Evictions on the Estate of Langwell Part B

(Letter above referred to) See previous blog.

Just behind Langwell House

EVICTIONS ON THE ESTATE OF LANGWELL FROM 1830-31 TO 1855

(To the Editor of the Dundee and Perth Saturday Post)

SIR, - There are men in this world of ours, whatever their conduct may be, who are never brought to task for their actions; and from the licence thus given them, they assume and air of infallibility and unaccountableness. Consequently their word becomes law in the region in which they live. In short they become Popes within their own domains. Those under them may be commanded to make ropes from sand, or dam the raging ocean, and they, like the children of Israel of old when commanded to make bricks without straw, must obey. But we would venture to hope that such absolutism cannot long survive in this free country of ours. If the united powers of Europe are engaged to crush and extirpate tyranny and despotism by an expenditure of blood and treasure such as was never known before, will we permit that cruel system of depopulation that is so sorely felt at the present crisis to exist at our very doors?

The estate of Langwell, situated in the west end of the county of Caithness, abounds in rich and fertile straths and valleys, once inhabited by a loyal and happy people. But Alas! These happy days are past and gone, and in these straths and glens, where the merry notes of the reapers wafted on the breeze as the golden grain fell before their sickles, and who were always foremost at the nation’s call to defend their country and their homes, there is nothing heard but the bleating of sheep and the bark of the shepherd’s dog. But we do not undertake to rake up the ashes of the dead, we mean only to deal with present men and their actions.

Scything North Uist Am Baile Facebook

A Native of Badbea - To be continued

My Comments:

The opening paragraph of A Native of Badbea’s letter of 1855 pulls no punches and tells his readers exactly what he thinks of the changes in land occupation and use on the Langwell estate in his lifetime. Next blog we will see that he names those he sees as ‘Popes within their own domains’.

Locked gate near Langwell

The Braemore and Langwell Estate is 52,00 acres and was purchased from Donald Horne by the Duke of Portland in 1857. After the estate changed hands the large flocks of sheep went and Langwell was developed as deer forest and hunting estate. 

Sheep and Deer v. People in Berriedale Part A

To the Editor of the Northern Ensign 31st March, 1887

Written by Alexander Gunn and published in the Northern Ensign on 13 April 1887 – Part A

Note: This Letter to the Editor of the Northern Ensign gives the same data as a previous letter dated 27 March 1884. I blogged that letter in November 2013. Gunn spent a lifetime keeping the injustices of the evictions before the public, always backed up by meticulous evidence. So at the risk of being repetitive I will publish this 1887 version of the same data over two blogs. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for me!

“The Injustice so palpable! The inhumanity so great” from Real Scottish Grievances by Donald Ross

Sir; - 

"Your correspondent “Sans Souci” in his interesting letter in your columns recently, would be none the worse of some little information about the state of matters in Berriedale in olden times. Sir John Sinclair is credited with being the author of all this desolation so graphically described by your correspondent. This is not the case, though, he was the originator of the clearances. He depopulated the two Straths of Berriedale, except what was done by James Horne who succeeded Sir John – not Donald Horne, as stated by your correspondent, though Donald may be said to have given the finishing touch to the desolating work on the estate. 

Previous to these clearances, there was a thriving herring fishing carried on at both Newport and at Auchnacraig. In the latter place I remember thirteen boats being engaged at the herring fishing and giving employment to a large number of the inhabitants of Auchnacraig and Badbea, and circulating a large amount of money in the district. I cannot speak as to the number of boats that fished in Newport, but there, too, a considerable number of the inhabitants got remunerative employment, and the money circulated in the district must have been a very great boon to the poor people."

"In the report of the Royal Commission on the crofters, it was stated that deer forests were the means of doing so much good in the way of finding employment for the people, and circulating as much money as if these districts were under cultivation. This statement is not borne out by facts, as any one acquainted with the state of matters before and after the clearances can testify. But for the benefit of your correspondent I will give him the number of families evicted on the Berriedale estate by Sir John Sinclair and his successors:"

A REAL “SCOTTISH GRIEVANCE.”

