The 1565 Rental
of the
Episcopal Barony of Rafford

 

by

A Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
of Scotland

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Within the Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis, edited by that most eminent of scholars, Cosmo Innes (1798-1874), there is a section which records the Rentale of the Diocese compiled in 1565.1 Included is a section of the Rentale which relates to the Barony of Rafford, which was one of the properties belonging to successive Bishops of Moray, and which formed a part of the Regality of Spynie when it was created in 1451.

 

Properties included in the Barony of Rafford - 1565.1
  Name Extent Due Annually
1. Village of Rafford   £4 ferme; one market; four sheep; four lambs; two dozen poultry; 2 bol. oats; 4 bol. dry 'multure'.
2. Brewery in Village of Rafford   20s. ferme; six poultry.
3. Barcarbank   6s. 8d. ferme; six poultry.
4. Bracoht 1 plough 26s. 8d. ferme; two quarters of a market; two sheep; two lambs or kids; two dozen poultry; 1 bol. oats with the gleanings; 3 bol. dry 'multure'; grassum; with service.
5. Blare Inferior 4 ploughs £5. 6s. 8d. ferme; one market; four sheep; four lambs or kids; two dozen poultry; 2 bol. oats with the gleanings; 6 bol. dry 'multure'; grassum; with service.
6. Blare Superior 4 ploughs £6. 13s. 4d. ferme; one market; four sheep; four kids; two dozen poultry; 2 bol. oats; 6 bol. dry 'multure'; grassum; with service.
7. Smiddecroft   12 shoeing of horses, along with the shoes.
8. Cluny   £5 ferme; 2 bol. oats; one market; two dozen poultry; grassum only; with service.
9. Acre of Dyke   40s. ferme.
10. Brewery of Dyke   24s. ferme; one dozen capons
11. Stable Acre (aka. Smiddy Acre)   6s. 8d. ferme.
12. Croft & mansion of the Lord   12s. ferme; one dozen capons
13. Granroquhy   £4. ferme; one market; four sheep; four lambs; two dozen poultry; 2 bol. oats with th gleanings; 4 bol. dry 'multure'; with service.
14. Phorp Major   £10. 5s. 6½d. (et unum oblum = ½d.) ferme.
15. 'Villa Ecclesiastica' of Altyre   £10 ferme.
16. Drumreoch   40s. ferme.
17. Cowbin (Culbin)   12s. redditus.
18. Andrew Wallace's tenement in Fores   14d.
19. Burgye {Burgie}   3s. 4d.
20. Marcussy {Marcassie} and the Mill of Rafford   £6. feodifirme; two 'quarter markets'; two sheep; two dozen poultry; 2 bol. oats; two kids or five lambs; one wild boar; with customary service.
21. Mothnes   £13. 6s. 8d. redditus.
22. Lands of the Church of Moye   33s. 4d. feodiferme.
23. Brodie   £10. 13s. 4d. ferme.

 

What we have here is a record of the Barony only a few years after the Reformation. Amongst the details we have confirmation of the fact that the lands of the ancient Church of Moy were now in the hands of Paul Dunbar, his having received them in feuferme from the Bishop, Patrick Hepburn, in April 1562.

References .

1. Innes, C. (ed.) (1837) Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis, Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club, 444-446. Return