MEDIA INFORMATION

 
 
 
COLLECTION NAME:
Charting The Nation
Record
Work Record ID:
0042468
Shelfmark:
RHP92687
Holding Institution:
National Archives of Scotland
Title:
1st. Map of Brunston Marches 26 April 1717
Creator:
Anonymous
Creator Role:
Mapmaker
Creator:
Clerk, John, Sir of Penicuik
Creator Role:
Landowner
Creator:
Forbes, John of Culloden & Newhall (d.1734)
Creator Role:
Landowner
Date:
1518-1718
Description:
This map was prepared in support of the claims of Sir John Clerk, the first baronet of Penicuik (d. 1722), in his boundary dispute with his neighbours, the Forbes of Newhall. Originally, the dispute was with Sir David Forbes of Newhall, and there are two earlier maps from 1713 in images 00002145 and 0002255. By the time of this map, Sir David Forbes has died, and the Newhall properties have come into the possession of John Forbes, of Culloden, his nephew. The cause of the dispute is the seam of coal '6 foot thick', which runs across both the Newhall-Marfield and the Penicuik-Brunstane properties, and which the map in image 00002145 shows that Sir David had started to mine, in 1713, at which time he had claimed that the march line ran further north-east than Sir John Clerk thought, giving Sir David access to more coal. This map is dated 26 April 1717, and uses different colours of shading to show the properties of Walstone, Brunstane and Auchencorth, which belonged to Clerk, and Newhall and Marfield, which belonged to the Forbes. Interestingly, the crucial 'Coalcleugh', which Sir John had used as his march line, is now simply labelled 'cleugh', but Sir John sticks to the actual line itself in his claim. However, the map seems to be incomplete, as the march line claimed by the Forbes is drawn in pencil, and marked 'H' (leading to 'E', the 'Litle cruik' on the Monks Burn), but not explained or disputed, as it had been in the 1713 maps, and is in image 00002242, a map drawn a year later. Just as he had in 1713, Sir John Clerk uses a document from 1518 to substantiate his claims about the boundaries. That document had recorded in meticulous detail the walking of the marches between these two properties, on 7 October of that year, to establish the exact lines of the boundaries. Sir John transcribes the relevant part of it in the original Latin, on to the map, and adds his own note that the original officials who laid down the boundary stones, had 'appoint never to be altered'. He also emphasises the fact that these boundaries 'will [be] 200 years old come 7 October [1718]', the antiquity of the agreed and witnessed boundaries being an important legal point. There is a note on the verso that on 6 August 1717, a copy of this map had been given to 'My Ld Grange one of ye arbiters chosen by us', and another copy to 'Lord Polton', and a year later, on 17 March 1718, a copy of the details of the 1518 perambulations had been given to 'Mr. Ingles'. This map also shows the farms at Nine Mile Burn, the houses at Newhall, Marfield and Auchencorth, the North Esk, Monks Burn, and a second 'Coalcleugh or Coalsyke', this one running south from the Esk instead of north.
Work Type:
Manuscript map/plan
Measurement:
44 x 57cm (1' 5 5/16" x 1' 10 7/16")
Material:
Paper
Technique:
Hand coloured
Subject Place:
Auchencorth
Subject Place:
Brunstane
Subject Place:
Marfield House
Subject Place:
Midlothian
Subject Place:
Monks Burn
Subject Place:
Newhall
Subject Place:
Newhall House
Subject Place:
Nine Mile Burn
Subject Place:
North Esk
Subject Place:
Penicuik
Subject Place:
Scotland
Subject Place:
Walstone
Subject Category:
Boundary disputes
Subject Category:
Mines and mineral resources
Reference:
Sinclair, John, The Statistical Account of Scotland, v.10, Edinburgh, 1792, pp.419-432.
Reference:
Chambers, Robert, Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen, updated, (Edinburgh & Glasgow, 1856).
Rights Statement:
Courtesy of the Keeper of the Records of Scotland
Repro File Type:
Cropped Tiff
Repro File Size (bytes):
100780108
Repro Title:
1st. Map of Brunston Marches 26 April 1717 [1 of 2]
Repro Display Measurement (pixels):
7072 x 7072
Repro ID Number:
0042468c.tif
Repro Old ID Number:
00001750
Repro Capture Date:
06/12/2000 10:35:00

1st. Map of Brunston Marches 26 April 1717 [1 of 2]

1st. Map of Brunston Marches 26 April 1717 [1 of 2]