Mediaeval Roads: Evidence from Charters
Aberdeenshire

Note: The maps below are based on the half-inch map, sheet 15, dated 1912 and the quarter-inch map for the Eastern Highlands 1923. With thanks to Ordnance Survey. The map of Aberdeenshire immediately below is from Arrowsmith 1846 and is courtesy of David Rumsey Historical Map Collection. The image is copyright Cartography Associates but has been made available under a Creative Commons license for non-commercial use.

The charters examined so far have thrown up a few interesting roads.

Those for Aberdeen give a complete picture of streets in both Old and New Aberdeen in the middle ages.

Various sources show that there was a road from Aberdeen to Kintore and that part of this road still exists on Tyrebagger Hill.

A charter for Turriff refers to a "Monk's road" and a via regia to King Edward. One for episcopal territories in Ellon parish mentions a "mercat gate" and two for Fyvie and Rayne suggest local routes. The Drumoak charter refers to a "sledegat" and those for Birse refer to rights of pasture in the area.

These are just those references found in the charters looked at so far. Edward the First's Itinerary indicates a network of usable routes in Aberdeenshire, the Mounth passes were in use at this time (including the Cairn a'Mounth pass near Birse and the Causey Mounth south of Aberdeen), the Laurence Road must date from this time and merchants from Aberdeen used to travel to a major fair in Keith.

Aberdeen
Roads and Streets
Aberdeen developed on the land that lay between the rivers Dee to the south and the Don to the north, near their mouths. The rivers here were about two miles apart.

Originally there were settlements on each of these rivers, both well established before the middle ages. The one to the north was originally known as the Kirktoun of Aberdon and later as Old Aberdeen, that on the Dee was known as Aberdeen and was made a burgh by David I. It became known as New Aberdeen, not in distinction to Old Aberdeen but to mark its re-building after being sacked by Edward III in 1336. It was after this time that the Kirktoun of Aberdon became known as Old Aberdeen to distinguish it from New Aberdeen.

Old Aberdeen was the site of the old cathedral and of the chanonry where the canons lived in small houses with attached gardens; at a later date a merchant area grew up around the Town House, as well as early buildings of the university.

New Aberdeen was the larger of the two settlements and had a castle, a port, a regular market with extensive trading privileges, a leper hosital and other establishments that made it one of the most important towns in mediaeval Scotland.

The two settlements did eventually merge as legal entities in the 1800's but were physically joined long before then.

Many early documents have survived that record details of the two settlements in the middle ages. Among these are those collected in the Register of the Bishops of Aberdeen (Registrum Episcopatus Aberdonensis) and those in the Chartulary of the Church of St Nicholas in Aberdeen (Cartularium Ecclesie Sancte Nicholai Aberdonensis). The Records of Old Aberdeen cover the later middle ages.

These give valuable details of the streets in Old and New Aberdeen as well as of the general topography. However, rather than look at each of the many documents that list roads it is much easier to note those roads listed in the indexes of the first two publications (of which there are in fact only a few) with the charters in which they occur and at Robert Gordon's map of Aberdeen published in 1661 which shows all the roads and streets very clearly - it is highly unlikely that the road network he shows had changed much since the period of the 1300's and later which the charters deal with. This map can be usefully supplemented with that of Old Aberdeen shown in The Records of Old Aberdeen (page 256)

- a modification of this map (Aberdeen City Council site) shows further details of the Chanonry in Old Aberdeen.

The roads mentioned in the Register are: boulgate, castlegat (vico castri), chakkaraw, gastraw, galowgat, le greyn, Hedraw, hucsterrawe, merkat gate, newraw, owerkirkgat, ratowne-raw , schipraw, thevis brig, vicus furcarum, pons de don 227, pons de polgowny,221 & v.II, p.294, thevis brig 332. There are also many instances of the term via regia though these are not noted in the index. Locations include Futy or Footdee, Dronydonis hil, and the Girthcorse (this marked the area of sanctuary for the cathedral).

"...ad finem vici furcarum ex occidentali parte vie regie qua itur a burgo de Aberden versus burgum de Kintor..."

Brig o' Balgownie   © Copyright Lyn Mcleod and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Bridge of Dee, Aberdeen   © Copyright Lizzie and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

See here (The Doric Columns website) for further details.

Interpretation
Despite its apparent clarity there are uncertainties about this document that make it difficult to identify the ford and the bridge with their implied routes.

