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Land Organisation
Major land divisions
The only types of land which are consistently given unique names in the records are sheadings, baronies, parishes and treens. The Isle was divided up into sheadings each of which comprised two or three parishes. Sheadings were ancient administration districts and each held its own Court for the Lord's tenants. Whilst most land was rented from the Lord, some was held instead from one of the several Baronies on the Island. These Baronies (which also each held its own Court) might contain land from multiple parishes. Treens were ancient groupings of farmland and a typical parish contained around a dozen treens.
The Sheadings of the Isle of Man are named:
- Ayre (traditionally consisting of the parishes of Andreas, Bride and Lezayre)
- Glenfaba (traditionally consisting of the parishes of German and Patrick)
- Michael (traditionally consisting of the parishes of Michael, Jurby and Ballaugh)
- Rushen (traditionally consisting of the parishes of Rushen, Arbory and Malew)
- Middle (traditionally consisting of the parishes of Braddan, Marown and Santan)
- Garff (traditionally consisting of the parishes of Lonan, Maughold and Conchan)
The former three sheadings were referred to as the North Side and the latter three the South Side. Each half had its own Deemster (effectively a judge) and Vicar General and (presumably as a consequence) there were several minor differences between the law and record keeping of the North and South. Each half also had its own castle, Castle Peel for the North and Castle Rushen for the South. (One of the traditional duties of the Lords tenants was provisioning his castles and I speculate that it is their association with these castles which sustained the North/South distinction.) An adminstrative change in 1796 caused certain parishes to change designation between North and South.
Land Types
The major property records (specifically the Libri Assedationis and Libri Vastarum as well as the corresponding Baronial Court records) are organised by parish and within that identify property only by its type and rent. Although the Libri Assedationis list all property in a consistent order, the Libri Vastarum are unordered. The different land types are:
Quarterlands
A quarterland is a unit of farm land of around 40 to 150 acres in size. The vast proportion of the best arable land falls into this category and the Isle of Man contains about 770 quarterlands in total. The boundaries of the quarterlands are ancient and predate the earliest records considered here. The name presumably reflects the fact that a typical treen compromised of four quarterlands (and a quarter originally being a measure of land size). In the Libri Assedationis and Libri Vastarum quarterlands appear under the heading of the treen of which they are part.
Cottages
Cottages relates to specific plots (almost entirely) in towns and villages which was designated as Cottage Land in ancient times (pre 1500)
Mills
A number of tenant corn mills appear in the oldest records and are designated as Firma Molend (Farm Mills in Latin). Over time new mills were built. If licenced as mills these were added to records under this heading. Otherwise they would be labelled as Intacks.
Intacks
All licenced lands not falling into one of the above categories was labelled intack. New intacks were created by applying to the Lord or Man or his representative for a licence to enclose a parcel of waste land. After receiving this, it would need to be viewed by the Great Enquest of the Sheading (which would verify the quantity of the land and ensure that roads, water-courses and the like were not restricted) and then considered at a Sheading Court (which would set an annual rent upon it). Once all of this was done it would be added to the Rents Roll for the parish. The occupant was now a tenant of the Lord and had tenure.
Certain intacks adjoined to quarterlands were easements (eg access routes to those quarterlands) and were known as Intacks of Ease. These were at times treated as quarterlands rather than Intacks for the purposes of inheritance.
Waste Land
Wasteland was generally designated Firm Vast and is mentioned frequently in early Libri Vastarum. It could be utilised, however the occupant was expected to pay a fee to the Lord for the use of his land. The occupant was not considered a tenant of the Lord and such land does not appear in the Setting Book (Liber Assedationis) after 1644. Over time such land was gradually enclosed and converted to Intacks.
