1718 Judicial Rental: Nether Barvas. Conducted after William 5th Earl of Seaforth and owner of Lewis

After the battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715 William 5th Earl of Seaforth and owner of Lewis, who had fought for the Stuarts, fled to France. By Act of Parliament in 1716, William forfeited both his title and his estates. One of the  outcomes was that the Government organised an audit of its gains. A “Judiciall Rentall or Account of the reall Estate of William late Earl of Seaforth in ye Isle of Lewis...” was carried out in 1718. Included in this list are the names of twenty “Nether Barvas” tenants as they gave them, except that first names are all written in English.

Brue tenants were not listed individually because they paid rent to “Donald McIver in Brow” who “pays yearly to Mr MacAulay the Chamberland twenty-four pounds Scots two mutton One stone twelve pound butter three bolls one firlot two pecks meall.” (Entry 37)

Likewise, Upper Barvas tenants were not listed as they paid dues to “Donald McKiver in Barvas” who held “tack of the said lands” and paid yearly “One hundred and sixty nine pounds twelve shillings Scots.” (Entry 52)

The Rental names nineteen tacksmen in Lewis, of whom 11 are MacIver, 10 MacAulay, 4 MacLennan, 3 MacLeod and 2 Matheson.

There are 6 numbered entries in the Rental naming one or more tenants of Nether Barvas: nos 73, 82, 91, 92, 106 and 107.

The first of these entries reads:

John Bane Angus McInish, John Murray John McLeigich and John McWirchie in Nether Barvas & parish of Cladach Make Oath Severally that they have No tack But that each of them used to pay to ye Chambld. abovenamed yearly Six pounds Scots mony Three firlots & one peck & two lipies meall Eight pounds Butter & a half stone Butter & no more Depone they are not in arrear Which is the truth as they & each of them shall answer to God & depone they Cannot write.
David Bethune

Angus MacLeod, a skilful family historian, is used to scrutinising documents of this nature. For Fios a’ Bhaile, he has collated and interpreted the information given in the Rental and presented it in tabular form.

In the Table, names are listed exactly in the order in which they occur in the Rental. Gaelic versions are given of names that were entered partly in anglicised Gaelic. Amounts of rent paid annually in cash, produce and meat are listed, as is the possession of a “tack” and the “credit status” of each tenant.

Angus MacLeod estimated that Nether Barvas consisted of 12 “agricultural units” or shares. He calculated that the annual cost of a full share was £12 Scots in cash plus approximately 210 pounds of meal, 21 pounds of butter and at least three-quarters of a sheep as mutton. From the Rental, it appears that shares in these units were held as follows:- one man held a full share, 9 held three-quarter shares, 7 held half-shares and 3 held one-quarter shares.

Two men identified themselves by naming both father and grandfather. That may show their families were long established in the village. The five men who gave English surnames were, perhaps, recent incomers.


Notes on Table
Boll of weight, 140lb; of capacity, 6 bushels
Firlot 4th of boll: old dry measure
Peck 4th of bushel: old dry measure
Lipie 4th of peck: old dry measure
Stone standard weight of 14lb, (but could be 16lb for cheese etc)
£ Scots 1707 Treaty of Union provided for adoption of English weights and measures and common coinage. £1 Scots was reckoned as one twelfth of £1 sterling (20d.)
Merk silver coin worth 13 shillings and 4 pence in Scots money

1718 Rental: List of Tenants in Nether Barvas and their dues
compiled by Angus MacLeod for Comann Eachdraidh Bharabhais agus Bhrù

 

Entry
No.

 

 

NAME AS ENTERED

 

NAME EXPRESSED IN GAELIC

 

£
Scots

 

MEAL:
Boll  Firlot  Peck   Lipie

 

BUTTER:
Stone Pound

 

MUTTON

 

TACK

 

IN
ARREAR?

73

1

John Bane

Iain Bàn

6

0

3

1

2

0.5

8

0

No

No

73

2

Angus McInish

Aonghas ’ic Aonghais

6

0

3

1

2

0.5

8

0

No

No

73

3

John Murray

 

6

0

3

1

2

0.5

8

0

No

No

73

4

John McLeigich

Iain mac ’ill Lèigh

6

0

3

1

2

0.5

8

0

No

No

73

5

John McWurichie

Iain mac Mhurchaidh

6

0

3

1

2

0.5

8

0

No

No

82

6

Donald McFarquhar

 

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

No

No

82

7

William Morrison

 

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

No

No

82

8

Patrick Murray

 

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

No

No

82

9

Rory Morrison

 

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

No

No

82

10

Donald McGilloich

Dòmhnall mac ’ill Lèigh

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

No

No

91

11

John Bane

Iain Bàn

12

0

1

3

0

 

16

1

No

No

92

12

Alexr McEan vick Inish

Alasdair mac Iain ’ic Aonghais

6

0

3

1

2

 

8

0.5

No

9 merks

92

13

Dugall McEan Vane

Dùghall mac Iain Bhàin

6

0

3

1

2

 

8

0.5

No

9 merks

106

14

Rory McUrchy

Ruaraidh mac Mhurchaidh

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

?

appr 1 yr

106

15

John McConell

Iain mac Dhòmhnaill

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

?

appr 1 yr

106

16

Angus McConell

Aonghas mac Dhòmhnaill

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

?

appr 1 yr

106

17

John McCinish

Iain mac Aonghais

9

1

1

0

1

 

12

0.75

?

appr 1 yr

107

18

Murdoch McEan

Murchadh mac Iain

3

0

3

2

3

 

4

0.25

No

Yes

107

19

John McOilicean

Iain mac Dhòmhnaill ’ic Iain

3

0

1

2

3

 

4

0.25

No

Yes

107

20

Malcolm Oig

Calum Og

3

0

1

2

3

 

4

0.25

No

Yes

 

TOTALS FOR NETHER BARVAS


£
Scots
144


MEAL
Bolls
19


BUTTER
Stone    Pound
18          12


MUTTON
(animals)
9.5