Renfrew Parish Table

Posted on January 20, 2025 by drixson — No Comments ↓

Renfrew

Roy(GM69) refers to Plate 69 in Roy’s Great Map as published by Birlinn in conjunction with the National Library of Scotland.

Name	Value	Date	Grid Ref	Map Sources	Other forms, comments etc
Renfrew N of Clyde				Ainslie(1796)	That part of Renfrew parish situated N of the River Clyde – between the Yoker and Whiteinch burns.
Jordanhill	£5	1565-6	NS 5368/5468	Pont(33) Blaeu(Lennox) Roy(PC & FC) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Iordanhill (Pont), Iordan Hill (Blaeu) See Fraser, Colquhoun, II, p 10, fn 2, – it formed the endowment for a chaplainry in church of Drumry. See below.
Rywrae	6s 8d (½m)	1625	NS 538686 ?	Glasgow Street Atlas	See under Templar properties below. There is another in Kilbarchan parish.
Cuilt W. Cuilt	1m	1625	NS 5268	Roy(PC) Roy(PC)	NE of Scottstown. W of Jordanhill N of Scottstown. See below.
Threipyard	½m	1620	NS 5169	Blaeu(Lennox) Roy(PC) Richardson(1795)	Threapÿaird between Yoker (to W) and Scotstoun (to E) in Blaeu. Third part (Roy). Threepart (Richardson). See below.
Blawarthill	1m 5m	1580 1625	NS 5268	Blaeu(Lennox) Roy(GM69) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Blawat Hill (Blaeu), Blawardhill (Roy), North & South Blarthill (Ainslie). 1m Balwarthill in RMS V (128) 1580-1 (on original of 1580). 13s 4d Bellwarthill in Charter Chest of the Earldom of Dundonald No 143, 1587 (ex Paisley Abbey). See below.
Scotstoun	£9 (13½m) AE	1561	NS 5267	Blaeu(Lennox) Roy(GM25) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Scotstoun (Blaeu). See below.
Wester Partick	10m				Split into two halves of 5m each. I have treated this almost as a district name. Its valuation appears under Blawarthill and Yoker. See below.
Philpisland		1452			If this is literally ‘Philip’s land’ then it is tempting to link it with Philip of Partick who is mentioned several times in documents concerning Paisley Abbey. The POMs database gives him a floruit of 1195 x 1227. See below under Partick.
Berthonluge		1452			There are a variety of spellings for this name but the last element appears to be luge (or similar) which is the same as ‘lodge’ today. RMS V (1718) 1589-90, on an original of 1588, concerns a garden and parvam domum lie ludge (i.e. little house or lodge) in Glasgow. In the case of Berthonluge there may be a sense of providing hospitality to travellers, as we also see in Paisley’s Kilpatrick possessions. See below under Partick.
Yoker	5m	1625	NS 5169	Blaeu(Lennox) Roy(GM25&69) Ross(1777) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Wester Perthik alias Yoker in GD148/225 1585. Zocher 5m AE in Renfrew Retours (67) 1625. Yockÿrr (Blaeu), Yokar (Ross), Yocker (Richardson & Ainslie). Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 302, gives £3 6s 8d (5m) land c. 1651. See below under Partick.
Total N of Clyde	34m