One uncertainty is of the location itself. Alexander Laing in Lindores Abbey and its Burgh of Newburgh says on page 162 that it was to the west of Newburgh (Fife) although he says the places can no longer be identified. A more likely location is in the vicinity of Old Rayne where both the bishop of Aberdeen and Lindores had possessions and where there is a possible fit with placenames.

On this reading Bondyngton would be Bonnyton and Newton could be Newton to the west of Bonnyton; by definition Threpland (disputed land) would lie in between. Fuleche as a name is very close to Folethrowle, now Folla Rule, which is between 2 and 3 miles north of Bonnyton (see p.110 below) and is very close to the parish boundary here that runs along a water course.

There is a stream to the west of both Mill of Bonnyton and Bonnyton which if followed northwards and then westwards leads to another stream that flows down to meet the original stream - this could conceivably fit the wording (though Folla Rule would be too far to the north). This would allow us to place the ford and the bridge on both streams though with only a hint of where the associated tracks would have run. Barreldykes would also fit the wording as the location of the ford.

Note the placename "tocher" at the top centre of the map which means causeway or road.

The church at Turriff was passed over to Arbroath Abbey by Marjorie Countess of Buchan as noted in a charter of William I dated 1213 that confirmed grants to Arbroath. There was an earlier Celtic monastery in Turriff but it is not clear if it was this along with its lands that were passed to Arbroath. In any event Marjorie's son Alexander, Earl of Buchan, set up a hospital at Turriff and passed over the rights he had to the church lands in Turriff. These are described in Alexander's charter, dated 1272, as follows:

".....namely between the said land of Kinarmy from the southern part as the river descends in Parcok which is called Putachi and so as the Parcok runs into the water of Doverne and so by the Doverne as far as the stream between Auchinfoight and Cnocky from the western part which is called Cnockiburn and so ascending by the same rivulet as far as the ford at the head of the said rivulet called Hacracky and so from that ford by a syke descending to the ford of Tulkillj and so descending from that rivulet to the stream quarellj (colloquially?) called Sulhok and so returning from that stream as far as the standing stones that divide Colpie and Kacukj and so returning by a certain hill as far as the standing stone of Balmalj and Cokukj and so from that stone to the road of the monks and so by that road ascending to the divisions made by plough descending to the via regia between Kyneduart and Turrech and so by that road descending as far as the eastern part of the meadow and so descending to the rivulet of Putachi...."
Original text below

For further details about the monastery see Turriff page on this website on the early Celtic church here, also Notice of the Church of St Congan at Turriff, John Stuart, PSAS 1866, and Canmore record.

Interpretation
Those places that can still be identified are marked on the map. From Kinarmy one would go to the Putachi Burn which runs through Turriff near to the old church then up by the Dovern to Knockiemill, presumably Cnockie then up the stream there. There is a ford called Dubhford that may be Hacracky, or Hacracky may be nearer the head of this stream. Tulkillj is lost but quarellj/Sulhok may just be Quarry Well on the present day Burn of Colpie south of Delgaty Castle - or it may even be that quarelli means colloquially, i.e. the stream commonly called Sulhok.

The 2nd edition of the 6"OS map shows stones in this area (shown as small red dots on the map) that could be the ones referred to and the "certain hill" might be Roundel Law. Whatever the case, the wording suggests the monk's road was somewhere near Balmalj though not where it was leading. It is hard to say if the road had been formed at the time of the Celtic monastery or by Arbroath though it is likely enough to have been to an outlying part of the territory as defined by the boundaries noted above.

The via regia is very likely to be the same road as that shown on the Military Survey map (now the minor road running north out of Turriff) both because there is a reasonable fit with the wording of the charter and it is the shortest and most direct route to King Edward.