Land Ownership
The feudal lord was the Lord of Man, and most of the land was rented directly from him. A proportion (around 15%) was however held by the Lord's Barons, each of which had their own tenants and administrations. These Barons were originally the heads of certain Church institutions (such as the Abbot of Rushen Abbey), but following the Dissolution of the religious houses in the mid 16th century the Baronies passed into other hands. According to Manx Society Pub XXXI the number of quarterlands of the different types are as follows:
Lord's Land 639 1/2 Abbey Lands (Barony of Rushen Abbey and the Nunnery) 99 1/2 Bishop's Barony 19 1/4 Barony of Bangor and Saball 7 Barony of St Trinians 5
A breakdown of rents of the Barony and Lord's land is given below. With the exception of the doubling of quarterland rents in 1704, the stated rents paid by Lord's tenants were unchanged from (at least as far back as) the early sixteenth century onwards. This does not necessarily apply to Baronies however and the figures below should only be taken as correct for the stated period. There were also differences between customary obligations (rents in kind) Lord's and Barony tenants. These customary obligations are not included below.
The Lord and Barons also had demenses (their own untenanted land). This included uncultivated Wast land, some of which was later enclosed and rented out by the Lord.
Abbey Land
This is the land originally held by the Abbot of Rushen Abbey and the Prioress of the Nunnery. It is by far the largest Barony. The rents below are taken from from Abbey Rents bundles which shows them to be consistent between 1644 and 1674.
Kirk Malew Total land rent 53l 18s 11d Kirk German Total land rent 13l 6s Sulby in Kirk Lezayre Total land rent 11l 8s Skinsco in Kirk Lonan Total land rent 2l 19s 2d Kirk Braddan Total land rent 8l 9s 2d Trinity Rushen Total land rent 1l 10s
Bishop's Barony: Farms
This is the land held by the Bishop. The quarterland rents below are taken from a published source (Talbot) and were extracted by him from from circa 1580 records which I have yet to examine. I have omitted the cottage rents.
KK Jurby Bretney 17s 4.5d Loughan y Voadey 5s Ballagarraghyn 10s Ballagaye 8s Kerroo Creii 7s Cooil Doo 4s Rendoo 10s Ballalig 11s Ballachristy 7s KK Braddan Ballaoates 7s Ballacregga 4s Ballaquirk 10s Ballaughton 11s Ballafletcher 21s 8d KK Marown Ballakilley 24s Cooilingel 10s KK Patrick Ballabrooii 10s Ballaspict 11s 4d KK German Ballakilmoiry 10s
Barony of Bangor and Saball
This contains the land originally held by the Abbeys of Bangor and Saball. The associated Baronial Court of 8th May 1603 (Liber Bangor and Sabal) helpfully gives a full list of the tenants, their rents and customs and this is set down below. The columns are rent followed by the customary obligations counted in number of hens, boon days and carriages of turf respectively. It would appear that on average each unit of quarterland was required to deliver 3 hens and 9 boon days (in addition to 1 carriage of turf per shilling of rent).
KK Patrick
7s 6d 1 3 7.5
11s 6d 1 3 11.5
12d 1 3 1
10s 1 3 10
9s 1.5 4.5 9
10s 2 6 10
10s 2 6 10
5s 3d 1 3 5
5s 3d 1 3 5
10s 3d 2 6 5
3s 2 6 []
20s 2 6 20
5s 3d 1 3 5
10s 1 3 10
9s 1.5 4.5 9
Barony of St Trinians
The above mentioned Baronial Court (1603 Liber Bangor and Sabal) gives a full list of the tenants of this Barony also. Here the customary rent would appear to be 2 hens, 3 boon days and 20 carriages of turf per unit quarterland. The names and parishes of the lands are not given in this record. The rents remained unchanged however and I have used the later records of the Baronial Court (Barony of St Trinians 1785-1916) to assign names and subsequently parishes to the rents. The quarterlands are contiguous.
KK German Ballachurry 9s 1 1.5 10 Ballachurry 7s 1 1.5 10 KK Marown Botchen 13s 4d 2 3 20 Rock 13s 2 3 20 Ballavitchel 10s 2 3 20 Ballaglanney 9s 6d 2 3 20
Lord's Land: North Side Farms
The treens of the North Side Parishes together with the rents of their constituent quarterlands are given below. This list uses the spellings and order given in the 1606 Liber Assedationis and is based on my transcription (which may contain errors). Many different spellings for the treen names appear in the records. The order in which treens and quarterlands and their associated rents occasionally changed also. Many of the treen names have simple derivations in Manx and some occur multiple times.
