Wick Table

Wick

Name Value Date Grid Ref Map Sources Other forms, comments etc
Nybster (3d) 1663 ND 3663 Thomson(1822) This farm formed the northern boundary of Wick parish.

Broch (possible) Nybster – ND 370631. See below.

Ackergill Mains (18d) 1549 ND 3554 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

1 ounceland unit. Ackergil in Blaeu. See below.
Noss Head

Noss

Field of Noss Farm

 

1 urisland

(or 18d)

 

c. 1554

ND 3855

ND 3754

ND 3852

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Nos in GD96/5A 1476.

Nosz in RSS III (2046) 1546 & RMS IV (210) 1548. Nos in RMS IV (2315) 1574. Implied in GD96/63. See below.

Quiestane   1546     Linked with Noss. RSS III (2046) 1546. RMS IV (210) 1548. RMS IV (2315) 1574.
East side of Noss etc 19d 1702     RS21/1/335r 1702. See below.
Staxigoe     ND 3852 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Staxigho in Blaeu.

Broch (possible) ‘Cairn of Elsay’, Staxigoe – ND 387519.

Mireland     ND 3160 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Myrland in Blaeu.
Myrelandhorn 5½d min 1561 ND 2858 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Thomson(1822)

Myrlandnorn in Blaeu. See below.
Keiss     ND 3461/3561 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Keece in Blaeu. Keis in RMS III (475) 1527. GD112/58/1/3 1527.

Linked to Stane (Stain) and Rowdale. See immediately below.

Stain     ND 3460 Thomson(1822)  
Red Mire     ND 3362   = Rowdale?
Westerloch     ND 3258 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Westre in Blaeu.

RMS III (3164-5) 1545? Wesbister/Westbuster?

Howbuster (Water)     c. ND 3159 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

 

Blaeu implies Howbuster lay at the west end of the Loch of Wester.
Toftferry         NSA p 138. OPS II, II p 780.
Howe     ND 3062 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

How in Blaeu.
Knappo         See below.
Reiss

Lower Reiss

(18d) 1573 ND 3354

ND 3355

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

GD96/125 1573. 1 ounceland unit. Ryce in Blaeu. See below.

Broch (possible) Green Hill, Reiss – ND 326544.

Killimster Mains

North Killimster

South Killimster

 

18d

18d

 

1582/

1588

ND 3254

ND 3255

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Thomson(1822)

2 ounceland unit. Kyllemster & O. Kyllemster in Blaeu.

See below.

Kilminister 36d 1841     NSA Wick, p 146.
Skitten         See below.
Wick 9d

10d

1455

1603

ND 3650/3651 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Wick on N. side of river. New toun on S. side of river. See below.

10d ex-bishopric. RMS II (1404) 1478 on original of 1455.

RMS VI (1467) 1603.

Old Wick     ND 3649 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Robertson’s Index p 137 No 2 1390-1406.
Papigoe 15½d +

1/16th d

1841 ND 3851 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Papingho (twice) in Blaeu. NSA p 146.

Broch (possible) Papigoe – ND 382517.

Wick & Papigo 27d 1702     RS21/1/335r 1702.
Kirkfield     c. ND 3252 Thomson(1822)  
Haster

Upper Haster

    ND 3250/3251

ND 3349

Thomson(1822) Possibly = Hauster in RS20/1/p 200 1665?

 

Stemster     ND 3350 Thomson(1822) Broch (possible) Stemster – ND 338502.
Milton

Lower Milton

Upper Milton

3d 1665 ND3450/3451

ND 3451

ND 3450

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Myltoun in Blaeu. RS20/1/p 200 1665 (I have a slight hesitancy about this but do not know of a more likely Milton).

Cf Telstane below.

Gillock     ND 3452 Thomson(1822) Broch (possible) Kettleburn broch, Gillock – ND 349519.

See farm-plan, Iain Sutherland p 30.

Winless     ND 3053/3054 Roy(FC)

Thomson(1822)

 
Gaultiquoy     ND 3450    
Sarclet     ND 3443 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Henderson, Agriculture, Appendix p 54 gives alternative name of Brodie’s Town.
Blingery   1456 ND 3048/3049 Thomson(1822) Blenser in the ‘Testament of Alexander Suthyrland of Dunbeath, 1456,’ The Bannatyne Miscellany Vol. III, p 93. Blensary in Book of the Thanes of Cawdor (p 54) of 1472.
Stirkoke     ND 3249/3250 RHP 3349 Thomson(1822) Stirkaik in RMS VII (1508) 1616. (Cf. Boilcaik in Halkirk parish).

Broch (possible) Cairn Hill, Old Stirkoke – ND 327492.

