Thurso Table

Thurso

For Dorrery see Halkirk.

Name	Value	Date	Grid Ref	Map Sources	Other forms, comments etc
(Mains of) Murkle West Murkle West Murkle	8d 4d 4½d	1472 1661 1664	ND 1669 ND 1569	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC)	Book of Thanes of Cawdor pp 54-5 1472. 4d Murkle-bewest (i.e. by west) in RMS XI (53) 1661. 4½d Murkle be west in RS20/1/p 191 1664. East Murkle was in Olrig parish. See below.
Bordland of Murkle	4d	1583		Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9)	Barland in Blaeu. GD96/199. See below.
Pennyland	(1d)		ND 1068	Roy(FC) RHP1680	West side of Thurso. Ex-bishopric according to Henderson, Caithness Family History p 189.
Six pennyland	6d	1527			‘Sixpennyland’ in RMS III (475) 1527 – separate to ‘Bordland’. GD96/38 1546 refers to the ‘sax penne land’ and the ‘brodland’ (bordland) of Murkle. RS36/2/188v 1607, RS36/2/282r 1607 & RS36/2/282v 1607 (John Mansone in). Other examples in Latheron and Halkirk (q.v.).
(Mains of) Brims West Brims East Brims	27d	1560/5	ND 0471 ND 0469 ND 0570	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC) RHP1219	See below.
Thusater			ND 0669	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9)	Thursetter in Blaeu. Another similar name in Wick parish. Henderson, Caithness Family History p 239. See below under Brims.
Weydale including Todholes	20d	1762			Henderson, Agriculture, p 39. Sutherland p 31.
Weydale	(1d+?)		ND 1464	Thomson(1822)	See below.
Todholes			ND 1264	Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)
Cairnfield	1d	1698-1716	ND 1464/1564		Described in SC14/90/4 1698-1716 as in Weydale.
Carsgoe			ND 1363/1463	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9)	Caskun in Blaeu. RMS III (3164-5) 1545.
Forss	(12d) 8d	1557 1743	ND 0368	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) RHP1223 RHP4418/1	OPS II, II p 750 quoting Sutherland Charters. See below. GD139/74 – with Crosskirk which may not be part of the 8d. Forss Common RHP 2951, 3907.
Crosskirk			ND0369/0370	Roy(FC) RHP1222/1 RHP1223	Portcrosh in Roy.
Lythmore	(6d)	1564	ND 0566	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)	Lyth in Blaeu & Gordon. See below.
Hoy			ND 1460	OSA Map(1798) Thomson(1822)	Broch (possible) Hoy – ND 141606.
Sordale	12d	1692	ND 1462	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9)	From M Bangor-Jones (1987), pp 15-16, quoting GD112/9/4/3.
Clairdon	6d	1616	ND 1469	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC)	RMS VII (1508) 1616. 3d of in RS20/1/pp 10-11 1647.
Broynach	4d	1660	ND 1567	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Thomson(1822)	GD112/58/14/5 1660. Linked to Stitley (ND 1468) in valuation rolls of 1702, 1751 & 1802. See below.
Ormlie	3d (6d) 7d	1577 1607 1661	ND 1067	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC)	Armelie in RSS Vol VII (987) 1577 ex bishopric. Ormlee in Blaeu. Also RMS V (1088) 1586. RMS XI (53) 1661. See below.
Oust			ND 0665	Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)	Broch (possible) – ND 063655.
Thurso East	7¾d	1574	ND 1268/1269	Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)	GD96/148 1574 ‘in Thursoch by east the water’. See below.
Thurso	9d	1472	ND 1168	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC) Thomson(1822) RHP 3908	Thursacht – Book of Thanes of Cawdor pp 54-5. See below
Turdale			ND 1367		=Turdell-croft? See under Thurso East below.
Shalmstry			ND 1364		Broch (possible) – ND 131644. Chelmistre in RMS V (2078) 1592.
Scrabster Scrabster Mains	9½d	1557	ND 1070 ND 0969	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC) RHP 2791, 2792	The charters suggest that this 9½d did not comprise all of Scrabster because they refer to the lands of John Mackewin and William Ranaldsoun being excepted. See below.
Buckies			ND 1063	Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)	Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, p 49.
Geise (Meikle)			ND 1064	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Thomson(1822)	Geismekill in RSS VIII (1551) 1583. West of R. Thurso. Geese in Blaeu. Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, pp 48-9. Broch (possible) – ND 103648.
Geiselittle Upper Geiselittle			ND 1165 ND 1265	Thomson(1822)	East of R. Thurso. Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, p 43.
Howe			ND 0963		Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, p 49.
Holborn Head	2d	1663	ND 1071	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)	See below.
Langland			ND 0767
Aimster	1d	1698-1716	ND 1163	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)	Amster in Blaeu. 1d Ainster in SC14/90/4 1698-1716. Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, p 49. RMS VII (1508) 1616 lists Aimstir under both Thurso and Halkirk/Skennand parishes. It may be another example of a large Norse farm split between parishes.
Thurdystoft			ND 1066/1166	OSA Map(1798) Thomson(1822)	W. of R. Thurso and Bleachfield. Another in Olrig. Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, pp 47-8.
Achingills			ND 1563	OSA Map(1798) Thomson(1822)
Stainland	8⅛d	1660	ND 1266	Blaeu(Caithness) Gordon(9) Roy(FC) Thomson(1822)	GD112/58/14/8 1660. Staneland in Blaeu. See also under Murkle below.
Total	149⅜d +