Renfrew S of Clyde
The town of Renfrew	£10				= 15m, Purves, p 161.
The towne of Renfrew	£10				= 15m, Stewart f 50r.
Renfrew	£10	1651	NS 5067	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC)	RMS III (2705) 1542 on original of 1397. ‘The toune of Ranfrew comprehending the borrow aikeris with the Knok Sandiefurd and Bogsyde is a ten pund land’ in Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 305, 1651. See the following four entries. See also under Templar properties below.
The Burgh Acres					Part of £10 Renfrew above. ‘The Burrow Aikeris’ in Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 303 c. 1651. ‘The borrow aikeris’ in Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 305, 1651.
Sandyford East Sandyford		1581-2	c. NS 490660 NS 4965	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC) Ainslie(1796)	OS 6” 1^st edition Renfrewshire Sheet VIII, 1857. OS 6” 1^st edition Renfrewshire Sheet VIII, 1857. Part of £10 Renfrew above. GD148/310 1581-1582 refers to Sandefurd, Bogsyid and Bogheid.
Bogside		1581-2		Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Part of £10 Renfrew above. GD148/310 1581-1582 refers to Sandefurd, Bogsyid and Bogheid.
Knock Hill Knockhill Park	£4 AE	1622	NS 4866 NS 4966	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Glasgow Street Atlas, Geographia. Part of £10 Renfrew above. Knok (Pont & Blaeu). Knock (Roy, Richardson & Ainslie). See below.
Porterfield	40s AE	1500	NS 4966	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Porterfild (Pont). See below.
Abbotsinch	18m £5	1522 1581	NS 4867	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC) Ainslie(1796)	Abbotsinch was the name for the low-lying haugh or ‘inch’ which belonged to Paisley Abbey – hence the name Abbot’s Inch. It is now under Glasgow Airport. N: Ynch, O: Ynch (Pont & Blaeu) (i.e. Nether & Over). Abbots Inch (Roy). See below.
Yonderton			NS 4767	Roy(PC) Ainslie(1796)
Wester Walkinshaw Easter Walkinshaw	10s 10s	1639 1551	NS 4666 NS 4767	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC) Ainslie(1796)	Walkeinschaw in the Paisley Register pp 178-180, dated by W.W. Scott 1226 x 1265. (See below under Knock). O: & N Walkinshaw (Pont). Ex Paisley Abbey. See below.
Sand Inch				Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC)	See RMS IX (1906) 1648.
The King’s Inch	£6	c.1651	NS 5167	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC & FC) RHP23106 Richardson(1795)	Pont & Blaeu mark it on the N side of the Clyde. Roy marks it on S side of Clyde. Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 302 gives Kings Inche as £6 land c. 1651. RHP23106 1779 is a sketch plan of lands of King’s Inches, Renfrew. (Not seen by me). See below.
King’s Meadow	5m	1625	NS 5068	Roy(PC)	5m AE Kingis-Medow in Renfrew Retours (67) 1625. Just N of Renfrew in Roy. See below.
King’s Orchard			NS 5067		RMS II (953) 1468, RMS III (2428) 1541, RMS IV (153) 1547. West side of Renfrew according to RMS IV (1160) 1556-7. See under King’s Meadow below.
Castlehill			NS 5067	Roy(PC) OS 6” 1857	RMS II (953) 1468, RMS III (2428) 1541, RMS IV (153) 1547. West side of Renfrew according to RMS IV (1160) 1556-7. East side of Renfrew in Roy. OS 6” 1^st edition Renfrewshire Sheet VIII, 1857. See under King’s Meadow below.
Kirkland Kirklandneuk			NS 4967	Pont(33) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC) Richardson(1795) Ainslie(1796)	Kirk Kland (Pont), Kirkland (Blaeu, Roy, Richardson & Ainslie). See next entry.
Kirklands of Renfrew (may have included Renfield)	4m	1568			These, and others, are given in RSS VI (226) 1568. Also in RMS VI (1279) 1602. Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 303 c. 1651 gives Kirkland and Renfield as 53s 4d (4m) land.
Renfield (included with Kirkland?)			c. NS 4968	Pont(33) Gordon(55) Blaeu(Renfrew) Roy(PC & FC) Richardson(1795)	Ronnise (Pont, Gordon & Blaeu), Renfield (Roy). See Kirklands above. See below.
Templar properties					See below.
Total S of Clyde	55½m
Total Renfrew parish.	89½m

Robertson’s Table of Property (1818) p 343 lists the following properties in Renfrew:

Abbot’s Inch, Scotstoun, Blawerthill, Jordanhill, Inch, King’s Inch, Porterfield, Walkinshaw (Wester, Middle, Easter), Castlehill, King’s Meadow, Kirkland and Renfield. On p 341 Robertson states that Inch was renamed Elderslie. On p 342 he also mentions Knock or Knox.

Purves p 162, under the heading ‘The Kings Proper Lands’ gives ‘The Blawhill, Zoker, and Kings meadow’ as £10 (15m).

Stewart f 50r, under the heading ‘The Kingis proper lands’ gives ‘The Blawethill zokir and king and medow’ as £10 (15m); (‘king and medow’ should read ‘King’s meadow’).

The phrase ‘the King’s proper lands’ means they belonged directly to the king as private property.

‘Blawhill’ and ‘Blawethill’ refer to Blawarthill north of the Clyde.

Zoker is Yoker, also north of the Clyde.

King’s Meadow is south of the Clyde.

It seems fair to assume that these 3 properties were valued at 5 merks each – which agrees with other surviving data.

In Appendix II, of Murray Rose’s edition of Purves, is printed the General Tax Roll of 1633. Under the heading of ‘The King’s property’ are the following three entries:

Zoker (5-merk land) £5

Blavathill (Blawhill) (5-merk land) £5

Kings meadows £5.

North of River Clyde

Jordanhill

RSS V Part II (2679) 1565-6 gives £5 AE Jurdanhill.

Renfrew Retours (66) 1625 (to Cornelius Crawfurde) gives £5 AE Jordanhill; 6s 8d AE called Tempillandis of Rywrae; 13s 4d AE Quilt, all in parish of Renfrew.

Renfrew Retours (68) 1626 (to Hugh Ker) gives £5 AE Jordanhill; 6s 8d AE called Templeland of Rywrae; 13s 4d AE Quilt, all in parish of Renfrew.

