Buccleuch Estate Rentals and their importance to genealogists…

Andrew Armstrong (descendant of Buccleuch tenants) Street names give us a clue • Glasgow about the importance • Selkirk • Dalkeith …………. • Langholm • Hawick • Newcastleton • Dumfries • Edinburgh • Kettering, Northants • Thornhill, D & G • Melrose • Sanquhar • Innerleithen Not to mention pubs…….…………. • Buccleuch Arms, St Boswells • Buccleuch Arms, Moffat • Buccleuch & Queensberry Arms, Thornhill • The Buccleuch, Dalkeith • Buccleuch Hotel, Hawick Buccleuch Estates

• Largest private landholder in Scotland today (>240,000 acres) and indeed the UK. • Large tracts of Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire and Dumfriesshire • Parts of Midlothian and Peeblesshire • Boughton Estate in Northamptonshire • Continuous ownership over hundreds of years Buccleuch Muniments

• Records of the family of Scott of Buccleuch from the 12th century onwards • In the care of the National Records of Scotland reference GD224 • Deeds,accounts,correspondence for many of the estates and family members • Rentals for Border estates plus Dalkeith (but not Queensberry estate) • To gain access to records it is necessary to sign a ‘no publication without permission’ undertaking • Search index online Internet Search https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/search.aspx What NRS say about estate rentals…

“Where individuals are mentioned, rentals only give the name of the head of the house and do not list wives, children or other dependants.”

National Records of Scotland website http://www.nas.gov.uk/guides/estaterecords.asp Names of Estates • Roxburghshire – Branxholme, Wilton, Whitchester, Hawick, Burnfoot, Cavers, Hassendean/Roberton, Teviotdalehead, Liddesdale, Eckford, Melrose/Eildon • Selkirkshire – Ettrick Forest • Dumfriesshire – Canonbie/Debateable Land, Eskdale (Staplegorton, Westerkirk, Wauchope), Eskdalemuir, Ewesdale – Drumlanrig, Tibbers, Sanquhar, Mouswald, Ross • Midlothian – Dalkeith, Sheriffhall, Inveresk, Musselburgh • Peeblesshire – Kirkurd Buccleuch Rental Records

• Each estate had a chamberlain responsible for Issuing tacks, Setting and collecting rents, repairs etc AND keeping records ! • Generally records are of a high standard and have survived very well • Classification and indexing is however not as straightforward – some smart searching required to find all rental information • Estate names and spellings change over time • Names (Canonbie or Debateable Land). Hawick or Branxholm. • Spellings = Canonbie, Canobie, Kanaby, Cannobie, Kannabie Buccleuch Estates Map Example of 1635 Rental Example of 1711 Rental Victual Rent

4 pecks = 1 firlot; 4 firlots = 1 boll. 1 peck = approx. 9 litres dry Typical Rental Availability - Liddesdale

• 17th Century - almost every year 1630-1700 • 18th Century - 1705-1721,1729,1730,1732, 1739,1766-1774,1792-1797 • 19th Century - 1814,1829-1900 • 20th Century – 1901-1934 Typical Rental Availability - Dalkeith

• 17th Century - • 18th Century - 1714,1720,1723-1772 • 19th Century - 1812-1829, 1851-1900 • 20th Century – 1901-1928 • So are the rentals just a list of names of farm tenants ? Development of Langholm

• 99 year leases granted for house building in New Langholm in 1777.

1792-1797 Rental for Eskdale (GD224/528/1) Border Reiver Families

• Rentals date from 1630 in Canonbie and Liddesdale, heartland of the Border Reivers • A generation after the reivers were executed, migrated (forcibly or otherwise), or learned to live in relative peace and harmony with their neighbours

Fishings on the River Esk let to John Armstrong of Holhous (Hollows), from 1635 Canonbie rental. John was great grandson of the most infamous reiver of all - Johnnie Armstrong of Gilnockie, hung along with his followers at Carlenrig by James V in 1530. Reiver Nicknames

1635 Canonbie Rental : “Nether Whitliesyde sett to Andro Armstrang called hyde the bannie” Nicknames from reiver times

• Willie ‘Redcloak’ Bell • Jock ‘Half Lugs’ Elliot • ‘Nebless’ Clem Crosier • Archie ‘Fire the Braes’ Elliot • Davy ‘the Lady’ Armstrong • George ‘Buggerback’ Elliot Family History Research Techniques