Duncan – “Oh but my mother is frail, and can’t be sent out of the country in that ship; will you not let Flora and her ---

Factor - [sternly] “No no lad – move on with the old woman; she will not be here in the way of his Lordship’s sheep and deer.”

Illustration from Real Scottish Grievances by Donald Ross. 

It refers to Lord Macdonald’s evictions at Boreraig on Skye. Mitchel Library Glasgow.  

See Electric Scotland for the terrible story of what happened to 96 year old Flora http://www.electricscotland.com/history/clearances/29.htm

 "In Berriedale, namely from the Millery Strath - Glutt, one tenant; Eskvin, one; Eshmacalmag, one;  Haborgue, one;  Eshnabing, one;  Upper Millery, one; Lower Millery, one;  Ardachigh, one; Toreshey, one; Duin, three; Taigh-an-Duin, one; Dalgheamich, two; Knock Feune, one; Ellaw-an-Duinag, one; Upper Borgue, two; Remalone, one; - in all 20."

 Wag More,  Old pre-clearances sheiling site

"In the Langwell Strath there were evicted from the Inver, five; Knocktarinrectan, one,  Elanloisg, one; Capernach, one; Taigh-an-Asary, one; Ruharigy, one; Tiornal, one; (held by George Gunn who had seven sons, all of whom were upwards of six feet, and having no equals in the country – some of them still alive); Taighnault, one; Bardnachie, one; Struan, one; Bualnohaoden, one; Garvary, one;  Breainheaglash, one;  Auldnaheath, one; Wag More, one; Uag Bhaig, (or Wag Baig), one; Badaskary, two;  Borgue of Langwell, one (where my great-grandfather lived during the proprietorship of Sutherland of Langwell); Corrag, one; Bualtarach, one – in all 25."

Uag Bhaig, or Wag Baig on Langwell water. My great great grandfather John McLeod worked here as a shepherd for James Horne before he was sent to work at Rumsdale

"In the Ousdale district, there were evicted from the township of Ousdale nine families; Borgue of Ousdale, two; Struie, eight; Clashvuick, three – in all 22. These were all evicted by Sir John Sinclair – a total of 67 families, all in comfortable circumstances. But the evil did not stop here, for the Hornes – first James and then Donald – following Sir John’s example, evicted from the cairn, four families, from Rinsary, six; Badbea, seven; Auchnacraig, thirteen – in all 30 – or a grand total from the estate of Berriedale of 97 families to make room for sheep and deer. Thus a population of close upon 500 were set adrift to gratify the whims of a trio of landlords."

To Be Continued.. 

My Comments:

The mention of George Gunn’s seven tall strapping sons was not just bragging but also was about the long-held custom that such superbly strong, fit men could be brought in as Highland soldiers to defend their own people or Imperial Britain – as they had done at the Napoleonic wars for example. In the past a family like that would have been worth some sort of respect, or merit from the Laird. But seven sons no longer saved them.

The Evicted

AN OLD MAN’S NARRATIVE OF THE ULBSTER ESTATE EVICTIONS Part B

To the Editor of the Northern Ensign

Sir,-

"In one of his recent letters to the Ensign, Mr Logan said that neither Sir Tollemache Sinclair or any member of his family ever evicted any human being from the township of Rumsdale since the creation of the world. Now I will give Mr Logan the history of the township of Rumsdale, Dalganachan, and the Glutt, beginning with the period of 60 years before Mr Logan was born."

Rig cultivation at Rumsdale

Faint lines in the grassland north west of Rumsdale park show that rig cultivation took place here before sheep farming displaced the pre-Improvement township.

Names of those Evicted

"John Gunn or Manart, Henry Macdonald, Hugh Campbell, John Campbell, Widow Matheson, Widow Robert Mackay, Alex. Gunn, and Gabriel Campbell, Dalganachan; Andrew Stuart, Peter Stuart, and William Gunn, Glutt; Alex Macdonald, the celebrated deer stalker, William Ross, Donald Gunn – every one of them was a tenant of Ulbster, and if Mr Logan will consult the old rental book he will find their names there." 