It is a little ambiguous but I think these two retours repeat each other rather than giving two halves.

Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 303 gives £6 land c. 1651.

Rywrae

See under Templar properties below.

Threipyard

Adam Craufurd of Threpzard is a juror at an inquest in 1513 – Memorials of the Montgomeries II No 94.

Fraser, Chiefs of Colquhoun I p 102 1533 gives 1m Threipzardes.

Threipyaird is listed in GD20/1/658 1598.

AS I (96) 1620 gives ½m Threipyard in barony of Drumry. The same lands recur in AS I (100) 1620. See also GD20/1/680 1620.

On maps Theipyaird became Third part (Roy(PC)); Threepart (Richardson 1795); Thirdpart (Ainslie, Renfrew, 1796 & 1800); Thirdport (Thomson, 1826). The name appears to have migrated from east of the Yoker Burn (where it is clearly marked in Roy) to the west side thereof (where it became associated with a mill and dam).

Cuilt

Renfrew Retours (66) 1625 (to Cornelius Crawfurde) gives £5 AE Jordanhill; 6s 8d AE called Tempillandis of Rywrae; 13s 4d AE Quilt, all in parish of Renfrew.

Renfrew Retours (68) 1626 (to Hugh Ker) gives £5 AE Jordanhill; 6s 8d AE called Templeland of Rywrae; 13s 4d AE Quilt, all in parish of Renfrew.

I think these two retours repeat each other rather than giving two halves.

Our only map source for Cuilt is Roy which marks Cuilt and W. Cuilt. By comparing its position with later maps by Richardson, Thomson and the Ordnance Survey it is probable that Cuilt became ‘Muttonhole’ which is now part of Scotstounhill.

Blawarthill

One merkland of this belonged to Paisley Abbey. In the Paisley Rental, published by Cameron Lees, this is the chapel-land of Wester Cochnay. It is called Warthill or Belwarthill. It paid a rent of 13s 4d and carried an obligation to provide hospitality. (Paisley Rental pp xcvi-xcvii, cxxvi, cxxxvii, clxiv). Cameron Lees, The Abbey of Paisley, Appendix L, Rental Book of the Abbey, p cxxvi gives ‘Terre capelle de West Cochnay vel Warthill’ (lands of the chapel of West Cochnay or Warthill) and ‘le belwarthill … soluendo annuatim xiii s iiii d’ (the Belwarthill … paying annually 13s 4d).

Blawarthill (Hospital) is in NS 5268 which is about where it is marked by Blaeu and Roy. The problem is that this is about 5½ kms from West Cochno. I do not know if this was always the case, whether the name shifted, or whether two different places bore the same name.

RSS IV (407) 1549 refers to an alienation by John Stewart of Minto to Donald Campbell of Ardyntynny of the lands of Blawethill.

Renfrew Retours (67) 1625 gives 5m AE Blavarthill which was not Paisley Abbey’s.

Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 302, gives £3 6s 8d (5m) land c. 1651.

Scotstoun

RMS III (894) 1529-30 is a grant to Henry Montgomery of 43m 4s 1d of the lands and tenandry of Scottistoun, in the lordship of Crukisfe, which were the late Matthew, Earl of Lennox’s.

ER XVIII p 549 1552 refers to Scottistoun in lordship of Crukisfee. (Montgomery). The rent for 1 year was £34 13s 4d (52m).

GD3/1/1/59/1 1561 gives £9 AE Scottistoun. (Montgomery).

Renfrew Retours (18) 1604 gives £9 AE Eister & Wester Scottistouns.

Renfrew Retours (52) 1620 concerns an annual return to John Logane from 20s of Maynes (Mains) of Scottistoun.

Renfrew Retours (69) 1626 concerns an annual return to John Maxwell from 6m AE of the Mains of Scottistoune.

Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 302, gives £9 (13½m) land c. 1651.

RMS XI (1055) 1667 gives £10 AE Easter & Wester Scotistounes.

GD3/1/2/4/14 1811 gives £10 (15m) of Easter & Wester Scotstoun.

Partick

Part of Partick had been given by King David I to Glasgow Cathedral in 1136 x 1141. (See Barrow, The Charters of King David I, No 56; REG I p 9 No 3. See also Wishaw p 200). The following entries concern the other part.

Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok Vol I p 168 No 40 1451 is a tack of Perthwic for £10 p.a. This is also referred to in The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 312 No 1 1451

RMS II (553) 5 May 1452 King set in feufarm to Walter Steuart of Arthurle, the lands of Perthwyk-Scott with pertinents, viz. lands of Berthonluge, le Yokir, Philislande, with the Wra. Reddendo 10m annual return in name of feufarm. (In this case its rent was its value). The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 312 No 2 is a very similar charter dated 15 May 1452. (They may actually refer to the same original because, apart from the discrepancy of date and the definition of Partick, the only other material differences are in spelling). I give the substance below:

5 May 1452 Perthwyk-Scott, Berthonluge, le Yokir, Philislande, the Wra

15 May 1452 Perthwyk Simpil, Bertounluge, the Zokir, Philpisland, the Rywra.

ER VI pp 103-6 1455 refers to ‘Perthwiksympill’ (Partick Semple), now ‘Perthwik regis’ (King’s Partick).

