Since the early 17th century a large part of rural South of Scotland has been owned by the Duke of Buccleuch and his ancestors. Records kept by the Estate are therefore a valuable source for family history. I have done extensive research using the rental records in particular, which cover Buccleuch estates in Roxburghshire, Selkirkshire, eastern Dumfriesshire and part of Midlothian and Peeblesshire. Happily these records are publicly available in the National Records of Scotland. However they are not indexed as such and therefore difficult to navigate for the uninitiated.
The records are particularly valuable for ancestors who were tenant farmers on Buccleuch estate land before the censuses of 1841 and beyond. The records often go back to around 1630. The rentals often hide family relationship information. And I specialize in conducting research within these archives – please contact me to discuss your request.
Note that unfortunately there is currently no public access for Buccleuch records which were historically kept at Drumlanrig Castle, near Thornhill in Dumfriesshire. This means lands in central and western Dumfriesshire such as Penpont, Tynron, Durisdeer, Sanquhar and surrounding areas. However I’ve been able to access some of these records – see Dumfries and Galloway pages for more information.
Below for example is a list of the farms and farmtouns included in the rental rolls for 1814-15 (GD224/485/7) which cover all the Border Buccleuch estates . This particular rental appears to include named sub-tenants and cottars as well as tenants so is especially useful for genealogists..
Ettrick Forest
SELKIRK Carterheugh and Auld Wark Fastheuch Fauldshope Fowlshiels Bowhill Newark Shielsheugh ETTRICK Anlieshope Easter Buccleuch Wester Buccleuch Mount Common Kenwoody Crosslea Deephope Gair Roplawshiel YARROW Catslackburn Easter Delorain Wester Delorain Dryhope Mid Eldinghope Over Eldinghope Wester Fauldshope Gilmanscleuch Howfoord Easter Kerrshope Kirkhope Ladhope Easter Mountbenger Wester Mountbenger Newburgh Newhouse Outer Huntly Peel & Hawthorn Singlie Deuchar Glengaber Whitehope Blackgrain Kirkoshead Yarrow Glebe Shuttinglees Glenlude Catheugh
Teviotdalehead
HAWICK PARISH Allanheugh Blackcleugh Branxholm Branxholm Park Commonside Crumhaugh Langhope Easter Mains of Hawick Wester Mains of Hawick Falnash & Thorniehall Goldielands Harwood Newbigging Newmilnlands Kerrsknow Nether Southfield Teviotside Whitchester Mickle Whitlaw Little Whitlaw Meatcroft Crawbyres Trinity Lands Dangerfield Kilnstead Waulkmill New Glebe Fenwick CAVERS PARISH Bowanhill Broadheugh Coltherdscleugh & Suddenrig Linhope Northhouse Peelbraehope Priesthaugh Skelfhill Dockcleugh Stobcleugh Mosspaul Phaehope ROBERTON PARISH Branxholm Moor Chapelhall Craik & Midshaw Eilrig Girnwood Easter Highchesters Milsington West Cleughhead Todshawhaugh Todshawhill Crouchhope Howpasley WILTON PARISH Burnfoot Boonraw Easter Groundiston Wester Groundiston Borthaugh Easter Clarilaw Dunkster Overhall Stoweslee Wiltonburn Hassendean
Liddesdale
Braidlie & Rispielaw Burnmouth Hole Flight & Clintwood Shaws Newlands Roughlie Byegate Dinlie Flatt Side Redmoss Guildfoot Foulshiels Gorrenberry Kirndean Myredikes Blakeburn Milnholm Milnburnholm & Hermitage Pouterlampert Baxtongill Hillhouse Riccarton Roan Saughtrees & Hindhouse Nether Sorbietrees Upper Sorbietrees Toftholm Twislehope Tweedenside & Kershope Nether Whisgills Stitchelhills & Lees Sundhope Byreholm Castleton Dikeraw Nether Harden Over Harden Greens Mains of Cocklake Meins Mangerton Powisholm & Park Nether Raw Over Raw Billhope
Eckford
ECKFORD Wester Moss Easter Wooden Wester Wooden Grimslaw Mosstower Smiddyhill Lanton LEMPITLAW Wholefield Eastfield of Lempitlaw Westfield of Lempitlaw Lempitlaw Lurdenlaw
Melrose
Melrose Mill Danielton Mains Kilncroft Newstead Mill
Eskdale
LANGHOLM Arkin & Whitshiels Arkinholm Becks & Earshaw Bigholms Bloch & Blochburnfoot Calfield Cleuchfoots Irvine & Caldtown Middleholm Milnholm Brackenwrae Potholm Nether Wrae Westwater Glenloganhead Hallcrofts of Meikleholm Langholm Corn Mill Waulkmill Murtholm WESTERKIRK Bailliehill Billholm Bombie Boonies Burnfoot, Fingland & Straingate Carlesgill Dalbeath Enzieholm Little Harperwhat Meikle Harperwhat Hopsrig Knock Mains Mid Knock Knockhill Nether Knock Lineholm Megdale, Mountfauld & Treehope Shiell Nether Stenneswater Over Stenneswater ESKDALEMUIR Aberlosh Nether Cassock, Ruckhole & Pockleaf Clerkhill & Graystonelees Coat Nether Dumfelling Over Dumfelling Cumminghead Ganvald Grassyards Holm Holm Mill Mid Raeburn Rinnaldburn & Cothope Tanlawhill Twiglees Westside & Castlehill Langshawburn Fingland EWES Burnfoot Bush, Burngrains and Wolfhope Eweslees & Blackhall Carrotrig Glendovan & Brieryshaw Lodgegill & Byrecleughwater Mosspeeble Sorbie Nether Wrae Over Wrae Kirkton Flaskholm Tarrona Unthank & Fiddleton Hoghill Brush
Canonbie
Airnlee Albierig Auchenrivock Andrewsknows Archerbeck Barnglies Barnglieshead Barrascrofts,Nether Barrascrofts,Over Nether Bogrie Over Bogrie Brae----land Broomieknow Bruntshielbog Bulmansknow Canonbie Mill Canonbie Moor Closses Nether Crookholm Over Crookholm Cronksbankhead Drybrow Enthorn Forge Forgebraehead Glenzierbecknow Glenzier Garden Glenzierhead Glenziermidtown Nether Glenzier Glencartholm Graystail Greenburn Hagg Hardenside Harlaw Harlaw Hack Harlawhag Harlawhill Harlawmiln Harlawmilnsteads Holehouse Hecks Jockshill Kerr Knottyholm Lymiecleugh Middlerig Muirburnhead Milnsteads Nether Mumbiehirst Over Mumbiehirst Newtown Nittyholm Orchard Perterburn Rowanburnfoot Rowanburnhillhead Sarktower Sarkmilntown Shillingmoss Tarrasfoot Tarcoon Nether Thorniwhats Over Thorniwhats Todscleughside Todhillwood Todknowhead Tomshielburn Whitknow Whitlawside Nether Whitlawside Windyhill Outer Woodhead Nether Woodhouselees Over Woodhouselees
Here’s my transcription of Early Rental Rolls from 1630:
