This Charter 833 is noted in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland and is dated 18th January 1598. It tells of the Kings permission for the sale of land from the Dunbars of Enterkin to Walter Stuart of Minto, Commendator of Blantyre. The land in question was that which belonged to the Priory.
Walter had been made a Scottish Peer and been given the new title of Lord Blantyre. The remarkable document written in Latin, tells of the purchase of the dissolved Priory itself and associated lands, including some names which you may recognise today. The existence of this charter confirms these Blantyre Parish names were in circulation at least in the 16th Century.
Birdisfield (Birdsfield)
Bellisfield (Bellsfield)
Sides (Sydes Brae)
Maines of Blantyre (Old Mains)
Preistisfeild (Priestfield)
Preiestisfeildcroft (Back Priestfield)
Mylnehauch (Millheugh)
Barnehill (Barnhill)
Auchinraith
Baithous (Boathouse)
Blantyr-ferme
Bairdisdykis (Bardykes)
Park and Auchintiber
Lyiklyock (Laighlyock)
Holynebarnis (Holmbarn)
Mochludge (Muiredge)
The sale of this land, included that below and above (mineral rights and anything on the land) and also included rivers and streams, the wildlife and fish.
The welcomed title would have been appreciated, but Walter would have known he was buying land with a population living on it of no more than a couple of hundred people. He would have found these tiny population clusters wide apart and spread out, the positioning of them, almost in disarray.