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 312 No 3 27 May 1457 is a charter under the Great Seal repeating No 2.

ER IX p 669 1463 gives a sasine to William Steuart of Litle Perthvich.

GD148/14 1471 gives Wester Perthuyk and half Arthourle – passing to Elizabeth Steuarde, Lady of Park, sister of deceased William Steuarde.

ER IX p 675 1473 is a sasine to Isabella Steuart of Perthvik and Athurley.

RMS II (1574) 1483-4, on original of 1483, King confirmed charter of Elizabeth Stewart, Lady of Parke, who had granted William Cunynghame of Craganys, the lands of Perthik and Arthurle, reddendo p.a. 5m in name of feufarm. Also in GD148/29-30 1483-1484.

ER X p 771 1495 gives a sasine to John Steuart of Wester Perthvik and Arthureley.

GD148/67 1505 gives portioners of Arthurlie and Perthuic.

ER XIII p 663 1512 gives a sasine to Robert Steuart of ‘Vester Perthik’. See also GD148/93 1512 for ¼ Arthurlee and ½ Wester Pertik.

GD148/101 1520 gives ½ Wester Perthik and ¼ Arthurlie.

GD148/146 1537 gives ½ Wester Perthwik and ¼ Arthurlie.

ER XVII p 739 1537 refers to half Westir Perthwik, viz. Bertoun Luge, lie Yokir, Philpisland & Rewray.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 313 No 6 1543-4 refers to half the lands of Wester Perthwik, including the lands of Bertoun Louge, the Zoker, Philipis land and Rewray, extending to 5m AE; and ¼ Arthurlie extending to 33s 4d AE – paying p.a. 5 merks for lands of Wester Perthwyk.

GD148/190 1559 gives ⅓ Yockir alias Wester Pertik.

AHC Volume II, No 153 1564-5 refers to Yochir, Blawarthill and ‘Kingis medo’. (The last is south of the Clyde). The source for this is RSS V Part 1 No 1976. But see also RSS V Part 1 No 1953 issued 11 days earlier. Also in AHC Volume II, No 182 of 3 March 1564-5.

ER XX p 392 1568 refers to half Wester Parthik.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 313 No 7 1572 refers to half the lands of Wester Perthwik, with the pertinents; namely, the lands of Berton Luge, lie Zokkir, Philpisland and Riwray, which half is at present called Blawathill.

GD148/196 1572 gives Yokker.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 313 No 8 1573 refers to half the lands of Wester Perthwik, including the lands of Bertoun Luge, the Zokkir, Philipsland and Riwray, which half is at present called Blawarthill, and extends to 5m AE. See also The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 314 No 9 1573, No 10 1576, No 12 1581, No 13 1591.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell pp 315-316 No 1 1598 refers to half the lands of Wester Perthwik, with the pertinents, viz., the lands of Bertoun, Luge, Zockir, Philpisland and Riwray, now commonly called the Blawathill, extending to 5m AE. Also p 316 No 2 1598; No 4 1622; p 317 No 7 1622, No’s 8 & 9 1623; p 319 No 6 1629, No 8 1635, No 9 & 10 1640 and numerous others on pp 322-331.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 331 No 12 1600 refers to ½m in the west end of Partik.

Renfrew Retours (38) 1616 gives half Wester Partick an extent of 5m.

Renfrew Retours (60) 1622 gives half Wester Parthick, viz. lands of Bertoun-ludge, Zokkir, Philpsland, & Kilbray [read Riwray] now called Blavathill, extending to 5m AE.

Renfrew Retours (114-115) 1642 refer to 10m AE of Wester Partik formerly called Philpland & Rybray, now Yocker & Blawathill. See also The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 366 No 8 1642.

RMS IX (1223.1) 1642, on original of 1639, refers to 10m of Yocker & Blawathill.

RMS IX (1223.2) 1642 refers to 10m of Wester Partick called Yocker & Blawathill and formerly named Bartounludge, Philpisland & Rivray. See also RS53 ff 28r-29r 1642 and RS53 ff 33v-34r 1642.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 324 No 8 1674 refers to 2m at west end of Partick.

Renfrew Retours (185) 1684 refers to 10m AE of Wester Killpatrick called Yoker & Blauarthill, formerly called Bartounledge, Philpsland & Raywray.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell pp 30-1 No 1 1732 refers to 10m AE Yocker & Blawerthill, of old called Bartoun’s-Lodge, Philipsland and Ryewray. See also p 31 No 2 1732.