Thuster Mains

Thuster

    ND 3051

ND 2951

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Thomson(1822)

Thersterwick in Blaeu. The suffix is to distinguish it from another Thuster/Thurster. Broch (possible) Thuster – ND 300525.

See below.

Heiswell     ND 302510 OS 6″ (1871) See under Thuster below.
Quoylie     c. ND 3151   E of Thuster in RS20/1/p 194 1664. See under Thuster below.
Wedderclet     c. ND 3151   RMS III (3164-5) 1545.

E of Thuster in RS20/1/p 194 1664. See under Thuster below.

Humster     ND 3548   Broch (possible) Cairn of Humster – ND 352484.
Thrumster Little

Upper Thrumster

Thrumster House

Thrumster Mains

    ND 3345

ND 3345

ND 3345

ND 3245/3345

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Thomson(1822)

RMS III (3164-5) 1545. See below.

Over Trumbuster, N. Trumbuster in Blaeu.

 

Broch (possible) Thrumster Mains – ND 331450.

Broch (possible) Thrumster Little – ND 338458.

Thurster     ND 3444/3445 Thomson(1822) Cf Thusater/Thursetter in Thurso. <> Thuster above.
Telstane

= Hempriggs now

4½d 1665  

ND 3547

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

RMS III (3164-5) 1545. RS20/1/p 200 1665. = ¼ ounceland.

Henderson, Caithness Family History, p 221.

NSA p 142. Belonged to Lord Duffus, the minister’s informant.

Broch (possible) Hempriggs – ND 351471.

Tannach   1472 ND 3247 Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

‘Tanach’ in Book of the Thanes of Cawdor (p 54) of 1472.

Broch (possible) Tannach Mains – ND 323474.

Tenoch in Blaeu. See also Latheron table under Clyth.

?Thanachkegis in RMS 1 App 2 Index A No 378 (Robert I).

RMS XI (551) 1664.

Bilbster

Bilbster Mains

North Bilbster

 

 

 

 

ND 2853

ND 2853

ND 2853

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Roy(FC)

Thomson(1822)

O. Bilbuster, Neth. Bilbuster in Blaeu.

Broch (possible) North Bilbster – ND 281538.

See also under Bylbster in Watten parish.

 

Sibster

Sibster Farm

Square of Sibster

Lower Sibster

    ND 3252

ND 3153

ND 3153

ND 3053

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Thomson(1822)

Shebbuster in Blaeu. Later called Hopeville (E106/8/2 Valuation Roll for Caithness in 1802).

Sometimes called Sibsterwick to distinguish it from other Sibsters.

See Iain Sutherland p 30 to see it marched with Gillock.

Harland     ND 3253 Thomson(1822) See Iain Sutherland p 30 to see it marched with Gillock.
Mains of Ulbster

Ulbster

 

6d

 

1615

ND 3341/3342

ND 3241

 

Blaeu(Caithness)

Gordon(9)

Thomson(1822)

 

Vlbuster in Blaeu. See below.

Broch (possible) Ulbster School – ND 324414.

Watenan     ND 3141 Thomson(1822) Pendicle of Ulbster. Broch (possible) Watenan – ND 317411.

Broch Watenan – ND 318414.

Borrowston     ND 3243 Thomson(1822) Pendicle of Ulbster. Broch (possible) Borrowston – ND 328435.
Whaligoe     ND 3240 Thomson(1822) Pendicle of Ulbster.
Markwell     ND 3241    
Bruan     ND 3139    
(Lower) Camster

Camstersdaill

 

1 davach

 

1637

ND 2545   Broch (possible) Lower Camster – ND 255455. See below.

Camstersdaill in GD112/58/8/27 1637. I have placed this value under Latheron since the other places mentioned in the document are also Latheron.

Total 139d       >23 davachs

 

GD280/7/4/21 gives a useful list of lands in the parish of Wick in 1752. It includes Over and Nether Bilbster. (See under Watten parish for Bylbster which may originally have been part of the same farm). The last item of the list is half of Campster (Camster). Campster is another large property which seems to have been split – in this case with Latheron (q.v.).

 

Nybster

RS20/1/p 175 1663 gives 1½d as half of Nybster. The whole farm was therefore 3d.

 

Ackergill

Half Ackergill and half Reiss belonged to the Birsbane family (RH1/2/266 1469/70, GD96/4 1472 etc). Under GD96 is a series of documents showing how two illegitimate grand-daughters of the Brisbanes gradually lost their lands in the mid-sixteenth century. The documents clearly imply that Reiss and Ackergill were each 18d. (GD96/125 1573 gives ‘half Akirgill extending to 9¼d’ but I think we can conclude that the two ‘halves’ were slightly unequal).

