Rogart Text

Rogart

 

Principal Sources

 

OSA Vol 3 No 77

 

RMS I (132) 1363

RMS IV (1669) 1565

 

RRS VI (307) on original of 1360, (320) 1364

 

ER XIII pp 263-9 1509-10

 

RS36/2/112r 1606

RS38/3/119r 1666

 

GD1/400/4/2 p 2, Gray Papers, Rental of the Estate of Rogart, 1761

GD96/8 1495

GD128/47/8 Copies of 17th century documents, Fraser-Mackintosh Collection

GD305/1/87/108 1665

 

NLS Dep.313/81 Decreet of Sale of Skelbo 1787

NLS Dep.313/87 Bundle 12 No’s 113, 114, 125

NLS Dep.313/242 Rogart Box VII, Bundle 2

NLS Dep.313/255 Rogart Box VII, Bundle 15

NLS Dep.313/256 Rogart Box VII, Bundle 16

NLS Dep.313/261/1 1836

NLS Dep.313/261/2 1836 referring to charter of 1649

NLS Dep.313/261/3 & 4 1837

NLS Dep.313/261/5 1862

NLS Dep.313/1598 Sir Robert Gordon’s tutor accounts with copy of the Sutherland Rental of 1624-5

NLS Dep.313/2101 Rental of Earl of Sutherland’s Estate, 1712

 

The following are available online via the National Library of Scotland’s Digital Map Library:

NLS Acc.10225/136 Plans of Langwell (no xvi), c. 1770

NLS Acc.10225/137 Plans of Langwell (no xvii), c. 1770

NLS Acc.10225/138 Plans of Langwell (no xviii), c. 1770

NLS Dep.313/3591/2 Plan of the Low Ground of Rogart, 1811

NLS Dep.313/3616/5 Contents of part of Strathfleet, surveyed 1813

NLS Dep.313/3616/6 Strathfleet, No 1 – Inshorag, Inscheap, Torbreak, Treasady, Rossal, Blarich, Brea and Achlean 1813?

NLS Dep.313/3616/7 Strathfleet, No 2, 1813?

NLS Dep.313/3616/8 Sketch of Strathfleet, 1813?

NLS Dep.313/3616/10 Plan of the River Fleet from Davochbeg Bridge to Eiden, 1846

NLS Dep.313/3616/14 & 15 Eiden, 1849

NLS Dep.313/3616/18 Plan of the Arable Lands of the Farm of Pitfour, 1850

NLS Dep.313/3616/19 Hand sketch of land at Pittentrail, 1854

NLS Dep.313/3616/20 Rovie, 1864

NLS Dep.313/3616/21 Uden, n.d.

NLS Dep.313/3616/22 Davochbeg, n.d.

NLS Dep.313/3616/24 Plan of Achork, n.d.

NLS Acc.10225/140 Doula and Craggie Marches, 1878

NLS Acc.10225/124 Marches of Dulaich and Creagaich, 1881

NLS Acc.10225/130 Plan of the Lands of Dolay, Craggy, Taecraig and Saval-beg situated in the Parishes of Lairg and Rogart, 1912

NLS Acc.10225/131 Plan of the Lands of Dolay, Craggy, Taecraig and Saval-beg situated in the Parishes of Lairg and Rogart, 1912

 

Retours (Sutherland) (3) 1616

 

A Genealogical History of the Earldom of Sutherland, from its origin to the year 1630; written by Sir Robert Gordon of Gordonstoun, Baronet, with a continuation to the year 1651. Edinburgh, 1813. (Henceforth: Earldom (Gordon))

 

  1. Fraser, The Sutherland Book, Vol III, (No’s 22, 41, 81, 82, 112)

 

 

SHS Sutherland Estate Management Vol 1, Report by P Sellar 1811, Section V, Lands in Parish of Rogart, is important in giving us a detailed breakdown of the individual holdings. We can derive land-assessment information from some of the names:- Davochbeg includes davach, Easter & Wester Kerrow include ceathramh (quarterland), while Fourpenny land within Morness plainly contained 4d. In the same volume are further lists from 1808, 1815 and 1802-16.