In summary it appears Wester Partick was 10m. Half (or 5m) of it consisted of Barton Luge, Philip’s Land and Rywrae which, collectively, were also known as Blawarthill. The other 5m were Yoker.

South of River Clyde

Renfrew burgh

GD148/179 1551 gives a tenement in the Watergate of Renfrew.

The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 191 No 3 1615 refers to 6 roods of temple-lands in Newschot at Renfrew. (There is also a Newshot in Inchinnan).

GD120/2993 1637 is a note of templar houses in burgh of Renfrew.

RMS IX (747) 1637 refers to the temple houses and gardens in the burgh of Renfrew called Lyllisweir, with an acre in Renfrew (called) the Curriedaill, plus other temple lands in the barony and sheriffdom of Renfrew. (All to be incorporated in the tenandry of Greinend). See also Renfrew Retours (67) 1625.

See also The Cartulary of Pollok-Maxwell p 192 No’s 5 & 6 1637, p 193 No 7 1673, pp 194-5 No’s 1 & 2 1725, pp 195-6 No’s 3 & 4 1726, pp 197-198 No 9 1816.

RMP p 375 (W.W. Scott No 330), no date, but during the monastic period, refers to lands in burgh of Renfrew called ‘Beltonland’.

REG Volume I p 19, No 20, (Shead & Cunningham No 20, x 1177), refers to an annual render of 2s from the burgh of Renfrew.

REG Volume I pp 25-27, No 28, (Shead & Cunningham No 28, 1173), refers to a carucate of land ‘iuxta’ (close to) Renfrew, which belonged to the bishopric of Glasgow. Unfortunately I know nothing more about this but it is noted in OPS I p 77. Did this carucate become Kirkland?

REG Volume I p 60, No 66, (Shead & Cunningham No 66, 1186), concerns the church of Renfrew.

REG Volume I p 96, No 113, (Shead & Cunningham No 113, 1219 x 1232), concerns the agreement between the Abbot of Paisley and the Bishop of Glasgow over the church of Renfrew.

Knock

GD90/1/17 c. 1234 gives us early evidence of the lands of Knock. Essentially this document is a resignation and exchange by Dufgall, Duugal, Dougal or Dungal, son of Cristin (judge of Lennox), and Dougal’s wife Matilda, which gave Paisley Abbey the land of Cnoc in exchange for land in the island which lay between Kert Louchwynnoc (Cart Lochwinnoch or the Black Cart) and Grif (River Gryffe) next to Walkeinschaw (Walkinshaw). (This land by Walkinshaw had previously been rented by Adam Galgon). The contract is printed in the Paisley Register (RMP) pp 178-180 and dated in the Tabula as post 1234. (WW Scott gives it a date range between 1226 and 1265, possibly post 1238). Reading between the lines it looks rather a one-sided document with Dougal & Matilda driven by poverty. Neville, p 101, thought Knock referred to Dumbarton Muir but I see no reason to doubt it was Knock in Renfrew.

A first difficulty is to identify the ‘insula’ (island) between ‘Kert Louchwynnoc’ and ‘Grif’ beside ‘Walkeinschaw’. The Latin word insula means island but, in the context of Paisley possessions in Renfrewshire, is often used to describe lands which would be called ‘Inch’ by Scots. The word ‘Inch’ (derived from Gaelic innis (island), which appears frequently in place-names, can mean both an island and also low-lying-land beside a river; what later Scots might term a ‘haugh’ or water-meadow. Pont’s, Gordon’s and Blaeu’s maps of the River Clyde give several examples of Inches along the river as well as N(ether) and O(ver) ‘Ynch’, as place-names by Walkinshaw. These ‘Ynch’ place-names are located by what later became known as Abbotsinch – now the ground beneath Glasgow Airport. (The name Abbotsinch indicated ownership by the Abbot of Paisley).

Today’s map (OS Explorer 342) shows the River Gryfe joining the Black Cart Water in NS 4666. South and East of the junction are Wester and Easter Walkinshaw. Much of the nearby land is below 5 metres and still marshy. It is easy to see how it could be named an ‘Inch’ (a low-lying haugh) in earlier centuries. Identification is helped by comments made by MacKenzie (p 30) in his history of Kilbarchan published in 1902. Effectively he states that the section of river between NS 4666 (where the Black Cart and Gryffe join) and NS 4968 (where this combined river joined the White Cart) was not, in the thirteenth century, called the Black Cart Water (as it is today) but the Gryffe. If we use MacKenzie’s insight to reinterpret the passage in RMP pp 178-180 then it is clear that the island or inch, which is referred to, lay between NS 4666 and NS 4968, on the east side of the Black Cart and the south side of the Gryffe (now relabelled Black Cart on the maps). This is indeed beside Walkinshaw and has been renamed Abbotsinch in the centuries since.

