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MHG23080 - Township - Balintombuie

Summary

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Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

A settlement labelled 'Ballindumbuy' is shown on the Roy Military Survey Maps (however, see below). <1>

A township, comprising twelve roofed buildings and one unroofed building is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1874, sheet lxvii). Three roofed buildings, one partially roofed building, five unroofed buildings and one enclosure are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1974).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 23 May 1996.

Some of the buildings shown on the OS 1st Edition map are visible on vertical aerial photographs. There are also additional features to the south of the current farnstead including at lesat one builidng, remains of rig and furrow cultivation and a rectangular enclosure on 'Tom Bhuidhe' at NGR 228215 812826. <2> <3>

NOTE: On the Roy Military Survey maps, 'Ballindumby' is shown to lie on the east side of a burn, which in comparison with modern OS maps, might be presumed to be the Allt Bail' an Tuim Bhuidhe, however, the current location of 'Balintombie'' is to the east of Balnacarn, not as shown by Roy to the west. Roy does, however, show a settlement to the east labelled 'Ballintom'. There is clearly something amiss here as the closest settlement to the west of Balintombie should be Balnacarn (see MHG23079), but 'Craskie' (see MHG2593) is shown on the opposite of the burn. The modern farmstead/settlement of Balintombuie (the presumed modern spelling of Roy's 'Ballindumbuy') lies to the east of Balnacarn and is shown at this location on the OS 1st Edition map. Roy also shows another settlement labelled 'Balintom' to the southeast of 'Balnagarn' (Balnacarn), which would actually be the correct postioning if 'Balintom' should actually be 'Balintombuie'. This confusing situation is not helped by Roy's depiction of the larger watercourses that flow from the north and where he places the various settlements in relation to them. Both Roy and the OS 1st Edition (and modern OS) show three. On Roy, the westernmost joins the central one to the north of the various settlements by way of a bend which takes its course eastwards. This is not how they are depicted on later mapping where all three follow their own separate courses southwards. Further, the (former) presence of an eastwards running watercourse is not supported in modern contour rendering. It may have been possible to compare the Roy settlement locations with their modern positions relative to bends in the River Moriston to the south and likewise by other features and settlements including those on the south side of the River. However, it is clear there have been some changes in its course over the years and Roy unhelpfully does not name some of the settlements south of the river. To take a slightly wider area, in a line running from west to east, Roy places settlements in the order 'Tomcraskie', 'Craskie', 'Ballendumbuy', 'Balnagarn' and 'Ballintom'. The OS 1st Edition and modern order would be 'Tomchrasky', 'Craskie', 'Balnacarn' and Balintombuie', with 'Ballintom' unlocated, presuming it existed and wasn't actually supposed to be 'Balintombuie'. The actual location of Balintombuie should not really be in doubt as its name refers to 'Tom Bhuide', a small hill which is located just to the south-southeast of the current farmstead. What is apparent is that Roy has incorrectly depicted the courses of the various burns and the settlements beside them and has transposed the names of at least two settlements and possibly created another where one may not have existed. [IS-L 15/05/2026].

Unfortunately the remains of some of the buildings shown on the OS 1st Edition map and visible in the earlier vertical aerial photographs were subsequently destroyed without record during the construction of two new houses to the west of the current farmstead [IS-L 15/05/2026].

Sources/Archives (3)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 2810 1292 (458m by 330m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH21SE
Civil Parish	URQUHART AND GLENMORISTON
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

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