 

Rogart included an estate belonging to the Terrell family which is described by Sir Robert Gordon in Earldom (Gordon) on p 52:

 

The yeir of God one thousand thrie hundred thriescore-and-fyve [1365], King David confirmed ane infeftment given by this William, Earle of Southerland, to John Terrell, of the lands of Ronie-Craigtoun, Ronie-Kirktoun, Kintrayed, Dauegh Beg, Inch-chepp, Achey, Eweley [read Acheyeweley], Rossell, and Pettintrayle, lying within Strathfleet in Southerland; which lands were granted by Earle William to the said John Terrell, to be holden of the Earles of Southerland ward and relieff, as they are at this day. This confirmation wes dated at Perth, the tuentie-eigth day of June, the therty-fyfth yeir of King David’s raigne. These lands are at this day called the Terrell’s lands, which the Innesses had from the Terrells by mariage; and the Gordouns of Southerland have now of late bought them from Walter Innes of Auchintoull, the yeir of God one thowsand fyve hundred fourscore-and-eightene [1598].

 

p 79

This John Earle of Southerland entered Jonet Terrell, by his precept of clare constat, to the lands in Strathfleet, called the Terrell his lands; to witt, Rossell, Rowie, etc. This precept wes dated at Innernes, the 25th day of October, the yeir of God one thowsand four hundred fourscore-and-fourtene [1494].

 

and again on pp 428-9

Item, A charter of confirmation, granted be King David, at Perth, the twentie-eight day of June, the thirty-fift year of his reigne, and of God one thousand three hundreth threescore-and-fyve [1365], to John Terrel, of the lands of Rowie-Craigtoun, Rowie-Kirktown, Kintrayed, Inchchep, Davegh-beg, Acheywely, Rossoll, and Pittentrayl, in Strathfleet in Southerland; which lands were given to the said John Terrell, by the disposition and charter of William Earl of Southerland, to be holden ward and releefe of the Earles of Southerland, and to this day are caled the Terrell’s lands.

 

Sir Robert Gordon’s history ended in 1630 but a continuation until 1651 was composed by Gilbert Gordon of Sallagh. On pp 460-1 he writes of 1632:

 

John Earl of Southerland began to redeem the morgaged and wodsett lands in Southerland; and the next Whitsonday thereafter (being the year of God one thousand six hundreth thirty-three [1633]), he releeved all his wodsetts; and in speciall, the lands in Strathfleet, called the Terrell’s lands, which hade not bin in the possession of the Earls of Southerland for three hundreth yeares

 

We have documentary support for Sir Robert Gordon’s assertions above. RRS VI (320) of 1364 refers to the 6 davachs of the land of Ruchy (Rovie) in Strathfleet. (See also Sutherland Book III (22)). These 6 davachs are not actually named in these two early documents so Sir Robert Gordon’s list is important in identifying them. He reckoned the lands to have been Rowie-Craigtoun (1 davach), Rowie-Kirktoun (1 davach), Kintrayed (1 davach), Inchchep (½ davach), Davegh-Beg (1 davach), Acheywely (1 davach), Rossoll (1 davach) and Pittentrayl (1 davach). The last of these is the only farm in the list which is on the north side of the River Fleet so I would be inclined to see it as a later addition to the estate. This seems to be confirmed by ER XIII p 266 1510 where ‘Petrale’ is said to belong to Andrew Kynnard. Without Pittentrail the other farms total 6½ davachs. (ER XIII p 267 1510 lists these 6½ davachs in sequence and describes Inchekep as belonging to Janet Terrel. The sense suggests the whole group belonged to her). See also Sutherland Book III (81, 82) 1529.

 

OPS II, II p 720 quotes a document of 1550 where the earl of Sutherland declared that exactly these lands (with Pittentraill) were worth yearly in time of peace £3 Scots Old Extent and were then worth yearly £12 Scots. (I am dubious about this. £3 would be 4½m which does not seem a likely Old Extent valuation for 6 davachs).

 

The table shows Rogart comprised 25¾ davachs with perhaps another for Rogart Kirk.

 

Book of Mackay, Appendix No 11 pp 385-7 is a Bond of Friendship between Adam, Earl of Sutherland, and John McKy of Strathnaver in 1518. It refers to:

 

VII davachs in the hycht of Straithflet, that is to say, the lands of Larg, Schennis, Moy, Ryne & Cragy

 

These are the lands of:

 

Lairg, 3 davachs, Lairg parish

Shinness, 1½ davachs, Lairg parish

Muie, 1 davach, Rogart parish

Rhaoine, 1 davach, Rogart parish

Craggie, ½ davach, Rogart parish.

 

Only Muie, Rhaoine and Craggie are actually in the drainage-basin of the River Fleet. Lairg and Shinness are on the other side of the watershed in the drainage-basin of the Shin. (See also Fraser, Sutherland, III, No 68, pp 69-71).

 

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