Dougal is not said to get all of Abbotsinch, just land in it. For this he exchanged all his land in Knock – which he also held of the Abbot. We must assume that the exchange suited the Abbot in some way. Knock lies a short distance to east of Abbotsinch.

See also under Walkinshaw below.

RMS I App 2 p 630 Index A (1719), Index B (14). (Robert III).

NRAS859/Box203/Bundle1 includes Knok (both place-name and family name), 1519. Knok in GD148/289 1563.

GD148/263 1596-1597 refers to the manor place of Knok becoming ruinous.

NRAS859/Box203/Bundle5 includes a reference to £4 AE Knok in 1622.

GD39/1/287 1648 has a reference to ‘the levies of horses and foot to be made upon Knockhill’. (There is a also reference to £10 land of Fiveruds (?), parish of Paisley, which I cannot identify. If Fiveruds is for ‘five roods’ then it is far too small to have had an ‘auld extent’ valuation of £10, so I have discounted this evidence for the present).

Macfarlane’s Geographical Collections Vol. II, p 203, states that near Knock ‘in the common moor of Renfrew’ (is) ‘the ordinary place of Randevouse of the Militia of that County’. Such military assembly points were often very ancient.

Porterfield

RMS II (2560) 1500 refers to the lands of Portarfeild, extending annually to 40s lands AE. The phrase ‘extending annually’ does not fit with the concept of an abstract land-assessment valuation. It is of common occurrence around this period, but seems to have been temporary so I have usually ignored it. RSS VII (204) 1575 simply refers to the 40s land of Portarfeild. Renfrew Retours (41) 1616 refers to 40s AE of Porterfeild; also RMS VIII (2026) 1632 and RMS IX (1671) 1646. 40s AE Porterfeild in Renfrew Retours (191) 1690.

Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 302, gives Porterfield as 40s (3m) land c. 1651.

Purves p 162 gives Porterfield as £2 (3m).

Stewart f 50r gives Porturfield as 40s (£2 or 3m).

Paisley Abbey got an annual return of 6s 8d from Porterfield. This is mentioned on page c of the Paisley Rental, printed in Cameron Lees, and again on p clv. It is possible that this was because the monks held a 6s 8d land but it is equally possibly it was just a cash render from part of the lands. In RMS V (1320) 1587 it is 6s 8d from Porterfeild but Pottersfeild in Metcalfe (Burgh of Paisley p 71).

Abbotsinch

For early references to Inch see also under Knock and Walkinshaw.

We are fortunate that ‘Inch’ features prominently in the Paisley Rental from 1460. It was one of the Paisley properties that seems to have paid rent in grain, specifically oats – along with some poultry. Paisley’s farms paid their rents in a variety of ways. Hill-farms often paid in a mix of cheese and stirks. Some, like Inch, paid primarily in grain. Others paid with a combination of silver rent, grain, poultry, day-labour and ‘carriages’ which were obligations to carry loads over distances. Carriages could be stipulated as short or long. Our first specific mention of a valuation for Inch or ‘The Inch’ is in 1522 when it is classed as 18 merkland set for 18 chalders of oats ‘by the old measure’. A chalder was 16 bolls so the total grain produce from Inch came to 288 bolls – which is exactly what is accounted for in 1522. In 1525 we have a repeat of the statement that ‘The Ynch’ was an 18 nerkland set for 18 chalders oats ‘old measure’. This is confirmed again in 1550 which gives us a welcome degree of confidence in Inch’s valuation. Moreover, if we look at the evidence prior to 1522 it seems clear that this valuation probably stretched back to the first rental given in 1460. No value is given but the total rent was 282 bolls which is just 6 bolls short of the 288 boll total that represented 18 chalders. In the rentals of 1472 and 1484 we have a great many payments for individual mailings but no way of assembling totals in what was essentially a rolling record of tenancy arrangements. However none of the holdings are inconsistent with the data from before or after. Fortunately the rental in 1550 also tells us that ‘old measure’ meant 12 pecks to the boll (rather than the later standard of 16).

The Inch also included some relatively small areas called West and East Meadow. These were only 5 acres each and I have no values for them, although they paid a separate rent. They are mentioned in the Paisley Rental on pp cix (1524) and p cxlii (1525).

The Paisley Rental also tells us about a property called Marksworth. In 1484 this is described as ‘ye merkis worthe of ye Inche’. However, although it may originally have been part of the Inch it appears to lie just across the parish border in Paisley (q.v.).

ER XXI pp 457-8 1581 gives £5 (7½m) AE Inche + fishing on the Clyde. This can only refer to part of the Inch.