Kirk Patrick
Dalby 21s 19s 4d 19s 7d 17s 7.5d
Alia Julby 20s 16s 2d 19s 6d 19s 6d 3s 9d
Raby 24s 19s 18s 6d 21s 4d 14d 8d
Gurdon 27s 5d 17s 27s 8d 24s 8d
Knockaloe 23s 28s 6d
Ballymore 24s 24s 26s 8d 21s 4d
Foxedaill 14s 14s 8d 8s 9d 8s 2d 8s 6d 12s 7s 6d 12s 4d
Ballahorke 12s 11s 2d 2s 8d
Glenrushen 9s 3s 4d
Kirk German
Ballykebaye 15s 4d 9s 6d 8s 6d 15s
Ballytersin 25s 4d 2d 16d 11s
Sandall 15s 4d 19s 4d 16s 20s 4d
Sandall 14s 8s 14s 8d 15s 6d 13s
Knabe 10s 13s 6d 17s 8d 9s 8d 4s
Lambsall 22s 25s 8d 8s 2d 5s 6d
Alia knooke 16s 13s 6d 10s 8d 13s
Acrody 5s 16s 4d
Ballydonnaghan 11s 11s 4d 14s 18s
Ballydoyne 13s 4d 34s 10d 2s 4d 17s
Kirk Michael
Ballycrnane 26s 8d 26s 8d 14s
Balyster 20s 16s 7s 6d 21s 8d 3s 4d
Shalghagh 17s 6d 14s 10d 31s 6d
Balycane 24s 8d 17s 4d 15s 7s
Camall 27s 19s 8d 24s 6d
Barrickmore 33s 2d 22s 4d 18s
Dromrewaiye 18s 4d 16s 17s 8s 10s
Ballyfaden 18s 6d 18s 6d 18s 6d 14s 4s
Nerlogher 27s 8d 16s 4d 24s 8d 12d
Oristell 14s 9d 15s 8s 9d 15s 8d
Leyrey 37s 17s 6d
Rencullen 18s
Ariarkell 7s 8d
Kirk Ballaugh
Brogard 25s 14s 6d 27s 4d
Ballyskebaye 28s 8d 21s 14s 4d 12d
Ballymore 17s 21s
Ardurke 6s 8d
Ballymony 20s 10d 21s 22s 7s 6d 12s 2s 6d 15s 4d (continued next line)
4s 4d 2s 8d 2s 8d 18d 2s
Ballycane 20s 8d 18s 18s 6d 21s 2s 8d
Ballytensin 17s 13s 6d 20s 4d 13s 8d
Ballykally 21s 8d 20s 6d 17s 20s 12d 16d
Carnedall 17s 17s 20s 10d 16s 4d
Cannedall 15s 11d 21s 3d 21s 22s
Kirk Jurby
Sertfell 17s 42s 8d
Knordevaill 10s 4d 10s 4d 15s 4d 20s 17s
Loz Solby 17s 18s 8d
Sclarkby 8d 12s 6d 15s 4d 12s 8d 17s 2d 27s
Dalyott 9s 2d 9s 4s 4d 10s 9s 3d
Kirk Andreas
Kaby 18s 2d 20s 18s 18s
Oraby 27s 8d 24s 2d
Mullentowne 16s 8d 11s 11s 10d 13s 6d
Ballyhostine 41s 18s 18s
Gilcanght 25s 26s 1d 17s 1d
Leodest 17s 6d 17s 20s 17s
Alia Leodest 15s 4d 13s 6d 17s 6d 17s
Ballymarre 16s 8d 19s 12s 8d 14s 8d
Ballydaughy 8s 3d 11s 6d 24s 7d 16s
Smeall 21s 19s 21s 15s 6d
Ballytann 13s 4d 13s 4d
Sueolekegge 24s 6d 24s 6d 19s 5s 6d
Branstall 26s 6d
Ballilingge 32s 9d 11s 4d 22d
Ballaquarres 17s 7d 37s 3d 9s 9d 9s 14d
Ballyneage 23s 21s 6d 23s 4d 22s 4d 2s
Kirk Bride
