Torboll Estate

Torboll Estate (a)

This table lists the farms in the various documents describing the estate of Torboll (16 davachs).

Parishes: D=Dornoch, CL=Clyne, KD=Kildonan, R=Rogart.

Farms (& parish)	b) 1360	c) 1444	d) 1472	g) 1562	h) 1563	Extent
Torboll (D)	Thorboille	Thurboll	Great Thoreboll	Thuriboll Mekle	2 Torbollis	3 davachs
Dalnamain in Strath Carnaig (D)		Straghaghcharn	Strathacharne	Strathcharne or Dalnamayne	Dalnamane	See m) below.
		Litill Thurboll	Little Thoreboll	Thuriboll Litill
Rearquhar (D)	Remeharkar	Royaghier	Ruryarchare	Ruriarchar	Rewferchar	1 davach
Astle (D)	Hassastelle	Aghaghasshe	Askadaile	Assisedaill	Astray-daill in Brachat	1 davach
		Dale (see c) below)
Proncy (D)	Proncey superiori	Ouirprounse	Over Prounsy	Overpronsie	Overspronsy	1 davach
Proncy (D)	Proncey inferiori	Nethirprounse	Nether Prounsy	Nethirpronsie	Spronsynane	1 davach
Proncycroy (D)	Pronceycoey	Prounsecroie	Prounsy Croy	Pronsiecroye	Spronsyecroy	1 davach
Evelix (D)	Evelek	Ilik	Evillik	Evillik	Ewilik	2 davachs
Grudie Brora (R)	Gordbrorak	Grodebrorer	Grudebrora	Grudebrora	Grudebrora	1 davach
Sciberscross (CL)	Sobrisoc	Sipursale	Scheberskek	Schiberskek	Sybarskaig	1 davach
Kilpedder more & beg (CL)	Gillepedre majori et minori	Kilpedder more Kilpedder beg	Greater Gillpedir Little Gillpedir	Mekle Kilpedder Litill Kilpedder	Kilpeddermoir	2 davachs
See below and under Clyne parish	‘quarterio de’ Meyngferry	Karoumenzhe				¼ davach
Caen (KD)	Cauyn	Kabeyn	Caven	Caven	Cawyne	1 davach
Kilphedir (KD)	Gillepedre (Strathully)	Kilpedder (Strethulzhe)	Gillpedir (Strathulze)	Kilpedder (Strathvlze)	Kilpedderis (Straithvlze)	1 davach
Total						16¼ davachs

 

Sources

 

1. a) Some of the components of the Torboll estate are first described in the 1275 agreement between the earl of Sutherland and the bishop. This refers to 2 davachs of Awelec (Evelix), 3 davachs of Promsy (Proncy), 1 davach of Roweherthar (Rearquhar), three quarterlands of Haskesdale and 3 davachs of Thorebolle (Torboll).

 

1360. b) Our most complete description of the estate of Torboll comes in RMS I (132) on an original of 1360. (See also RRS VI (307), GD90/1/27 & GD305/1/126/582 for spelling variants). It then comprised a 16 davach estate although 16¼ davachs are listed. (The extra quarterland is Meyngferry). Column 2 above.

 

4. c) Sutherland Book III No 28 pp 25-6 & OPS II, II pp 628-9 is a 1444 charter of the Torboll estate which specifically says it had a value of £40 (60m). It also includes 1 acre lying on the south side of Helmsdale. Dale is listed as a distinct property but I am sure this is a mistake. Dale should be the suffix of the previous name Aghaghasshe wbich was most likely Astle (=Aisdail in Blaeu). The 1563 suggestion that Astray-daill is in Brae Cat is an anomaly I cannot explain (see under ‘h’ below). 16¼ davachs at an extent of 60m rather suggests a davach-merkland ratio of 1 to 4. Column 3 above.

 

1472. d) Sutherland Book III No 38 & OPS II, II p 629 is a charter of the Torboll estate in 1472. Column 4 above.

 

1. e) OPS II, II p 629 (quoting Sutherland Charters – see Sutherland Book III No 73) gives us a grant of 1525, from the earl of Sutherland to William Sutherland lord of Duffous, which lists the Torboll estate (now titled the lordship of Pronse) as including the two towns of Turbois, Dalnamayne, Vuir Pronse, Pronsecroy, Pronsenayn, Ewillic, Ruarchar, Austisdaill and others. (Pronsenayn is the Gaelic version of Nether Proncy).