Carta fundationis terre ecclesiastice ville de Turref continens limites ejusdem
"....scilicet inter dictam terram et Kinarmy ex parte australi sicut riuulus descendit in Parcok qui vocatur Putachi et sic sicut Parcok descendit in aquam de Douerne et sic per Douerne usque ad riuulum inter Achinfoight et Cnocky ex parte occidentali qui dicitur Cnockiburn et sic ascendendo per illum riuulum usque ad vadum in capite dicti riuuli nomine Hacraky et sic de illo vado per vnum siketum descendentem vsque ad vadum de Tulkillj et sic descendendo de illo riuulo vsque ad riuulum quarellj nomine Sulbok et sic redeundo ab illo riuulo usque ad lapides stantes in diuisis inter Colpie et Kakukj et sic redeundo per quendam collem vsque ad lapidem stantem de Balmalj et Cokukj et sic ab jllo lapide vsque ad viam Monachorum et sic per illam viam secundum diuisas factas per aratrum descendendo in via regali inter Kyneduart et Turrech et sic per illam viam descendendo usque ad orientalem partem prati et sic descendendo vsque ad riuulum de Putachi..." (back)

The section of interest is as follows: "...namely, beginning at the ford called Achinacragoc and so descending by the river as far as the mill of Kinaldy and so from the northern part of the said forest descending to two large standing stones below Thorrynadac and so descending to Polnacroscell and descending next to the water of Done as far as the shaws of Alton of Fyntraff and so descending by a path to the well/fountain called Tubirnacrag and so ascending to Schencragoc and from thence to Carenlech and from Carenlech to the stream called Aldenacloch and so descending to Carenleth next to the kirkton of Dys and so descending by the path which leads to the said village of Dys as far as a font/well at the entrance to the village and to another font in the middle of the village and so from the east side of the aforesaid forest by the king's highway that leads from Aberdeen to the well called Tubirnadaly and thence to the ford called Achynnafonee and thence to the ford called Achynaterman then from the south side of the said forest by a path leading as far as Gelcaren next to the village of Huttereny and from there by a Reske (rough unproductive land - see definition of "risk" on Records of the Parliaments of Scotland site) to a cross (Canmore entry) and great stone on the king's highway next to Huttereny from the west side of this village descending to the river called Aldynalene and so ascending by the river to the head of the river of Glenconan and so ascending to the summit of the mountain called Cragnathybo and so descending to the river of Glenyn and so by the said river to the ditch which leads to a recumbent stone (see Cruikshank) and so ascending by the same ditch to the head of the wall of Clenterret bishop ("Bishop's Clinterty") and so passing in a circuit by the said wall to an old cart road which leads from the village of Clentrethi herhard and leads next to the marshy lake as far as the font/source under the Crag of Clentrethy (now Clinterty) and so from the said source as far as Achinacragoc where we began." (original text below)

Interpretation

The line of the mediaeval and, for the most part, the pre-turnpike road is shown in red. For details of the Bishopton area see Cruikshank's paper below - this includes a map and illustrations.

This was a grant by Robert the Bruce of the Forest of Fordyce to a Sir James Garviach in 1316, and which noted the boundaries of the bishop's lands of Clinterty. Although a number of the placenames are lost it is clear enough that the forest was in the vicinity of Tyrebagger Hill and the Hill of Marcus that lie between Aberdeen and Kintore.

We can trace the western boundary along the Blackburn up to the river Don at Hatton of Fintray. The next identifiable place is the Kirkton of Dyce that lies about a couple of miles NNW of present day Dyce. The east side of the grant is obscure but we can pick it up again on the south side by the reference to Huttereny which is close to the cross and great stone on the king's highway that still exist. The Clenterret bishop of the charter or Bishop's Clinterty, as we would style it, is now Bishopton and we can presume the boundary would have ran up to the Blackburn and its ford of Achinacragoc where the circuit began.

The charter refers to various fords as well as a couple of roads, as follows:
- the ford called Achinacragoc
- path to the well/fountain called Tubirnacrag
- path which leads to the said village of Dys
- the king's highway that leads from Aberdeen to the well called Tubirnadaly and thence to the ford called Achynnafonee and thence to the ford called Achynaterman then from the south side of the said forest by a path leading as far as Gelcaren next to the village of Huttereny
- cross and a great stone on the king's highway next to Huttereny
- old cart road leading to a marshy lake.

The first three of these are lost although a rough idea of their location can be estimated; they seem no more than local. There is a slight ambiguity in the fourth extract where it is not quite clear if the kings highway is on the east side or the south side of the forest though "the kings highway next to Huttereny" is clearly on the south side. At this point we can be sure of the location as the cross, great stone and recumbent stone have been identified and are discussed in an interesting paper, viz. Newhills Cross, Aberdeenshire by James Cruikshank (PSAS, Vol.60, p.269-273, 1926).