Rig Cultivation by the Rumsdale Water

The old lines of rigs can still be seen on this haugh alongside the Rumsdale Water. 

"When Donald Horne took the township for sheep walks, all the tenants mentioned by Mr James Waters were evicted by the Ulbster family. After this, Donald Horne took all the townships of Camster for a sheep walk, and 25 families were evicted by the house of Ulbster."

Shieling site near Camster, Caithness
These shieling hut remains are the most visible in a group of hut and pen remains.

More Names

"The list that Mr James Waters gave is not correct. There were more evicted than he gave in his list, and to show the public that there were more, I will mention a few of those townships, and the head of each family, viz.: - Benalisky – Hugh Mackay, Angus Mackay, John Reid, William Gunn, Neil Gunn. Ishnamult – Robert Gunn, John Macdonald, Donald Sutherland. Backlass – Donald Macdonald, Peter Sinclair, Robert Henderson, Kenneth Henderson, Donald Cameron, Alex. Cormack. Bullmore – John Sutherland, John Gunn, George Miller, William Macleod, George Macleod, George Sutherland, Marcus Gunn. Scorelett – John McDonald, John McKay, William McDonald, Robert Gordon, Donald Ross, (miller), Kenneth Henderson, William Henderson, Donald Gunn (Beg), John Gunn, Adam Gunn, Alex. Gunn, Roderick Mackay. Marwood Sutherland, Neil Gunn, Widow Gunn, Dalnaha (after John Waters’ death) – Alex. McLeod, John Sutherland, or Buails, William Gunn, Alex. Campbell, Hugh Campbell, Mrs McDonald, Mrs Waters. Carnmuick – Neil Gunn, William Gunn, Alex. Macleod, William Macleod, Alex. Mackay, Fila Mackay, Ockerland – William Sutherland, Robson Sutherland, keeper, Marwood Sutherland. Croick – Robert Gunn, John Gunn, Hugh Mackay. Dirlot – Alex Mackay, Colin Mackay, George Sutherland, Marcus Gunn, Alex. Gunn, James Bruce. Smeraidh – Alex. Sutherland or Enish, William Sutherland or Enish, John Gunn. Regarding the township of Dirlat, Mr James Waters made a mistake. In his list he gave five names of Grants, but they all belonged to one family."

The Glutt and Glutt Water

View north from Round Knowe towards Morven and The Glutt .

"All the persons I mention were heads of families. Probably death took some of them away; but all the rest were evicted by the House of Ulbster."

One who was evicted and One who knows

Northern Ensign 21 Feb 1884

To Be Continued

Dalganachan

An abandoned and derelict steading on the track to The Glutt 

My Comments:

The writer of this article clearly puts the blame for evictions on Sir John Sinclair.

Sir John Sinclair had been busy producing his famous “Statistical Reports” of Scotland’s Parishes and also bringing flocks of sheep into Langwell. He became financially embarrassed, and this was probably the reason for his selling Langwell estates in 1813.

Rumsdale Circular Feature

The dyke of the 19th century sheep park bisects a circle of rushes which is probably related to use of the site before sheep farming. 

James Horne of a firm of Edinburgh lawyers bought the entire estate of Langwell. Horne was likewise interested in introducing sheep to the north.

Sir John Sinclair also relinquished his Caithness lands of Benalisky and Rumsdale. These lands were then occupied and managed by Donald Horne, nephew of James Horne. Donald Horne was soon working at “improving” the lands of Rumsdale and in 1822 he removed the six tenants there. 

Drove Road near Rumsdale

A very old track, later used as drove road. This is a branch of the Ca na Catanach track which ran from Thurso to Kinbrace

Dalganachan was occupied by James Horne as sole tenant from 1829 to1836. Followed by Donald Horne from 1836 to 1862. Donald Horne was the sole tenant of Benalisky 1842 to 1856.