 

1. f) OPS II, II p 632 (quoting Sutherland Charters) gives us a grant of 1560 or 1562 which lists the lands in the barony of Pronsie as Castelltown, Pronsienane, Pronsiecroye, Assidaell, Cornamane, Rewarchar, Avelik, Dalnamayne, Mekle Torboll, Litill Torboll, Grudebrora, Syborskeg, Kilpeddermoir, Kilpedderbeig, Kilpedder and Cayane in Strathvlze. Since both Cornamane and Dalnamayne feature in the same document we can be confident they refer to different places.

 

5. g) OPS II, II pp 632-3 (quoting Sutherland Charters) gives us a grant of 1562 which lists the lands in the barony of Pronsie – as above in column 5. See also Sutherland Book III No 98, 1562.

 

6. h) OPS II, II p 633 (quoting Sutherland Charters and RSS Vol XXXI f 122) gives a grant of 1563 from Queen Mary to Alexander Suthirlande of Duffois – as above in column 6. However, later in the same volume (OPS II, II p 699 fn 2, quoting the same sources), the editors refer to the lands of Astraydaill in Brachat which ‘seem to lie in Lairg’. This is problematic because earlier references to these lands imply Astle in Dornoch. The editors of OPS were plainly uncertain of the true situation – as am I – but because this reference is inconsistent with others in the series I am inclined to discount it.

(There is also an Ausdale north of Migdale).

 

1. i) OPS II, II p 633 (quoting RSS Vol XXXII f 5) gives a grant of 1563 from Queen Mary to her brother Robert Stewart of lands forfeited by earl John which included Pronssecasyell, Pronssenayne, Pronnsecroy, Evillik, Askadell, Rearcheare, Mekle Torbo, Litill Torbo, Dalnamayne, Grudiebrora, Scheborskaik, Kilpeddermoir, Kilpedderbeg, Kilpedder in Straithvlze & Cayne.

 

1. j) OPS II, II p 634 (quoting Sutherland Charters) gives us a precept of 1566 which included the following: Cayan & Kilpedder in Straythwllzie, Kilpeddirmoir, Kilpeddirbeg, Sevirscraig, Grudebrora, Carnameyne, Prompsecastell, Prompsenayne, Prompsecroy, Awalek, Askisdaill, Rearquhar, Dalnameyne, Mekle Torboll, Litill Torboll.

 

1. k) OPS II, II pp 618-9 (quoting Sutherland Charters for 1607) gives us the names of farms in the Torboll estate which lay in Dornoch parish: Evelik, Riarchar, Arsdaill, Karnamein, Pronsiecastelltoun, Pronsienaine & Pronsiecroy. The rental implies that Arsdaill & Karnamein may have been linked.

 

1. l) Retours (Sutherland) (3) 1616 gives us Torboll Meikil, Torboll Lytill, Cornamayne, Straithcairne alias Dalnamayne, Ruyarcher, Assiedall, Over Pronzie, Nether Pronzie (Pronsienain – see Bentinck p 514 for explanation), Evilick, Meikill Kilpeddir, Lytill Killpeddir, Grond Brora, Sheber Skey, Cayane & Kilpedder in Strathulze.

 

1562. m) Torboll at 3 davachs consisted of Great or Mekle Torboll, Little Torboll and what is now Strath Carnaig. Dalnamain is a settlement on the north side of Strath Carnaig which must have been viewed as an alternative name for the Strath by 1562. ER XIII p 267 gives 40s rent for each of Turbomor, Turbobeg and Dalnamayne in 1509-10 – which implies 1 davach each.

 

Meyngferry

Meyngferry (1360), Karoumenzhe (1444), Cornamane (1560 or 1562), Carnameyne (1566), Karnamein (1607) and Cornamayne (1616) must all refer to the same place which is the quarterland of ‘Meyng’. The ending ‘ferry’ may be completely misleading. All the later spellings begin with an element that is probably for ceathramh or quarterland. It is difficult to know what is going on here but of course ‘kerry’ was a corruption of ceathramh – as in Kerry of Cowal and Kerrylamont (Bute). Was Meyngferry actually Meyngkerry?