See also GD96/18 1520, GD96/42 1548, GD96/46 1549, GD 96/57 1550, GD96/106 & 107 1565.

 

Noss

One of ‘tua urislands’ in GD96/63 c. 1554. (Urisland = ounceland). GD96/153 1575 refers to ‘the fortalice of Noss called Girnigo’. RMS III (2047) 1539.

 

East side of Noss etc

RS21/1/335r 1702 refers to the 19d of the east side of Noss, park of Castle Sinclair and Cantsquey with the field of Noss and Queystain. Whilst such a statement is of limited use in defining individual values it is helpful in confirming Noss as an ounceland of 18d.

 

Myrelandhorn

The early references consistently give the ending as -norn or similar. (Myirland-northin in GD96/70 1558). The farm seems to have been much subdivided and we have a great many references to portions of this property.

GD96/83 1561 refers to 2 separate parts of Myrlandnorne at 2¼d & 3¼d respectively. GD96/48 1549, followed by RMS VI (1467) 1603, GD96/508 1629 & GD96/529 1634, refer to 3¼d of Myrelandnorne which were lands that had formerly belonged to the bishop of Caithness. Retours (Caithness) (6) 1605 refers to 3 ‘octouns’ (eighths) of Myrelandnorne which now belonged to the earl but which had been bishopric lands in 1557 (see Sutherland Book III No 97 1557, RMS IV (1669) 1565, V (277 1581), VI (803) 1598. See also RS37/5/80r 1633 for ‘three octo landis’. 2¼d in GD96/125 1573. 3¼d in RMS VIII (481) 1623 on original of 1622. 3⅜d(?) in RMS XI (53) 1661.

RS20/1/p 165 1662 gives 3d and an ‘oblata’ in Myrelandnorne. ‘Oblata’ usually means ½d but can mean ¼d.

RMS VI (2) 1593 and RMS IX (1098) 1642 both refer to ½d (ex-bishopric) in Myrelandnorne – plus a tenement in Wick. GD96/405 1616 refers to 1d in Myrlandnorne (possibly part of the 3¼d bishopric lands above). Retours (Caithness) (22) 1644 refers to 2d in Myrelandnorne as part of the earldom lands but the context suggests they were different to the 3¼d mentioned above. In total therefore Myrelandnorne was worth at least 5½d – or, more likely, 6d – which would be a davach.

Also GD96/59 1553, RMS IV (2782) 1578 on original of 1575, RMS V (2127) 1592.

RS20/1/p 174 1663 gives 4½d of Myrlandnorne. RS20/1/p 198 1665 refers to 3 ‘octoes’.

Donaldson (1938, p 77 ff) gives 2¾d Myrelandhorn from the 1772 rental of the Mey Estate.

 

Keiss

Broch (possible) Keiss – ND 353610.

Broch (possible) Whitegate – ND 354612.

Broch (possible) Keiss, Kirk Tofts, ‘road’ broch – ND 348615.

 

Knappo

In Retours (Caithness) (22) 1644 Knappo is described as ‘halfe de Aikergill, half de Reis, half Wester, half Harland’. (The preceding 6d probably refers to the Sixpennyland in Latheron and is not a reference to the extent of Knappo). See also RMS XI (53) 1661. The estate of Knappo is referred to in GD96/36 1546, /44 1548, /45 1549, /60 1554, /70 1558, /108 1565, /113 1566, /223A 1586. Laing Charters (235) 1498 is an interesting example of giving sasine.

Half Ackergill + half Reiss (9d each) = 18d. If Wester and Harland were also 18d each then the total for Knappo would be 36d or 6 davachs.

 

Reiss

See above under Ackergill. The Brisbanes had half of Reiss which came to 9d. First the Brisbane grand-daughters lost 8d of this (GD96/42 1548) but clung on to 1d. Eventually they lost the lot (GD 96/57 1550). GD96/125 1573 gives ½ Reiss extending to 9d.

GD96/189 1580 refers to a ‘skatland’ of Reiss (possibly 4½d or a quarter-ounceland?) – c.f. Skiall & Dounreay in Reay parish and Stangergill in Olrig parish.

 

Killimster

NLS Dep.313/2983/15 1582/1588 suggest North and South Killimster were each 18d. (Some of the other evidence suggests only 9d in each but I favour 36d – as does I. Sutherland p 29). Together the two parts amounted to 2 ouncelands or 6 davachs. See Bishopric Table for further detail.

RS20/1/p 174 1663 gives South Killmster as 17⅛d.

 

Skitten

NSA Bower p 115 (1840):

‘Torfaeus mentions a fight begun in the moss of Skitten, (paludibus Skidensibus,) now oftener called Kilmster …’

See also NSA Wick pp 176 & 178. Broch Skitten – ND 323565.

