consistent manner as in Argyll.
Earlier evidence is always to be preferred and it appears the going rate in the fifteenth century (assuming 20 davachs for Strathullie) was 1 davach to £2 or 3 merks. To reinforce this the standard rental in the Exchequer Rolls evidence of 1509-10 seems to have been 3m per davach.
There are 5 clear -bol names in this parish (Duible, Borrobol, Learable, Gailiable and Eldrable). These indicate Norse farms. A number of settlements are close to brochs. Sutherland offers good opportunities to study the relationship between settlement sites (whether Norse or earlier), defensive structures like brochs and land-assessment units like davachs.
Learable, Ulbster and Eldrable look slightly odd as ¾ davach units. However a ¾ davach was the same as a quarter-ounceland – which may be how we should look at them.
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