In this paper he describes these (intended to mark the boundary of the bishop's lands) and identifies the wall (presumably a dry-stone wall). Interestingly the bishop's land is marked by the old parish boundary which at this point cuts up towards Tyrebagger Hill. What is significant here is that the king's highway is said to be beside the cross and great stone. Cruikshank was able to identify it saying that it was "less than six feet wide, has a solid, well-preserved bottom, and is almost level the whole way, being formed as a kind of shelf in the brow of the hillside." It is very likely that the course of this old road is shown (in this locality) by the parish boundary.

The cart road would have ran the very short distance from the vicinity of Bishopton to the marshy ground near Broombank, identified as where some prehistoric finds were made in 1897 - see 2nd edition 6" map.

The latest note on the Canmore entry suggests that the cross had been misidentified and was in fact to be found in the area of Corsehill to the east. Even if this is the case, it does not negate Cruikshank's remarks about the mediaeval road and the route it took.

Cruikshank refers to an 18th century road below the mediaeval road, and the turnpike below that again. Thomas Day in Construction of Aberdeenshire's first turnpike roads (Journal of Transport History, Sept. 2003) notes that the turnpike was opened in 1800 and that before that, road improvements had been carried out not just by parishes but in the case of the Kintore and Inverury road by the Commissioners of Supply who in 1739 made local landowners on the line of this road responsible for stretches near their estates (p.156). It is interesting to see that a stretch of the Kintore road had been worked on by the military - it runs very directly from above Kinellar House towards Kintore (6" OS map - Aberdeenshire, LXV). Taylor discusses this in The Military Roads in Scotland, page 91/92 and dates it to the 1760's.

While it is interesting to note that a section of the mediaeval road to Kintore has survived, the question arises as to what course it took over the whole distance, and how close this was to the turnpike or 18th century line. Although the line of the turnpike road is very clear, being shown on recent maps before current improvements to the A96, that of the 18th century road is less so. One ambiguity is at the Aberdeen end where the military survey (c.1750) shows it south of the river that runs past Craibstone and Bankhead, whereas the early OS maps suggest it ran west of Bankkead by the minor road as far as Corsehill. From here it seems to have run just north of the turnpike to Blackburn and then by the straight military road stretch to Kintore though even here the maps can be difficult to interpret.

With these factors in mind, a possible course for the mediaeval and 18th century road is shown on the map - these roads were likely to have had much the same course with the exception of the earlier road being visible on Tyrebagger Hill. Given that there was a road between Aberdeen and Kintore from early in the middle ages, and that tradition tells of a "Wine Causeway" between these places there can hardly be any doubt that this was one and the same road.

Carta Regis Roberti super foresta de Cordys Jacobo de Garviach militi concessa
- Incipiendo videlicet ad vadam que vocatur Achinacragoc et sic descendendo per riuulum usque ad molendinum de Kinaldy et sic ex parte boreali foresto predicte descendendo ad duos magnos lapides sub Thorrynadac et sic descendendo vsque Polnacroscell et descendendo iuxta aquam de Done vsque le schawes del Alton de Fyntreff et sic descendendo per semitam vsque ad fontem qui vocatur Tubirnacrag et sic ascendendo vsque Schencragoc et deinde vsque Carenlech et a Carenlech vsque ad riuulum qui vocatur Aldenacloch et sic ascendendo vsque Carenleth iuxta le kirkton de Dys et sic descendendo per semitam que ducit ad dictam villam de Dys vsque ad fontem in introitu ville predicte et ad alium fontem in medio dicte ville et sic ex orientali parte predicte foreste per viam regiam que ducit apud Abirden vsque ad fontem qui vocatur Tubirnadaly et abhinc vsque ad vadam que vocatur Achynnafonee et abhinc vsque ad vadam que vocatur Achynaterman et abhinc ex australi parte foreste predicte per semitam ducentem vsque Gelcaren iuxta villam de Huttereny et abhinc per vnam Reske usque ad crucem et magnum lapidem in via regia iuxta Huttereny ex occidentali parte dicte ville descendendo vsque ad riuulum qui vocatur Aldynalene et sic ascendendo per riuulum vsque ad caput riuuli de Glenconan et sic ascendendo vsque ad summitatem montis qui vocatur Cragnathybo et sic descendendo ad riuulum de Glenyn et sic per dictum riuulum vsque ad foueam que ducit ad magnum lapistratum et sic ascendendo per eandem foueam vsque ad caput muri de Clenterret episcopi et sic transeundo in circuitu per dictum murum vsque ad veterem viam plaustrorum que ducit de villa de Clentrethi herhard et ducendo iuxta lacus maresij vsque ad fontem sub le Crag de Clentrethy et sic de dicto fonte vsque Achinacragoc vbi inceperunt." (back to translation)

In this charter there is mention of a mill at Folethrule, the lands of Folethblakwatre, and of a portion of land between the stream called Folethblackwatre and the road of Garlet. There is also a mention of a Blakfurde and Badchass in the vicinity.