 

Wick

It is difficult to be sure of the total valuation of Wick because we have a lot of references to 2d units therein. These include GD96/2 1469, GD96/24 & RMS III (1798) 1538, GD96/36 1546, GD96/46 1549 (2 x 2d), GD96/52 1549, GD96/53 & 57 1550, GD96/70 1558, GD96/83 1561, GD96/106 &107 1565, GD96/108 1565 (original 1555), GD96/125 & 130 1573, GD96/196 1582, RMS V (1341) 1587, Retours Caithness (22) 1644 (2 x 2d?).

 

There is a reference to 9d (ex-bishopric, Caithness) of Weke in RMS II (1404) 1478 on original of 1455. OPS II, II p 777 refers to a tenement of the bishop’s on the east of Wick in 1575.

RMS VI (1467) 1603 refers to 10d of Wick formerly belonging to the bishops of Caithness. This may have included the 9d of 1455.

GD96/270 1598 refers to Pyiperis-croft in Wick which was presumably the croft reserved for the bagpipe-player. RMS VI (1467) 1603 and RMS VIII (481) 1623, on original of 1622, tell us it was on the west side of the town. The bounds were specified in Scots – but not in the printed volume. Also in RS20/1/p 165 1662. This croft was ex-bishopric. RSS III (2336) 1547 gives a Hugh  Pypar in Wick.

 

We also have references to 10d of Weik in Sutherland Book III No 97 1557, 10d Weik in RMS IV (1669) 1565 on original of 1564 and in RMS V (277) 1581 on original of 1580 (ex-bishopric), 10d Weik and Papigo in RMS V (1977) 1591 (ex-bishopric), 10d in Wick & Papingo in Sutherland Book III No 119 1591, 10d of Weik & Papigo in Retours (Caithness) (6) 1605. 10d Weik in RMS VIII (481) 1623 on original of 1622.

RMS XI (53) 1661 gives either 25¾d or 27¾d in Wick and Papigo.

RS21/1/335r 1702 refers to ‘Wick and Papiigoe consisting of 27 dland’ [dland=pennyland].

 

For tenements see RMS VI (2) 1593, (803) 1598.

GD96/83 1561 refers to 2d in Wick called ‘brisbanis’ (i.e. Brisbane’s). These were lay.

 

Thuster

Thurster in RS20/1/p 194 1664 – where neighbouring properties are given. Thurster was bounded by Wedderclet and Quoylie in the east, part of Bilbster in the west, Heswell in the south and the water of Wick at the north.

 

Thrumster

A Ross (p 295) gives GD112/58/14/6 1660 as his source for claiming Thrumisterlitle is a davach. I cannot see this in the document.

 

Ulbster

Sutherland, Caithness 1770 to 1832, pp 29-30 gives ¾d in Ulbster in 1596.

RMS VII (1440) 1616, on original of 1615, gives 6d Ulbuster with harbours and pendicles listed as:

‘fields of Watnen, Burrowstoun, Qualigeo, with harbour, fishery and its corfhouse [shed for curing salmon], with the lochs of Watnen, the Mylloch [Mill-loch] and their fishings, with the mill of Ulbuster, astricted multures [i.e. thirled grain] etc. and the sheilings which were formerly parts of the lands belonging to Earl George, Lord Keith … and Lord Oliphant’.

 

Retours (Caithness) (20) 1640 states that the 6d of Ulbster included the following pendicles:

Watnen                        (Watenan)

Borroustoun                (Borrowston)

Quhalogw                   (Whaligoe)

 

Retours (Caithness) (8) 1614 refers to a three-farthingland of Ulbster in the barony of Hasbuster. I presume this refers to Housbustyr/Howbuster.

 

Camster

Camster may have been another of these very large farms which stretched over parish boundaries. Upper Camster may have lain in Latheron (qv); Lower Camster in Wick. Thomson’s map rather implies it straddled the parish march. That Camster was divided into two halves is supported by evidence from the Valuation Roll (1702) found under E106/8/1 and NSA Wick p 123.

Broch (possible) (Lower) Camster – ND 252450. CANMORE gives in Latheron. N. of watershed. Properly in Wick?

 

Other Brochs

Broch (possible) Shorelands – ND 364542.

Broch (possible) ‘The Pap’. Hillhead – ND 376514.

Broch (possible) Brounaban – ND 323434.

Broch (possible) Heatherquoy – ND 327417.

Broch (possible) Gansclet – ND 336444.

Broch Yarrows – ND 308434.

Broch (possible) Toftgun – ND 279424.

Broch (possible) Castle Linglas – ND 338583.

 

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