 

RMS VII (1508) 1616 gives the following properties in Thurso: Aimstir, Geis-Meikill, Schaldaill, Geis-Littill, Carskune, Vydaill, Stainland + mill, fishings on River Thurso and the cruives (fish-traps), tenements of Thurso, lands of Thurso-be-eist, half of 6d in Clairdain, manor-place of Thurso-be-eist, Tordaill, Urucquy (or Gaitquy), Hollowtoftis, quarter of Ormelie, salmon-fishing boat on River Thurso, (the other) half of the 6d of Clairdain, quarter of Murkill, Ormilie, Murkall, Bronoch, Brodlanden.

 

The Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, deals extensively with the farms of Thurso parish. The principal farms are listed (p 47) as:

Wydell

Todholes

Shalmistry

Achingils and Swarty

Sordell

Sibster

Quoycrook

+ Carsgo & Hoy.

Other farms are also discussed:

Ormly (p 41); Thurdistoft (pp 47-8); Bleachfield (p 48); Glengolly (p 48); Whitefield (p 48); Geise (pp 48-9); Geise Little (p 43); How (p 49); Upper How or George Town (p 49); Buckies (p 49); Aimster (p 49);

 

Murkle

GD96/38 1546 refers to 6d and the ‘brodland’ (bordland) of Murkle. RMS IV (2130) 1572-3 refers to the sunny side of Murkill. This would be the east or south side of Murkle but I am uncertain as to whether we are dealing with Murkle in Thurso or East Murkle in Olrig.

RS20/1/p 191 1664 also refers to Hallowtofts, Cairdscroft, Oldfield of Staineland and Subster. For the first three of these see also Henderson, Caithness Family History pp 146-7. There is an Oldfield Farm north of Stainland in ND 1267.

See also RMS III (2047) 1539.

 

Bordland of Murkle

Although the name does not survive on the map the documents show this farm once existed as the ‘table-land’ or mensal land designated to support the estate centre at Murkle. In GD96/204 1583 the 4d of the Bordland is with the ‘scheiltounis’ (sheiling-touns) called Achechrastall & Cormabind.

RS36/2/188v 1607 says a quarter of Borland de Murkill was 2d – which would mean the whole of the Borland was 8d.

 

Brims

RMS IV (2578) 1576 on original of 1560, and RMS V (1766) 1590 on original of 1587, refer to the lands of the eastern half of Brymmes called Thursetter with 5¼d lying next to the burn which divided Brymmes. These were bishopric lands which came to the Innes family. (See also RS36/2/305v 1607).

RMS IV (1669) 1565 refers to 13½d of (Half) Brims. See also RMS V (277) 1581 on original of 1580. These were separate to the above – but also ex-bishopric. Brims was apparently (2 x 13½d or) 27d. OPS II, II p 751 (quoting Sutherland Charters) gives a document which refers to part of the Bishopric lands of Brims – but apparently not those referred to in RMS IV (2578) 1576 on original of 1560. See also RSS VI (2536) 1574, RSS VIII (1552) 1583 & RMS VI (1729) 1606.

RMS XI (53) 1661 refers to 13¼d (probably an error for 13½d) Brymulie (Brims), ‘besides the lands thereof, let to Mr Walter Innes’. A Walter Innes had actually been let these lands nearly a century earlier because they are referred to in RMS IV (1669) 1565 (on original of 1564).

RSS VIII (1552) 1583 refers to the ‘assignation of the feu mails of the lands of Thureflatter [Thusater] and Half Brynnis [Brims], … pertaining heritably to William Innes and Mr Robert Innes, his son’.

RS20/1/pp 175-6 1663 refers to the eastern half of Brims which comprised Thurster and 5¼d of Brims which lay adjacent. It also refers to the burn running through the middle of Brims.

It appears that Brims comprised two halves of 13½d each and that the eastern half included Thusater (which may once have been its nearby settr or shieling). 27d would be 1½ ouncelands or 4½ davachs – neither of which figures seem likely.

4d Wester Brims in RS21/1/327r 1701.

 

Weydale

RMS III (3164-5) 1545 – Weddell?

SC14/90/4 1698-1716 refers to 1d in Cairnfield in Weydale. This may only represent part of Weydale.

 

Forss

The rental in 1557 (OPS II, II p 750) suggests the bishop’s lands of Forss were worth 12d. See text file ‘Inferring pennylands from rentals’.

 

Lythmore

I have found no references to Lythbeg so it may be that the Lyth in Thurso parish was called Lythmoir simply to distinguish it from another Lyth in Bower parish.