Both James and Donald Horne clearly effected the evictions, but I think the sale of land between Sinclair and the Horne’s must have allowed for the evictions to take place.

Whether the tenants left voluntarily or were evicted they have left evidence of their life in the Highlands. Views from Google Earth of this same area show how desolate it now is. Vast tracts of this once occupied land are now used as an exclusive hunting estate.

Emigrant ship disaster 1807

There is another story about the Rumsdale tenants. Back in May 2016 I blogged some stories about an emigrant ship from Scrabster that was wrecked off the coast of Newfoundland in 1807.  Some records say the ship was the Rambler of Leith and others the Lhough Mhore America. One record claims that one of the three survivors was Jean Gunn, daughter of Alex Gunn of Rumsdale a noted pious man who was singing the 46^th psalm when the ship was going down. 

A letter from Mrs Gunn, a family relation, states “Many from Strathmore and Rumsdale could see the evictions coming.  150 from lands edging the Thurso River all the way down from Rumsdale took passage on the Lough More.  There were a few from Latheron too. The Lough More sailed from Thurso and was wrecked off New Foundland, there being only 13 survivors.  One of these was David Gunn who returned to Scotland and visited us in 1833.  I remember him well…”

Evictions in Berriedale.

This article written by Alexander Gunn was published in the Northern Ensign on 27 March 1884

Since his statement to the Commission, the next correspondence I have from Alexander Gunn is the letter below re evictions. I have already published this letter way back on 20 November 2013 but to keep continuity with Gunn’s letters I will publish it again without comment and refer readers back to the 20 November 2013 blog for more details. 

EVICTIONS IN BERRIEDALE BY SIR JOHN SINCLAIR

To the Editor of the Northern Ensign

Sir John Sinclair in Thurso

SIR, - Allow me through your valuable columns, to give a detailed account of the evictions in Berriedale, both by Sir John Sinclair and by Mr James Horne, his successor. The account of the matter by your correspondent, “Old Man Narrator,” is not altogether correct. Sir John Sinclair, who was considered the greatest agriculturist in the country, and who was a real or honorary member of almost every agricultural society in the three kingdoms, as well as of several societies on the continent of Europe, was the first to introduce what were called the “big sheep” to Caithness. The small sheep or “Kerry,” was the only breed in the country before that time. To make room for his sheep, Sir John evicted 61 families from the Berriedale straths, and laid the whole under sheep.

The townships on the Millary or Berriedale straths were these, viz., Glut,1 tenant; Eskbin,1; Eskmaealmag,1; Haborgue,1; Esknabing,1; Upper Millary,1; Lower Millary,1; Ardachigh,1; Toreshey,1; Duin 3; Taigh-an-Duin,1; Dalgheamich,2; Knock Feune,1; Ellaw-an Duinag,1; Upper Borgue,2 – in all 19.

From the Langwell Strath there were evicted from the township of Inver,5; Knocktorinrectan,1; Elonluisg,1;  Capernach,1;  Taigh-an-Asary,1;  Ruharigy,1; Turnal,1 (held by George Gunn who had seven sons, the equal of whom were not in the country); Taighnault,1;  Bardnachie,1;  Struan,1; Bualnahaoden,1;  Bualtarach,1;  Garvary,1;  Brainaheaglash,1;  Auldnabeath,1;  Uag More 1; Uag Bhaig,1;  Borgue, Langwell,1 (where my great-grandfather, who came from Cattag, lived during the proprietorship of Sutherland of Langwell); Corrag,1;  in all 23.

From the Ousdale district there were evicted from the township of Ousdale, 9 families: Borgue of Ousdale, 2;  Struie, 8; in all 19; giving a grand total of 61.

