Earldom of Orkney estate office records
- Reference:GB 241 D13
- Dates of Creation:1523-1910
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:5.13 Linear Metres
Scope and Content
Rentals of payments in cash in kind, 1774-1801; rentals of estates of Sabay, North Wall, Harray, Birsay, Lopness, 1735-1807; rentals of purchased lands, 1769-1803; ledger rentals, Flotta, South Ronaldsay, Swinna, Scapa and purchased lands, 1779-1806; tenants’ ledgers, Flotta, South Ronaldsay, Burray and Birsay, 1839-1845; scroll Bishopric and earldom cash books, 1781-1808; rental of Orkney, 1598 (18th cent copy); tacksman’s compts of Bishopric of Orkney, 1643-1644; list of cess payments for stewartry and Bishopric of Orkney, 1671; Bishopric and earldom rentals, 1724, 1746, 1775-1823; accounts of poultry delivered in payment of rent, 1802-1844. Papers of factors on earldom estates, including correspondence, printed notices, sketch plans and legal papers, 1766-1910, including detailed instructions to Lord Dundas’s factor about administration of the estates (c1820); papers in legal proceedings, 1789-1863; factor’s cash book, Calder estate, 1793-1808; parsonage and vicarage teinds, 1740-1825; ministers’ stipend accounts, 1797-1811; kelp records and accounts, 1727-1738, 1781-1872; papers concerning udal rights, 1812-1902; miscellaneous estate papers (including church and manse repairs, parochial schools, bridges, plankings of land, divisions of commonty, and offers for farms), 1729-1893; storehouse accounts, receipts and day books, 1716-1721, 1791-1826; factor’s accounts of lordship of Shetland, 1772-1776; account of fishings in Shetland, 1773-1774.Files of thematically arranged papers (some relating to Traill of Elsness family) on: excise matters, 1767-1802; inventories of plenishings, 1690-1763; wages, 1703-1740; bailie and admiralty court papers, 1666-1730, 1780-1883, including inventory of guns, armour, rigging and other furniture belonging to the “Sound Friggatt” (1675-1676); doctors’ bills, 1723-1818; the Fishery Company, Stronsay, 1714-1718; church matters, 1722-1816; schools, 1700-1732; food, drink and clothing, 1719-1732; superiority duties held by Lord Dundas and their disposal, 1783-1813; freeholders’ election papers, 1700-1811; funerals, 1763.County business, including miscellaneous commissioners of supply papers, 1768-1810; minute book of Freeholders of County of Orkney, 1793-1819; correspondence, manifestos, posters and other papers about elections in Orkney, 1825-1872, including rolls of Orkney electors (1832, 1851-1852); returns of indigent and industrious poor from Orkney parishes, 1801; papers about distribution of bere meal amongst poor of Orkney and relief of distress, 1779-1804, 1837; papers about raising of the Orkney Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, 1804-1807.Miscellaneous, including papers concerning Traill family of Sabay and other Sabay estate papers, 1523-1794, including rental (1750); plans, c1769-c1900; journal of HMS Antelope, 1745-1748; cast books of cess and stent, Kirkwall, 1731, 1735, 1798; rental of estate of Clestrain, 1750-1754.
Administrative / Biographical History
On the execution of Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney, in 1615, his lands reverted to the Crown, but the separate lands of the Bishopric of Orkney were granted to James Law, Bishop of Orkney (c1561-1632). As security for a loan to King Charles I (1625-1649), William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton (c1584-1648) received a mortgage right over the lands of the earldom in 1643, and these lands more or less remained in the family hands thereafter. After the abolition of the episcopacy in 1689 the Bishopric lands were held in a series of tacks. The lands of the earldom of Orkney were sold in 1766 by James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton (1702-1768) to Sir Lawrence Dundas (1712-1781), ancestor of the Marquesses of Zetland. In 1768 Dundas purchased the Sabay estate from Alexander Stewart, 6th Earl of Galloway (d.1773); and he obtained a lease of the Bishopric estate in 1775. The family seldom visited Orkney, and the estates were administered for them by their factors (or chamberlains). Amongst the Dundas' powers was being Vice Admiral for the county, an office executed on their behalf by their factor.
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