Sandall 26s 2d 18s 6d 9s 2d 18s
Ballymon 21s 4d 21s 7d 21s 8d 20s
Broricke 23s 8d 34s 37s 4d
Cranstall 33s 3d 17s 6d 16s 10d
Cranstall 16s 4d 16s 4d 16s 4d 17s 4d
Cranstall 16s 4d 16s 4d 10s 7d 8s
Ballykennaige 9s 10d 9s 10d 26s 8d 25s 10s 2d
Rausey 14s 4d 8s 6d
Crostymore 13s 4d 10s 6d 22s 14s 14s 2s 4d 9s 6d 9s 6d
Crostikegg 15s 6d 8s 8d 8s 8d 20s 19s 6d
Gueate 14s 6d 11s 2d 25s 6d 13d
Kirk Lezayre
Solby 14s 13s 2d 16s 10d 26s 4d 14s 4d 19s 14s
Brericke 24s 8d 24s 8d 27s
Alia Solby 28s 8d 26s 22s 24s
Alia Solby 31s 6d 28s 21s 6d
Alkost 23s 4d 22s 4d 17s 8d 17s 8d 5s 8d 16s 3s 4d
Orrest 19s 4d 17s 8d 23s 10s 6d 28s 4d
Corrackes 22s 27s 6d 5s 2d 7d 14d
Awste 20s 18s 4d 22s 17s 6d
Lord's Land: South Side Farms
The treens of the South Side Parishes together with the rents of their constituent quarterlands are given below. This list uses the spellings and order given in the 1686 and 1687 Libri Assedationis and is based on my transcription (which may contain errors). As before many different spellings for the treen names appear in the records, and the order in which treens and quarterlands and their associated rents occasionally changed also. Many of the treen names have simple derivations in Manx and some occur multiple times.
Trinity Rushen
Fishgarth 31s 24s 23s 4d 2s 13s 4d
Glendowne 11s 4d 10s 10d 17s 5s 8d
Lignes 12s 3d 22s 8d 6s
Dromney 17s 51s 4d
Shendoile 7s 14s 8d 24s 8d 21s 8d 20s 10d (?)
Bradda 16s 16s 16s 16s
Saurebii 13s 10d 12s 11s 4d 25s 8d 12s 4d 13s 13s
Kentragh 3l 5s
Kk Sansan 11s 9s 22s 6d 34s 10d
Scaldaby 22s 22s 12s 4d 12s 2d 13s 4d 9s 6d
Ballakilpatr 22s 6d 19s 4d 21s 10d 22s 6d 12d
Renwill 2s 4d
Scard 29s 2d
Legan 5s 8d
Le Calf 26s 8d
Kirk Arbory
Balladoole 56s 8d 16s 8d 3l
Bemaccan 20s 34s
Garymore 2s 12d
Ardarry 12s 8d 14s 10d 16s 4d 14s 8d 10d
Ballafaddan 11s 8d 14s 2d 19s 10d 5s 4d 5s 4d 11s 14s 4d 10s 8d
Sestraw 21s 7s
Arissinock 6s 6s 1d 12s 6d 9s 8d 18d 9s 9d 6d
Aristine 19s 17s 13s 8d 16s 6d 3s 4d
Colby 24s 21s 4d 9s 4d 7s 6d 11s 11s 4d
Ballacarmich 18s 8d 31s 2d 18s 8d
Kirk Malew
Arrennaccii 18s
Greneby 8s 6d 13s 4d 19s 10d 22s 2d
Totnamby 26s 8d 8s 8d
