18th Century Scottish Monetary Symbol

[USCRx]

What amount of money is being described by the red arrow in this 1798 Berwickshire, Scotland document?

[Henry7]

Looks like 33 shillings to me. 

Before decimalisation 33/- would have been seen as thirty-three shillings - £1 13s. 

[USCRx]

Thanks. It would've been the amount/acre charged to rent a farm in the Borders area. Does that sound reasonable?

[Rosinish]

Prior to seeing Henry's reply, I saw it as 33/ = 33 Shillings as there's no £ sign.

However, is the rental amount yearly?

I had a look at some Croft Rental Rolls for 1839 (earliest I have) almost 40 yrs later & the costs varied (by size I assume) between £5. 5. 0. & £10. 5. 0. which included a Croft House.

There were 20 shillings to the £ (pound) i.e. in 1839, £5. 5. 0. = 105/ = 105 Shillings.

I'll let you decide on whether that works out accordingly! 

Annie

[GR2]

Prior to seeing Henry's reply, I saw it as 33/ = 33 Shillings as there's no £ sign.

However, is the rental amount yearly?

I had a look at some Croft Rental Rolls for 1839 (earliest I have) almost 40 yrs later & the costs varied (by size I assume) between £5. 5. 0. & £10. 5. 0. which included a Croft House.

There were 20 shillings to the £ (pound) i.e. in 1839, £5. 5. 0. = 105/ = 105 Shillings.

I'll let you decide on whether that works out accordingly! 

Annie

Note that the 33/- in the document is not for the whole lease, but the rent per acre.

[Rosinish]

Note that the 33/- in the document is not for the whole lease, but the rent per acre.

Yes, I did, hence no way of attempting to work it out.

I''m wondering though, would the rental cost depend on what the land was being used for e.g. for cattle/sheep grazing or growing vegetables, wheat, barley etc?

Annie

[USCRx]

The land described is Crowbut Farm, located in the immediate vicinity of the village of Chirnside, Scottish Borders. The document is showing a dispute between the owner of the farm and the tenant. The tenant is said to agree to occupy the houses, grass and turnip land of the farm. If anyone knows what the land was used for in the 18th century, I'd love to hear about it. The attached page is further on in the document, and the red arrow now points to a calculated rent, based on how many acres are occupied. What, specifically is this amount? Thanks!

[Rena]

The mention of "turnips" means the quality of the soil was good enough to grow crops unlike pastureland which was and is used to grow grass for animal feed.

I like turnips but mainly they're grolwn to feed cattle.

The Chirnside GENUKI webpage states that the soil was of the best quality thus the owner of the land would expect to receive high rents.

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/BEW/Chirnside

[GR2]

The rent is fifty seven pounds eight shillings and fourpence halfpenny. The total acreage includes the part of the farm where the houses and farm buildings are (the onstead). As this cannot be cultivated or grazed, the landlord has worked out the area occupied by them and reduced the overall rent by eleven shillings and eleven pence, making the total rent charged fifty six pounds sixteen shillings and fivepence halfpenny.

Here is an account of Chirnside in 1795:

https://stataccscot.edina.ac.uk/static/statacc/dist/viewer/osa-vol14-Parish_record_for_Chirnside_in_the_county_of_Berwick_in_volume_14_of_account_1/osa-vol14-p1-parish-berwick-chirnside?search=chirnside