Land Documents Pertaining to the Sale

and Letting of South Uist


1. Offer of Sale of South Uist, 1836
2. A Report to John Gordon of Cluny, 1839
3. Grazings to Let by Gordon of Cluny, 1843
4. Return to the South Uist Page























PARTICULARS

of

THE ESTATE OF CLANRANALD,

IN THE COUNTY OF INVERNESS


To be Exposed to SALE by Public Roup, within the Royal Exchange Coffeehouse, Edinburgh, upon Wednesday the 2d day of November 1836 at Two o'Clock Afternoon, in the Upset Price of £110,000.

THE ESTATE of CLANRANALD, lying in the Parish of South Uist and County of Inverness, consisting of the whole Island of Benbecula, and the greater part of the Island of South Uist, with the small Isles adjacent. This fine Property extends about thirty-five miles in length from north to south, and eight miles breadth from east to west, containing 56,277 Scotch, or 70,746 Imperial Acres of Land,__ whereof 14,537 Scotch, or 18,274 Imperial acres are Arable__ 3043 Scotch, or 3826 Imperial acres Low Pasture__ and 33,696 Scotch, or 48,646 Imperial acres Hill Pasture, or thereby. The Arable Land is of excellent quality, yielding Oats, Barley, and Green Crops of the best description. There is an inexhaustible quantity of Shell, Sand, and Sea-weed (independent of the weed used for Kelp) on the shores of the Estate, which not only supply abundant Manure for the lands already arable, but afford the means to the tenants of bringing many hundred acres of Waste Land annually into cultivation. The Pasture is equal in quality to any in the West Highlands. The Cattle reared on the Estate are well known in the South-country Markets, and have long commanded the highest prices given in the west of Inverness-shire. The Estate abounds in excellent Harbours, to which there are good Roads from the interior, and the Public Roads through the islands, as well as the Farm Roads, are in the best condition. Herrings annually frequent the numerous Lochs intersecting the property, and the Cod and Ling Fishery may be carried on to any extent, the Fishing-banks being quite contiguous. Deer are to be found on the hills of South Uist, and the lands abound with Grouse and other kinds of Game, with all sorts of Water-fowl. There are Trout in the fresh-water lakes, and abundance of Salmon in the rivers.

A Packet sails from Lochmaddy in North Uist to Dunvegan in Skye; and there is an easy and constant communication with the Clyde and Liverpool at all seasons of the year, by means of Steam-boats and Coasting-vessels.

The Land-rental and Feu-duties of the Estate for the term from Whit 1835 to Whit 1836 were £4531-6-4½, which may be greatly augmented by the cultivation of Waste Land, and the partial introduction of Sheep-farming__ a very extensive tract of Hill-ground, well adapted for Sheep-grazing, being at present in a great measure unproductive in consequence of a right of ..... lawful or common claim upon Mr. R. M'Donald of Bornish, may in the course of ..... in ... of December? in the Court of Sessions.

About 1300 tons of Kelp of excellent quality are also annually manufactured on the shores of the Estate for the benefit of the proprietor which, during the war, sold at from £10 to £15 per ton, and now sells at about £5 per ton, with every prospect of a rise in consequence of recent discovery that it contains .......... ......... and therein much in demand.

The Teinds are valued at £153-17-3¼ in ........ is a ...... of

....... the whole Teinds. The ....... ....... under the least .... amount only to £47-4-6 .... ..... is £30-11-¾ . The lands hold partly of the Crown and partly of subjects-superior. There is a comfortable Mansion-house, with a complete steading of Offices, and a large Garden, inclosed by a stone wall ten feet high, at Nunton, in Benbecula, in one of the most pleasant situations in the Hebrides. In short, a more desirable or more improvable Estate has not for many years been offered for sale in the Highlands, and no better investment for capital is anywhere to be found.

The whole Estate will be exposed for sale at the Reduced Upset Price of £110,000. Should the Estate not be sold in one lot, it will be exposed in the following Lots, at upset prices for each lot, proportioned to the upset price of the whole Estate above mentioned:___

Lot 1st, The Island of Benbecula, with the small Isles contiguous (excepting Upper and Lower Hestimulls) containing about 13,599 Scotch acres; of which 4440 are Arable, 1446 Low Pasture, and 7712 Hill and Green Pasture. The Rental of this Lot at Martinmas 1835 was £1823-17-4; and there are annually manufactured on the shores about 670 tons of Kelp of the very best quality.

Lot 2d, That part of the Island of South Uist, extending from the Sound of Benbecula on the north, to the River Howmore on the south, including the Island of Hestimull, in the Sound of Benbecula; and containing 11,302 Scotch acres, whereof 4667 are Arable, 1351 Low Pasture, and 5283 Hill and Green Pasture.

The Rental of this Lot at Martinmas 1835 was £846-16, and there are annually manufactured on the shores about 245 tons of Kelp.

Lot 3d, That part of the Island of South Uist, extending from the River Howmore on the north, to the north boundary of the farm of Upper Bornish on the south; containing about 17,125 Scotch acres, whereof 2211 are Arable, 112 Low Pasture, and 14,802 Hill Pasture.

The Rental of the Lot at Martinmas 1835 was £700-8

Feu-duty payable by Mr. R. M'Donald for Upper Bornish, the converted value whereof, on an average, is £37-9-5. Total Rent £738-17-5.

And the quantity of Kelp annually manufactured on this shore is about 150 tons.

Lot 4th, That part of South Uist extending from the south march of Upper Bornish on the north, to the march with the Estate of Boisdale on the south; containing 14,249 Scotch acres, whereof 3,217 are Arable, 133 Low Pasture, and 10,898 Green and Hill Pasture.

The Rental of this Lot at Martinmas 1835 was £1121-15-7, and there is annually manufactured on the shores about 230 tons of Kelp.

Further information will be given at Edinburgh by Messrs. Hunter, Campbell, & Coy., W.S.;__ at Hamilton, by Mr. Brown;__ and at London, by Andrew M. M'Crae, Esq. Solicitor, 223 F..... st. north, any of whom will furnish Rentals, and reduced Plans of the Properties; and Mr. Duncan Shaw, Factor for Clanranald, at Nunton in Benbecula, by Garinish, will give directions for shewing the Lands.



SCOTTISH RECORD OFFICE: REFERENCE Ex GD 201/5/1219


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