Digitised copy of Remarks on the island of Tiree, 1771. The remarks made by the document fall under the following headings: The island over-peopled; the propriety of establishing a fishing village in Tiry [Tiree]; plan of executing the design of building a village in Tiry; method of tillage and cultivation; runrig abusive; too many horses and servants employed in plowing and other works of a farm; Tiry a fit country for wheel carriages; division of large runrig farms into smaller ones proper; the small tenants occupy too little land; remedy proposed; by seting the thirdes of the island to gentlemen farmers; and the other two thirds to small tenants; common pastures prejudicial; they should be divided on the adjacent farms; land: blowing of the reef and encroachment on it should be prevented; sand blowing; Tiry over stocked with sheep; which causes sand blowing; cutting bent encourages sand blowing; flax and hemp little cultivated in Tiry should be encouraged; pulling barley from the root hurtful; milns [mills] of Tiry on a bad footing; a new miln necessary; a wind miln might be of use; greddan a most barbarous custom; minister’s Glebe too large; distilling should be discouraged in the most effectual manner; bad consequences of it; a method of collection the rents of Tiry without much arrears; fresh water lochs easily drained; roads and landing places should be more attended to in Tiry; factors should be restricted from demanding services as a duty prestaball [prestable] to them by the tenants.
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From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
A digitised copy of a volume containing accounts and rentals for Tiree’s crofts from 1845 to 1887. The volume was prepared by Messrs Lindsay, Howe & Co.
For each township there is given: a table with figures for sowning (horses, cows, stirks, and sheep) and acreage (arable, pasture, common); a tabular abstract containing the number of holdings and tenants, total rents, improvement outlay (drainage and buildings) and notes; a ‘detailed history of crofts’ providing an overview of changes which the individual holdings in each township have undergone as regards tenancy, rent, consolidation, enlargement, or otherwise.
There is no data provided in the tabular abstract for the years 1846, 1866 and 1867.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised outline copy of the Plan of Kenvar and Gortandonel, Tyree, as divided by George Langlands, 11th August 1802. The township is divided into 16 crofts (no acreages given) laid out in an irregular grid pattern around the North and East shores of Loch Phuil. Separate areas of common pasture are shown for crofts 1-2, and crofts 7-16. The irregular line of the old march dike is shown.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised outline copy of the Plan of Scarinish and Hianish, Tyree, as divided by George Langlands, 1802. Hianish is divided into 18 crofts of 3-6 acres each, laid out in an irregular grid pattern. Scarinish is divided into 30 crofts of mainly 4-5 acres, with some smaller plots, one of 12 acres and an Inn Croft of 36.2 acres. The site of a proposed village is shown near Scarinish harbour. Common pasture, shared common pasture and areas of blown sand are depicted on both townships. The shared common pasture is noted as being part of Drumdearg Commonty. Total acreages given.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised outline copy of the Plan of Kenovay, Tyree, as divided by George Langlands, 1802. The township is divided into thirteen plots of 25-39 acres, each with access to a common watering place near/at Lochan Dow. A croft of 5.1 acres for the Reef Keeper is also laid out. The line of a ‘new march dike between the Reef and Kenovay’ and the ‘old march dike’ with Cornaigbeg Lands are also depicted.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised outline copy of the Plan of Ballimartin, Tyree, as divided into crofts by George Langlands, 1802. The township is divided into 38 crofts of 4-5 acres each, laid out in a grid pattern, with two areas of common cow pasture and one area of common horse pasture. Total acreages given. The location of a burial place is shown near the march with Ballino Lands.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised copy of a map of Tiree showing townships and numbers of tenants in 1848. The map appears to show all townships, but not all have tenant numbers attached. Geographical features are also named (bays, lochs, harbours, moss, ‘the reef or great green plan’).
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised copy of a marine and landscape map of Tiree. The landscape is depicted in detail, including crofts, field boundaries, schools, churches, mills, shops, smithies, fanks, quarries, stores, kelp sheds, Middleton Chemical Works, ruins, standing stones, pasture, blown sand, raised beaches. No surveyor is listed.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Digitised copy of James Turnbull’s Survey of Tiree, titled ‘Plan of the Island of Tiree in Argyleshire the Property of His Grace The Duke of Argyll. Surveyed and Plan’d Anno 1768/9 by James Turnbull’. The map depicts the Tiree landscape before the modern crofting landscape was created in the nineteenth century, showing clusters of large farming townships separated by rigs of infield and outfield cultivation, common grazing, ‘old danish forts’ and other antiquities.
From the archives of the Dukes of Argyll at Inveraray Castle, made available through the Written in the Landscape project.
Softback book ‘Off the Beaten Track’ by Bob Chambers, 2018. Describes the role of roads and other infrastructure in the life or death of new crofting townships in remote Hebridean communities of the 1920s and 1930s. Includes information about Hynish, pp 94-100.