RMS V (432) 1582, on original of 1581, confirmed a charter of feufarm of 15s AE of Inche plus part of the meadow called Inche-medow. The rent was 12 bolls oats ‘minoris mensure’ (lesser measure) as old rent. (Lesser measure must here mean the ‘old measure’ of 12 pecks to the boll). The figure of 15s is by no means random. 18m = £12 = 240s which, divided by 15, = 16. The land set was one-sixteenth of the total.

Renfrew Retours (36) 1615 gives £5 AE Inche + fishing on the Clyde. See also Renfrew Retours (92) 1634, (99) 1636, (112) 1641, (139) 1649.

£12 Inchis in RS53 ff 41v-42v 1642.

Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 303, gives Abbots Inche as £12 (18m) land c. 1651.

Walkinshaw

Crawfurd, 1710, p 64 gives a very interesting comment about the family of Walkinshaw. Given that Crawfurd is writing perhaps 450 years after the document he describes, we should exercise a little caution. Nevertheless it is, at the least, a valuable local tradition.

A little towards the North from Blackstoun, upon the Confluence of Black-Cart and Greif, stands the House and Lands of Walkingshaw, the Seat of an Ancient Family in this Shire; who derive their Pedigree from one Dungallus, filius Cristini, Judicis de Levenax, (who was the Person that exercised a Jurisdiction over the Vassals and Tenents of the Earldom of Lenox, and was a very Ancient Officer,) for he is so design’d in an Excambion he makes, with Consent of Maud his Spouse, of his Lands of Knoc, with the Abbot and Convent of Pasly, for the Lands of Walkingshaw, in an[no] 1235, the 21st Year of the Reign of King Alexander II of Scotland, as is evident from the Original, yet extant in the Chartulary of the Monastery of Pasly, Folio 105. And from his Hereditary Lands of Walkingshaw, which he so obtained, probably he assumed his Sirname and Designation.

(The relevant document can be seen on pp 178-180 of RMP. Cosmo Innes, the editor, dates it post 1234 on p xiv of the Tabula, where it is given as Folio 108. WW Scott, No 184 dates it 1226 x 1265 but possibly post 1238. Dungall or Dougal also features on other pages of RMP).

Crawfurd’s comments of 1710 reinforce Mackenzie’s conclusion of 1902, given above under Knock, that the stretch of water below the junction of Black Cart and Gryffe was called Gryffe – and not Black Cart as appears on maps today. Crawfurd’s statement that the family of Walkinshaw claimed descent from the Dougal of Knock mentioned above, adds a complication. The document dealing with Dougal’s exchange specifies land in the Inch ‘juxta Walkeinschaw’ (beside Walkinshaw) and yet we are here told by Crawfurd that the land was Walkinshaw. However, we should not necessarily see that as a fatal contradiction. Today Walkinshaw consists of two farms, Easter and Wester, about 1½ kilometres apart. It is quite possible that, in the thirteenth century, Walkinshaw only included some of the lands it does today.

See under Knock above. See also ‘Abbey Lands’ text file for this and other early references to the island or Inch that lay near Walkinshaw.

GD1/232/2 1551 gives 10s AE Easter Walkinschaw.

Renfrew Retours (89) 1633 gives (half of) 10s AE Eister Walkingshaw. This is repeated in Renfrew Retours (93) 1634.

Renfrew Retours (103, 104 & 105) 1639 are each for one-third of 10s AE of Wester Walkinshaw.

RMS IX (918) 1639 gives 10s AE Wester Walkingschaw – ex Paisley Abbey.

I can find no references to the 20s of Walkinshaw in the Paisley rental.

RS53 ff 21v-22r 1642 gives half of 10s AE Eister Walkinschaw.

Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 302 gives 10s Eister Walkinschaw & 10s Westir Walkinschaw c. 1651.

Crawfurd, 1710, p 64, [square brackets are mine]. Crawfurd often abbreviated ‘anno’ (i.e. ‘year’) to ‘an.’ :-

For Patrick Walkingshaw of That-Ilk obtained a Charter of Confirmation of the Lands of Wester-Walkingshaw from the Abbot of Pasly, upon the Resignation of his Father, an[no] 1464. Which Patrick last mentioned was Father of John Walkingshaw of That-Ilk, who, with Margaret Fleeming his Wife, a Daughter of the Family of Barochan, obtained a Charter of these Lands from the Abbot of Pasly, an[no] 1511 (i), in the Reign of King James IV.

Footnote: (i) Chartulary of Pasly.