RMS IV (1669) 1565 on original of 1564, refers to ‘binam partem’ (⅔) of Lythtmoir with 2d of a ⅓ part. The whole, therefore, was 6d or a davach.

RMS VI (1729) 1606 refers to ‘binam partem’ (⅔) of Lythmoir with 2d of a ⅓ part + mill, mill-lands, alehouses and crofts. (A mill of Lyth is separately mentioned). Lythmoir was ex-bishopric.

See also RMS V (277) 1581 on original of 1580, Retours (Caithness) (6) 1605 and RHP 2793, 2794, 2795, 2796.

 

Broynach

Broenach in the ‘Testament of Alexander Suthyrland of Dunbeath, 1456,’ printed in The Bannatyne Miscellany Vol. III, p 98, Edinburgh, 1855.

A MacKay property in 1499 (RMS II (2506)). RMS III (2048) 1539, (3215) 1545-6.

RSS IV (1374) 1551, (3060) 1555. RMS IV (1635) 1565. Records of the Parliaments of Scotland (online), 19/4/1567 – NAS PA2/10, II, ff 22v-23r. RS36/2/96r 1606. RS36/2/266r 1607.

 

Ormlie

Sutherland, Caithness 1770 to 1832, pp 29-30 gives 3 x ½d (=1½d) in Ormlie in 1596.

RS36/2/188v 1607 says a quarter of Ormlie was 1½d – which would mean the whole of Ormlie was 6d. RMS X (532) 1656 on original of 1642. Retours (Caithness) (35) 1693 deals with a tenement in the upper part of Thurso which formerly belonged to Ormlie. SC14/90/4 1698-1716 refers to ‘3 bolls sowing of the mains land of Ormelie’.

Appendix to Henderson, Agriculture, p 41, has the following explanation:

“Ormly Boll-sowings. – A beautiful field near Thurso, was called the Boll-sowings, being let to the people of the town, in lots sufficient to sow a boll of barley. … It contained in all, about 50 acres”.

 

This description of an Extent of land in terms of bolls of seed required to sow it is common in Moray where a davach was reckoned at 48 bolls sowing. If we reckon 48 bolls per davach in Caithness (as for Moray) that would equate to 8 bolls per pennyland so 3 bolls would be ⅜ of a pennyland or 3 ‘ottums’.

 

See also RS20/1/p 10 1646.

 

Thurso East

RMS V (2078) 1592 refers to ‘6d in Thurso-be-eist, called Turdell-croft’ (see Turdale above). A footnote states that the Privy Seal Register adds ‘Cawdis-croft’. 1d in – GD112/58/8/37 1639.

 

Thurso

Retours (Caithness) (19) 1632 refers to ‘The Fischill’ in Thurso. In Retours (Caithness) (29) 1672  this is a tenement called ‘The Fishgill’. Retours (Caithness) (24, 26, 27, 35 and 37) all refer to tenements in Thurso. The Extent is often stated as a stone of tallow or wax which implies the tenements were of the same size. RSS V Part II (3465) 1567. RMS V (2346) 1593 on original of 1582.

 

Scrabster

See ‘The Accounts of the Great Chamberlains of Scotland’, Vol I, pp 19, 22, 24-26. The accounts, rendered by Robert of ‘Peblis’ in 1328 have references to Scrabster because the bishopric of Caithness was then vacant. (This does not fit well with the chronology in Dowden’s ‘The Bishops of Scotland’ p. 235). At any rate the evidence is important in giving us an early spelling of Scrabster. It reads ‘Scrabost’ followed by a truncation sign, presumably for an ending in -er or -ar. This is an interesting contrast to so many of the other Norse farm names in Caithness where the element is very often ‘bust’.

However, ER I p 116 reads ‘Scrabester’.

NLS Dep.313/3312/1 1577 gives 1½d Scrabister and 5½d Scrabister Mylne.

See Sutherland Book III No 97, RMS IV (1669) 1565, RMS V (277) 1581, Retours (Caithness) (6) 1605, RMS VI (1729) 1606. For Scrabster Castle see also RMS II (1404) 1478 on original of 1455.

RS20/1/p 159 1662 gives us some fine detail within the barony of Scrabster. A pennyland of arable ground is described in relation to its neighbours – including Gallowhill. There was also a half-pennyland called Woolfburne. Both Gallowhill and Woolfburne have now disappeared from the map but OS 6” 1^st Series, Caithness Sheet V, 1872, marks Gallow Hill in ND 1068 and Wolfburn at ND 103680.

Broch (possible) – ND 093703.

Broch (possible) – ND 086696.

 

Holborn Head

GD139/104 1663 refers to 2d Holburnhead & Outersquoy & Symmerdene Bankis in the barony of Scrabster and of the ½d above the mill of Scrabster.

RS20/1/p 181 1664 has similar data with some spelling variations. These lands were ex-bishopric.

Retours (Caithness) (29) 1672 refers to Hawburnheid, Sandiquoy & Utersquoye.

 

Broch (possible) Brimside Tulloch – ND 049669.

Broch (possible) Thing’s Va – ND 080682.

Broch (possible) Thing’s Va – ND 081682.