"...et cum illa petia terre arabilis iacente in terris de Folethblakwatre inter dictum riuulum et viam del Garlet...."

Interpretation
These locations lie in the parish of Fyvie about 8 miles NNW of Inverurie. Folethrule is Folla Rule, Foleth-blackwatre is the Black Burn, and Blackford and Badchass (Baldyquash) still exist. Garlet as a placename has not survived but the text suggests that the road ran parallel to the Black Burn.

Interpretation
This location is near the old church of Methlick as shown by the following quote from the New Statistical Account for Methlick parish (Vol.XII, page 973), viz. "Robert II....confirms a charter....of a piece of land called the Haulch, bounded on the one side by the water of Ethyon, stretching, on one hand, from the ford of the burn of Melok to the ford which is called Cloy or Clochy on the other. It is probable that the present glebe is very nearly the piece of land referred to in the charter just quoted. For it is bounded, on the one side, by the river Ythan; at one extremity of it, there is the burn of Methlick, at the entrance of which, into the Ythan, there was formerly a ford, now superseded by a bridge, and a little below the other extremity there is another ford, which is now called Golyford or Cloverickford, evidently corruptions of Cloy or Clochyford, the name mentioned in the foresaid ancient charter."

Jarvise in Epitaphs and Inscriptions from Burial Grounds (V.2, page 23) says that below the kirk there are "large stones on both sides of, also stepping-stones across, the river."

The burn of Melok must be what is now called the burn of Sauchentree. Just before it joins the Ythan there is a small bridge. The Clochyford would have been over the Ythan a little way downstream.

On page 246 the boundaries of Dulmayok are given (Nota limites de Dulmayok).
"In the first the meir burne thro the merefurde the hirde hillok (the shepherd's hillock - see DSL) the .......stane the sledegat off ard'gyne the ball bush the modermyre (source of a waterway through a myre - see DSL) the h.......off petbrachare at the forest syde"

Interpretation
Dulmayok is in Drumoak parish about 9 miles wast of Aberdeen and on the north side of the Dee. There is an old church there and a farm called Dalmaik and the meir burne may possibly be the stream forming the parish boundary near the church. Unfortunately the other place names are lost. Sledegat is interesting as it implies a track on which sledges were used.

Memorandum that the ar the meris of Bischop Brynnes • In the first begynnand at Girgisfurde ascendand west a grete lech (small stream draining marshy ground - see DSL) til it cum oure a rode to the brede of an akyr the quhilk rod strekis fra Bischop Brynnes the nerrast gate our the moss to the kyrk of Ellon and fra thine merkand northwest our a moss to the nerrast teleland of Ardgrane and fra thine a perty northest to the estmast welespring betuix the landis of Bischop Brynnes and Ardgrane the moss and the mersk to Bischop Brynnes and the teleland to Ardgrane and fra that wele ascendand vp an ald fald dyk to the hill and fra thine descendand down the hill syde til a moss and swa throw that moss on the west half of the muryinch of Bischop Brynnes til it cum to the burne of Tuledesk quhar it and the lechis of Pittolly metis togidder and swa ascendand that lech til it cum til a lech laid on ilke syde with mannys handis and swa ascendand a mikil lech to the hede of it on west half the stokynstane and fra thine north west to the Blakloch and fra thine up a lech to the teleland and a furschot lynth and sua ascendand a perty northest til a karne of stanys in the hicht of that hill nerrast and fra thine descendand to the Hartuellys and swa dovn the strynde (stream usually issuing from a spring - see "strinde" - DSL) of that wellis til it enter in a burne and swa ascendand that burne til it worth (becomes) a lech and swa ascendand that lech til it cum to the Karlynden and swa throw the said den (narrow valley) descendand a stripe til it cum to the burn of Cortycrum and swa ascendand that burne til it cum to a lech ner the hede of that burn and sua ascendand that lech and on the esthalf of a slak (prob. a marshy low area) and vp to the hede of ald malynis den and swa descendand dovn the den til it cum to the furde and the mercat gate and swa ascendand the merkat gate and throw the furde of Ardgrantane til it cum til a litil slak and standand stanys northwest a perty fra Carnamuk and swa descendand throw the mur to the slak of Tornawys and swa doun throw the moss and on the westhalf of the jnsnochley (insnochley) of carnamuk And swa doun throw the jnsnochmoss to the hede of the Sayntmanynis burn and swa dovn the burne til it enter in the burne of Brynnes and swa till it enter in Grigisfurde quhar we begouth first...