Crawfurd, 1710, p 65

Near to this lie the Lands of Easter-Walkingshaw, which went early, by Marriage of one of the Co-heiresses of that Ancient Family, to the Mortons. The First of this Family I have found mentioned is Robert Morton of Walkingshaw, who is Recorded an Arbiter betwixt the Abbot of Pasly and the Burgh of Renfrew, an[no] 1488 (l). Adam Morton obtained from Robert, Abbot of Pasly, a Charter of his Lands of Easter-Walkingshaw, an[no] 1511 (m). As another Adam Morton, whom I have found designed of Leven and Walkingshaw, alienate the 10 lib. Land of Leven in Innerkip, to William Lord Semple, an[no] 1547 (n). And his Lands of Easter-Walkingshaw came, by Marriage of Marion Morton his Heiress, to Peter Algoe, a Gentleman originally from Italy; his Ancestor came from that Country with one of the Abbots of Pasly, and for some considerable time his Posterity possessed a plentiful Fortune in this Shire, and failed in the Person of of (sic) John Algoe of Easter-Walkingshaw, in the Reign of King Charles I.

Footnotes are: (l) Chartulary of Pasly [see RMP pp 406-7]; (m) Chartulary of Pasly; (n) Carta Joh. Stewart Junioris de Blackhall [i.e. Charter, John Stewart, junior, of Blackhall].

Scrutiny of the above three quotes from George Crawfurd suggests a mismatch between what Crawfurd claims for the Paisley Cartulary and what actually appears in the sixteenth-century transcript which now serves as the Paisley Register. Even where we can make a direct comparison – as with Dungal (or Duugal) and Maud’s thirteenth-century exchange of Knock for Walkinshaw – Crawfurd has added extra detail which is not there in the Paisley Register as we have it. There is nothing about ‘the 21st Year of the Reign of King Alexander II of Scotland, as is evident from the Original, yet extant in the Chartulary of the Monastery of Pasly, Folio 105’. Does this come from a separate confirmation by Alexander II, given in the year indicated? Such issues remain unresolved but see ‘Renfrew General Sources’ text file for more discussion.

The King’s Inch

The King’s Inch was one of the earliest possessions of Paisley monastery but was exchanged relatively early for other lands.

RMP p 249, W.W. Scott No 255, c.1163 x 1165, is King Malcolm IV’s confirmation of a charter by Walter, son of Alan, (i.e. Walter I). It is also printed as RRS I (254). The Renfrewshire lands granted are:

insula juxta opidum Reinfrew … (the island or ‘Inch’ next to the town, [or castle?], of Renfrew)

totam insulam predictam cum piscatura inter insulam et Perthec, (the whole aforesaid island/inch with the fishery between the island/inch and Partick, i.e. across the Clyde)

et ecclesiam de Passelet cum duabus carrucatis terre (and the church of Paisley with two carucates of land).

Robertson (1818) p 392, claims the Hall family, (de Aula in Latin), were linked to the lands immediately west of Renfrew. He gives a charter (facsimile facing p 394) from Robert II, in 1377, to Thomas de Aula ‘surrigico’ (surgeon), of lands including ‘Insulam quae vocat Insula Regis’ (i.e. the island or Inch called the King’s Inch). Robertson gives a transcript of the charter in the Appendix, No VI, p 500. Compare with RMS I Appendix 2, p 630, Index A No 1718, Index B No 13.

ER XII p 711, 1502, gives a sasine to John, Lord Ros(s), of Ynch. See also Robertson (1818) p 67.

Inche, with tower, fortalice and manor in RMS IV (253) 1548.

‘Elderslie House formerly King’s Inch’ (Richardson’s map, 1795). OPS I p 74 states that it is the park for Elderslie House.

OS 6” 1^st edition, Renfrewshire, Sheet VIII, 1857, gives a good idea of how the Inch may once have looked. See also Cameron Lees p 30.

King’s Meadow

ER IX p 662 1453 gives a sasine to Robert Wallace which includes ‘Kingis Medo’.

ER VI pp 103-6 1455 refers to ‘le Kingis Medow’.

ER XI p 462 1499 gives a sasine to Robert, Lord Lile, of Kingismedo, Orchard and Castelhill.

RMS II (953) 1468, RMS III (2428) 1541, RMS IV (153) 1547. West side of Renfrew according to RMS IV (1160) 1556-7. Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 302, gives £3 6s 9d (5m 1d) lands of Castellhill and Kings Meidow c. 1651. (£3 6s 9d is almost certainly a mistake for £3 6s 8d which would be 5m). These two properties are also paired in Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, Vol 1, p 304, 1651.

The site of the meadow is probably represented by Meadowside St which runs into Kings Inch Road from the NW.

The orchard is represented by Orchard St which lies on the north side of Renfrew. (OSNB OS1/26/21/23). In the annual returns given on page c of the Paisley Rental is an entry (c. 1472) of 7s for land near ‘le kyngis orchat’ (The King’s Orchard).

There was thought to be a castle at Castlehill and another on the Kings Inch itself. (OSNB OS1/26/21/36) and (OSNB OS1/26/21/33).

Renfrew Parish Table

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