Comissarry 13s 23s 3l
Lough 13s 4d
KK Michell 15s 29s 6d 18s 18d 15s
Warfoild 7s 4d 14s 2d 9s 4d 19s 6d 12s
Scarlett 24s 6d 7s 7s 6d 3l 6s 8d 2s --- 28s 18s
2s 6d 46s 8d 22s 8s 2d --- 4s 8d
Kirk Santon
Haw 3s 4d 3s 10d 16s 21s 8d
Mearii 13s 26s
Grenickle 7s 8d 16s 2d 7s 8d 12s 10d 11s 2d
Knockshemigg 16s 4d 13s 8d 13s 2d 6s 6s 16d 2s 3d
Bendoile 9s 2d 25s 11s
Saudrabrick 13s 8d 8s 2d 6s 8d
Corbrick 10s 10d 11s 8d 7s 9s 6d
Arsrogaine 23s 21s 13s 7d 14s 6d 11s 6d
Knockaloughan 18s 4d 9s 8d 10s
Kirk Marown
Ballaknickle 13s 13s 7s
Sandbrick 11s 4d 20s 4s 8d 10s 2d 11s
Candall 13s 10d 10s
Glenlough 6s 4d 19s 8d 12s 8d 5s 8d
Glenigils 9s
Trolby 15s 10d 13s 4d 10s 10d 6s 2d
Ballatenson 10s 4d 10s 6d 3s 4d 13s 1d 9s 6d
Ballaydaman 13s 10d 11s 4d 6s 8d 12s 10d
Kirk Braddan
Baldallbrene 13s 13s 13s 10s 6d 9s 6d 12s 4d 2s 6d
Ballakristrie 12s 6d 9s 16s 9s 8d 15s 2d
Baldalregnilt 9s 8s 8d 19s 15s 4d 13s
Castleward 42s 14s 8d 9s 8d
Camlorge 13s 4d 27s 7s 8d 5s 4d 17s
Testraw 12s
Vlist 9s 10s 6d 13s 12s 8d 15d 12s 8d
Middle 30s 6s 9d 16s 6d 7s 4d
Gresby 13s 6d 8s 8d 12s 11s 6d 10s 6d 11s 6d
All Gresby 20s 6d
Kirk Conchan
Douglas 7s 8d 29s 28s
Tromode 15s 4d 16s 4d 13s 4d 13s 4d
Tremessary 12s 6d 12s 5s 6d 14s
Begoade 5s 8d 12s 11s 4d 16s
All Begoade 15s 17s
Byballoe 14s 10d 8d 2d 13s
Slekiby 13s 9s 17s 22s 19s
Horalell 20s 8d 8s
Hawstraike 53s 4d
Kirk Lonan
Grettest 15s 14s 4d 2s 13s 17s
Hegnes 25s 6d 8s 11s 6d
Colby 5s 10d 10s 8s 8d 17s 6d 20d
All Colby 11s 16s 6d 13s 4d 9s 15s 4d
Amogary 22s 13s 18d
Swanthave 12s 14s 10s 8d 9s
Grauffe 11s 6d 13s 8d 10s 2s 9s 6d
Rauffe 17s 14s 6d 13s 12s 4d
Morrest 13s 15s 11s 15s
Shonest 8s
Brandall 17s 4d 8s 8s
Rabii 14s 4s 17s 6d 13s
All Rabii 19s 4d 19s 4d 6s 6s
Rigge 36s 10d
Kirk Maughold
Ballure 26s 7d 26s 27s 27s 4d
Lewaige 22s 15s 13s
Ballagill 14s 6d 17s 6d 16s 16s
Ballfayle 22s 7d 25s 8d
Ballashebagg 15s 16s 16s 4d 14s
Ramsey 8s 8d 6d 12d 12d 12d 12d (continued next line)
8d 8d 8d 12d 12d
Connamore 19s 8d 15s 10s 6d
Connabegg 25s 14s 6d 19s 6d 7s 5d 3s 13s 6d
Cardall 23s 20s 19s 2d 14s 6d
Rencullen 8s
Balltenson 24s 16s 6d 16s 6d 18s