Interpretation
Normally it would be difficult to identify these boundaries but George Forrest Brown in his book On Some Antiquities in the Neighbourhood of Duncht House (1921) says that Bishop's Brynnes is now Dudwick (parish of Ellon). The boundaries of Dudwick are shown on a map of Aberdeenshire (NLS website) by Alexander Gibb (1858) delineating various estates in the county. When the charter is compared with the map it becomes evident that they are dealing with the same boundaries (most of which are water-courses) with the exception of Fortree immediately to the north which should be included in Bishop's Brynnes.

This allows us to fix the references to roads and fords more closely. The road that goes to the kirk of Ellon (this was on the present site of the church) must have been between Greigsford and Ardgrain, very close in fact to the road shown on the map which if not the same can be taken as indicative of its line. The other road, the mercat gate, must be close to the Den of Auldmaling (which had a ford where the present road crosses it) and Ardganty and may in fact be shown by the boundary and present road between these places as this is not a watercourse; at Ardganty another burn is crossed which may be the "furde of Ardgrantane." The reference to market suggests a local route to Ellon perhaps through Griegsford or by the road to the kirk in that locality.

Parish of Inverury
Inverury (REA, p.286)

A charter dating from 1464 refers to lands in Inverury between the via regia on the east and the Keylandis on the west. Keylandis is now Kellands and can be seen on the OS 6" map, sheet LIV, Aberdeenshire.

Several charters from the 1490's refer to a via regia in Kintore. Thus one on page 303 has communem viam regiam and vie regie, another on page 340 has vici regij and communem venellam, page 341 has vici regij and communem venellam, page 343 has vici. The via regia is no doubt the high street and would have come from Aberdeen and led onwards to Inverury. The common vennel would be a lane leading off the high street.

The Wine Causeway


The Old Statistical Account for Kintore says that the burgh had a privilege, now passed over to Aberdeen, of collecting customs on wine coming into Aberdeen and that there was a “a causeway at the east end of the freedom of Kintore, near Kinellar, on the way to Aberdeen, still called the Wine Causeway, to which it is said, in old times people came from the harbour to pay custom.”

Alexander Watt in The Early History of Kintore (page 20 and 149) says of the wine causeway that there was a tradition that it was a Roman road and that it is shown on the 6" map running up from near Cairntradlin through Kintore to Inverury. Certainly the 1st edition shows the supposed line of road north of Kintore but not south of the town. In any case the putative Roman road was supposed to come due north from Normandykes which would take it well away from any route between Aberdeen and Kintore.

A more likely identification is a very old road mentioned in an interesting paper by James Cruikshank, Newhills Cross, Aberdeenshire, (PSAS, Vol.60, p.269-273, 1926) that crosses Tyrebagger Hill and appears to have been a made road rather than a track. This would merit it being called a causeway and it is on the direct route between Aberdeen and Kintore. Further details are given above.

This is an entry in the Rental (dated 1511) of lands near Aboyne that allows tenants to have common pasture in the Bradbog and marsh and to come and go with their animals to the forests of Glenawen and Lendrum (see page 12 for original grant of the Forest of Birse made by William the Lion). An entry on the following page for the mill of Cluny mentions pasture rights and a way to the forest. There are a number of other entries in the Rental for this area that mention bondages and services that would entail travel.

Interpretation
All locations mentioned except for Bradbog and the marsh (where there was common pasture) are still identifiable and shown on the map, viz. Tulyquhorsky, Ennochty, Tulygarmontht, Glenawen, Lendrum, Clune, Parsy, Invercat. From the wording we can assume sufficient movement from the farms to form rough tracks leading to the two forests.

There is an interesting reference to Whitestone and its inn on the Cairn a'Mounth road, namely, "The quhitstane at thee mvreaile hous."

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