• Buccleuch Estates – Paternalistic approach – Tenant’s heir most likely to succeed to tenancy • 1. Look for relative clues in the text….. • 2. Year by year comparison – possible range 1630 – 20th century • 3. Combine with other sources (such as OPRs or Monumental Inscriptions) Relatives mentioned in Rental

(all from Canonbie estate)

• (1766) Inner Woodhead “Barbara SCOTT and William MARTIN her son” • (1766) Auchenrivock “Andrew HEISLOP as succeeding his father John HEISLOP and Thomas HEISLOP his uncle tutor in law and cautioner” • (1739) Glenzierbecknowe “William, George, James and Margaret IRVINE, children of deceased David IRVINE” Year by Year: Orchard Farm,Canonbie

Year(s) Reference Tenant 1695 GD224/254/10 Francis Cavart 1701 GD224/241/1 Francis Cavart 1706 GD224/557/4 Francis Cavart 1710 GD224/557/4 Herbert Cavart 1713 GD224/557/4 Herbert Cavart 1734 GD224/557/4 Christian Edgar, David Hill cautioner 1739 GD224/557/3 Christian Edgar, David Hill and Wm Beatty cautioners for her 1766 GD224/285/5 William Calvert, Edward Calvert 1792-1797 GD224/528/1 William Calvert, Edward Calvert 1814 GD224/485/7 Herbert Calvert

© Relatively Scottish 2020 Use with other sources (where available)

• Monumental Inscriptions • OPRs Other Sources: Glenzier Garden, Canonbie 1/3 of tenancy Year Reference Tenant Other Sources 1689 GD224/409/1 John Armstrong MI 1638-1710 1701 GD224/241/1 John Armstrong MI 1638-1710 1709 GD224/557/4 John Armstrong MI 1638-1710 1710 GD224/557/4 John Armstrong MI 1638-1710 1711 GD224/557/4 Blench Carruthers , MI 1642-1721 (Blench) Christopher and John her MI 168x-172x (Christopher) sons cautioners 1713 GD224/557/4 Blench Carruthers her sons MI 1642-1721 cautioners 1734 GD224/557/4 John Armstrong None 1739 GD224/557/3 John Armstrong None 1745 GD224/239/5 Andrew Armstrong OPR birth of son 1762 1766 GD224/285/5 Andrew Armstrong OPR birth of son 1762 OPR death 1790 Suggested Starting Point

• GD224/528/1 1792-1797 Rental of the Duke of Buccleuch's estates in the counties of Dumfries, Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles, with accounts of variations – 21 year tacks the norm so stable tenancies – All changes in tenancy over the 5 year period detailed – deaths usually mentioned, successor tenant’s relation to previous tenant mentioned Family of Mungo Park

Rental 1792-1797 for Ettrick Forest Foulshiells and Faeside let to Mungo Park (explorer’s father)

Tenancy transferred to John Park (explorer’s brother) upon the death of father Mungo in 1795 Other Famous Residents

• Thomas Telford (Westerkirk Estate) • Kirkpatrick Macmillan (Drumlanrig Estate) • James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd (Ettrick Forest Estate) Some other Estate Records with Rentals in South Scotland ? • GD 1 various small estates • GD 3 Montgomerie of Eglinton (Ayrshire) • GD 10 Murray of Cally/Broughton (Galloway) • GD 18 Penicuik (Midlothian) • GD 25 Kennedy of Cassillis (Ayrshire) • GD 40 Lothian Estates (Roxburghshire) • GD 109 Dalrymple-Hamilton of Bargany (Ayrshire) • GD 150 Earls of Morton – Dalmahoy (Midlothian) • GD 157 Scott of Harden (Selkirkshire) • GD 158 Hume of Polwarth (Berwickshire) • GD 364 Hope of Luffness (East Lothian) Thank You !

• Farm Names of Dalkeith & Border Estates http://relativelyscottish.com/buccleuch-estate-records/ • Farm Names of Queensberry Estates https://relativelyscottish.com/buccleuch-estate-records-for-the- queensberry-estate/ • © Relatively Scottish 2020