Client: Colin Armstrong Associates on behalf of Slioch Ltd. Date: December 2009 Archaeological Recording of Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness for a Proposed Development. Written by: Stuart Farrell Planning Ref. 08/00255/FULIN Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. BACKGROUND 3. METHODS 4. RESULTS 5. DISCUSSION 6. RECOMMENDATIONS 7. REFERENCES 8. ARCHIVE 9. DES Figure 1 Site location. Figure 2 Site Plan Figure 3 1st Edition Ordnance Survey of 1871. Figure 4 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey of 1904. Figure 5 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey of 1930. Figure 6 Ordnance Survey map of 1972. Figure 7 Plan with location & direction of photographs. Appendix 1 Highland Council Specification Appendix 2 Photographic Register The author was commissioned in December 2009 by Colin Armstrong Associates on behalf of Slioch Ltd to undertake a project of a photographic Survey to be undertaken prior to the demolition of Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness as a condition of planning by Highland Council. The Steading dates from the late 18th or very early 19th century and has seen some alterations throughout its use, but with some of the original features being intact. Only partial access to building was possible due to it being in a dangerous state. Recommend that photographs be taken during demolition. 2 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. Figure 1 – General Location © Ordnance Survey. Licence no. 100041016 3 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. Figure 2 – Site Plan. © Colin Armstrong Associates. 4 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. Figure 3 – 1st Edition Ordnance Survey of 1871. © Ordnance Survey. Licence no. 100041016. Figure 4 – 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey of 1904. © Ordnance Survey. Licence no. 100041016. 5 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. Figure 5 – 3rd Edition Ordnance Survey of 1930. © Ordnance Survey. Licence no. 100041016. Figure 6 – Ordnance Survey Sheet NH6844/6944 of 1972. © Ordnance Survey. Licence no. 100041016. 6 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. Figure 7 - Plan with location & direction of photographs. 7 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. 1. INTRODUCTION A desk-based assessment and Photographic Survey was carried out by the author for Colin Armstrong Associates on behalf of Slioch Ltd required as part of a planning application. The proposed development site is an existing building located at Wester Drakies, Culcabock, Inverness. The work was required as part of planning condition no.13 by Highland Council Planning Department (ref. 08/00255/FULIN) which stated: Prior to the commencement of development a photographic record shall be made of the remains of the old buildings and / or other features affected by the proposed development, in accordance with the attached specification, and thereafter be submitted to the Planning Authority. No site clearance work shall take place until confirmation in writing has been received from the Planning Authority that the record made has been lodged and is satisfactory. Reason: To protect the historic interest of the site. 2. BACKGROUND The steading is located directly north of the existing public road, off Thistle Road, Culcabock. The former farmhouse of Wester Drakies has been completely modernised and is now 2 houses. The Steading is in a poor condition. Drakies House is depicted on Roy’s Military map of 1745-55 and on John Thomson’s map of Inverness of 1830. Neither indicates the farm. Both House and Farm are not marked on John Home’s map of Inverness of 1774 or John Wood’s map of Inverness of 1822. The farm is depicted on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey (published 1871, surveyed 1868) (see figure 3) as a U-shaped roofed building with farmhouse to E. Ground to N is marked as woodland. By the 2nd edition OS map of 1904 (revised 1902-3) (see figure 4) the farm is unchanged, though a small structure is depicted in the courtyard. By the 3rd edition OS of 1930 (revised 1929) (see figure 5) the farm has seen a number of changes. Two structures are shown to the E side of the courtyard, whilst a structure has been added to the NW corner. A number of small structures have been built to the N of the steading. Part of the woodland to the N is gone and shown as open ground. To the W is a gravel pit. By the OS map of 1972 (revised c1969-71) (see figure 6) The buildings of the steadings are the same, whilst the structures to the N have been removed and replaced with a larger building, with small structures to the E and a structure to the NE. The gravel pit to the W is gone. The latest site plan (see figure 2) shows only the structure to the NW and a partial structure to the N. 8 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. The farm is listed in the Census Record’s for the parish of Inverness from 1851 to 1871 (not listed in 1841, but may have been included under Drakies) with occupiers as follows: 1841 Census – Not listed. 