It is singular that after Sir John had turned out these 61 families, and occupied their places with his sheep, he began to break up large tracks of ground on the hill-side to the west of Berriedale, at a place called Carterfield, and got it under cultivation, having taken several crops of oats off it. Also at Borgue, Langwell, he brought in a large park, the first turf of which was cut by Lady Janet, and was known ever after as Park-na-Bainthighearn, or “Her Ladyship’s Park.” There was also broken up a large square piece of moor, or moss, to the west of Carterfield. It was planted with curly greens about Christmas, and, as might be expected, the frosts of winter destroyed every plant of them. These fields which were broken up and put under crop for a year or two, instead of being given to the tenants evicted from the straths, were allowed to fall out of cultivation into grazings for sheep, and a few years saw them covered with their original heather.

The singular thing is that while by all accounts the Ulbster family have been the most extensive evictors in the country, as appears from the recent correspondence in your spirited paper, they were yet looked up to and esteemed by the whole community. No doubt there were some good traits in their character, but these were sullied and tarnished by their treatment of those respectable and happy families that were so ruthlessly driven out of their comfortable holdings. As stated in some of my previous communications, when Sir John got his regiment of Fencibles embodied, he got 60 men from Berriedale, said to be the finest men in the regiment, and yet this was the treatment they received at his hands.

Your correspondent is also at fault in saying that James Horne evicted none at Berriedale. Horne evicted 13 families in the township of Auchencraig. Three families were evicted by him from the Cairn, 4 from Rinsary, and 6 from Badbea. True, some of these as your correspondent says, got miserable patches elsewhere on the estate, but so did some of those evicted by Sir John; but I consider they were entitled to be numbered among the evicted nevertheless, as they were driven from their comfortable homes without justice or reason, and the plots on which they were allowed to settle down were not entitled to the name of land, being bare rocks or black moss, whilst the arable land they were driven from was given over for sheep grazings.

The Ulster family may well pray to be saved from their friends, since Mr Logan, who shows great zeal on their behalf , has been the means of bringing to light matters that had been entirely forgotten, and which would never appeared before the public but for Mr Logan’s zeal without knowledge. I would venture to give him a bit of advice for his guidance in the future, and that is let sleeping dogs lie. – Yours &c.,

Alex Gunn. Glasgow

Evictions

Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Condition of Crofters and Cottars in the Highlands and Islands 1883 Part G

Alex Gunn continues:

Google Earth image showing the still unproductive land near Newport

Some of the poor people who were evicted were set down on a steep brae-face at Newport to the east of Borgie, and after cultivating a considerable quantity of ground that land was taken from them and cultivated by the laird, and they were sent further up the hill, in a bleak heathery spot, where they had to set in once more and break up the barren ground, and where they are scarcely able to live. The most galling part of this whole thing is that they got no compensation for their improvements.

Unproductive land at Newport

In the rear a steep, impossible to farm brae, between Berriedale and Newport

The neighbouring estate of Dunbeath had a share in evictions as well. From the year 1830 to 1835 there were 65 families evicted from the Dunbeath strath. A number of them settled down on a barren hill face on the coast, where they had to do the best they could by cultivating small patches of ground and eking out a miserable existence by fishing. These 65 families [had once] lived comfortably and happily. I remember once being in the house of one of these tenants and I well remember the air of comfort and fullness which I observed about the house, and I dare say all the others were as comfortable as this family. I believe each of these families would possess from 20 to 30 head of cattle. This fertile strath was put under sheep. Between Berriedale and Dunbeath there were 162 families cut adrift, and good land to the extent of 2500 acres laid waste.

Ruins of a crofting settlement at Dunbeath

Ruins at Dunbeath

My Comments:

Not only did the crofters and their families get sent to impossibly difficult places to try to live off, they still had to pay rent to the landord. 

At the Commission of Inquiry, over and over witnesses spoke of the injustice of the refusal of the proprietors to pay compensation to crofters for improvements made, such as draining a swampy piece of land. The crofters were told if they didn't like the conditions they could leave. Of course many didn't leave because they had no-where to go to and if they did find a patch of poor land they had to start all over again to dig and plant in the desparate struggle to feed their family. So the exploitation continued year after year. 

To be continued..