1851 Census – Wester Drakies Duncan Garden Head 34 Farmer of 70 acres employing 2 labourers Madeline Garden Wife 33 Wife John Garden Son 8 Scholar Donald Garden Son 5 Scholar David Garden Son 2 Duncan Garden Son 1 Peter Chisholm Servant 22 Ploughman Andrew Josse Servant 18 Ploughman Ann Ross Servant 25 House Servant Margaret Mckenzie Servant 20 House Servant 1861 Census – Wester Drakies James Fraser Head 55 Farmer of 60 acres Mary Fraser Wife 53 Wife Duncan Fraser Son 17 Simon Fraser Son 15 Margaret McKenzie Servant 18 Domestic Servant Christy McGillioney Servant 16 Domestic Servant 1871 Census- Wester Drakies James Fraser Head 64 Farmer of 35 acres arable Mary Fraser Wife 62 Wife Duncan Fraser Son 27 Simon Fraser Son 25 Betsy Arant Servant 39 Domestic Servant Jessie Fraser Servant 12 Domestic Servant John MacDonald Servant 27 Shepherd Jessie MacKinzie Servant 23 Domestic Servant Wester Drakies not listed in 1881 to 1901 census. There is a Duncan Fraser listed as Drakies Farm House in the 1891 census but his age does not correlate to D Fraser in 1871 census. County Valuation Rolls from 1870 were available for consultation in The Highland Council Archives. They list (on search of ten years apart) the following owners and tenants: 1870-71 Owner – Eneas W Mackintosh of Raigmore, M.P; per Donald Davidson, Invss. Tenant – John MacTavish Rent - £ 30 9 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. 1880-81 Owner – Eneas W Mackintosh of Raigmore, M.P; per Davidson & Scott, Solicitors. Tenant – John MacTavish Rent - £ 30 1890-91 Owner – Eneas W Mackintosh of Raigmore, M.P; per Davidson & Scott, Solicitors. Tenant – Duncan Fraser, farmer Rent - £ 140 1900-01 Owner – Eneas W Mackintosh of Raigmore, M.P; per Roderick Scott, Solicitor. Tenant – Wm Winwood Mackintosh Rent - £ 100 1910-11 Owner – Trustees of the late Eneas W Mackintosh of Raigmore, M.P; per Roderick Scott, Solicitor. Tenant – Wm Winwood Mackintosh Rent - £ 140 1920-21 Owner – Neil MacDonald of Raigmore per D F MacDonald, Solicitor. Tenant – William Macallister Rent - £217.17.6 1930-31 Owner – Neil MacDonald of Raigmore per D F MacDonald, Solicitor. Tenant – William Macallister Rent - £64 1940-41 Owner – Neil MacDonald of Raigmore per D F MacDonald, Solicitor. Tenant – Angus Matheson Rent - £ 141.17.6 1950-51 Owner – Reps of Wm Winwood Mackintosh of Raigmore per Davidson, Scott & Co, Solicitors. Tenant – Reps of Angus Matheson Rent - £ 57.17.6 1960-61 Owner – Trustees of the late Mary Mackintosh of Raigmore per Davidson, Scott & Co, Solicitors. Tenant – Reps of Angus Matheson Rent - £ 30. Not listed in Valuation Roll for 1970-71. 10 Stuart Farrell – Wester Drakies Steading, Culcabock, Inverness. No estate papers for Mackintosh of Raigmore who owned Wester Drakies from circa 1820 are recorded in the Highland Council Archives or the National Register of Archives Scotland. The following items are listed for Wester Drakies by the National Archives of Scotland: - GD23/4/138 - Discharge by Gilbert Gordon, merchant and late bailie of Inverness, to James Kinaird [Kinnaird], merchant there, for part of the price of the lands of Wester Drakies, lying within the territory of the said burgh. 11/2/1738 Receipt endorsed, dated 2nd December 1738, for £112 10s sterling, in part of the balance of the above. - GD23/4/196 - Tack, by Anne Kinnaird, daughter of deceased James Kinnaird of Wester Draikies, merchant and bailie of Inverness, and Robert Sandilands, her husband, son of deceased John Sandilands of Craibston, to William Kennedy alias McGillandrish in Wester Draikies, of the portions presently possessed by him of the town and lands of Wester Drakies in the parish and sheriffdom of Inverness. 17 & 23 April 1766. - GD23/4/197 - Tack by Anne Kinnaird and her husband [as in preceding] to John Fraser alias Gow, and others, all in Wester Drakies, of 'the Coul' and other portions of the lands of Wester Drakies. 17 & 23 April 1766. - GD23/6/97 - Letters, Alexander Mckintosh [McIntosh] [of Blervie] to Bailie Gilbert Gordon, Inverness, one desiring postponement of payment of an account, the other intimating the said Alexander's intention of selling his houses at Inverness and lands of Wester Drakes [Drakies], and asking the said Gilbert Gordon, with Bailie Mackintosh if possible, to come to receive his directions thereanent. From Inverness and Blarvie. 17 Nov 1730-27 Feb 1735 - GD23/6/244 - Letter, Colquhoun Grant to Duncan Grant, writer, Inverness, informing him, in relation to claim by the said Duncan Grant and Provost Chisolm [Chisholm] on Lord Torpichen [Torphichen], of a communication by the latter's agent, Mathew Sandilands, that it had been resolved to sell the lands of Wester Drakies. From Edinburgh. 16/9/1780.