Looking north from Strathdon church.
Lost on the left, Ledmacay in the centre
Ledmacay or Ledmacoy
| John Forbes towards the end of the 17th century was Laird of the estates of Ledmacay, Belnabodach and Invernettie, which together included nearly all of Glen Nochty. At his death these three properties were inherited by his three sons separately, and he attempted to leave the benefit of the wadset (mortgage) on Corriebreck and Blairnamuick to his wife and his daughters Helen, Violet and Diana. But Violet had died by 1700, and Helen and Diana Forbes soon afterwards disponed their inheritances to their brothers John and William respectively. | |
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Looking north from Strathdon church. Lost on the left, Ledmacay in the centre |
On 21 June 1622 the Earl of Mar granted a charter of the lands of Ledmacoy, Glencarvie, and others in favour of Arthur Forbes. [Information from Charles Christie’s ‘Stray Memories of Strathdon’ 1938].
The Valuation of 1667 shows Jon Forbes of Ledmacoy valuation £344-3-8.
After this John Forbes of Invernettie, Ledmacoy and Belnabodach died in 1684, Ledmacoy passed to his third son John (Cess Roll).
The Poll book of 1696 shows a valuation of £330 for Ledmacoy (of which £200 is payable by John Forbes of Invernettie) and lists John Forbes of Ledmacoy and his wife and son William and daughter Elizabeth, his servant Duncan Baine (fee £10 per annum) and tenants William McConnach and his wife, John Muriesone (unmarried) and his mother, William Steid and his wife, William Tayleor and his wife, William Watsone and his wife, and Alexander Watsone (unmarried)
The Bond of 1699 for Peaceable Behaviour under John fforbes of Ledmacay lists John Muilson in Ledmacay, Lachlan ffard in Tornagrivan (Tornagawn), James Muilon in Ledmacay and Al. Dounie, servt to Ledmacay.
The only surviving son of John Forbes who inherited Ledmacay in 1685 was Nathaniel Forbes who married Isobel Forbes, sister of John Forbes of Bellabeg. Index to Aberdeenshire Testaments shows Nathaniel Forbes of Ledmacay at 15 July 1728. Nathaniel's only son George, later baker in Aberdeen, married Anna Michie in 1747. According to 'Clan Farquharson' 2005, Anna was the youngest of the 'Five Maidens of Rippachie', daughters of James Michie of Rippachie (died 1752) and Elizabeth Copland. By 1762 this George Forbes possessed Ledmacoy, which in 1772 he sold to his uncle, John Forbes of Bellabeg [Aberdeen University MS 3402 Bundle 25] .
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By this time Ledmacay was tenanted in at least three parts: the farm of Ledmacay (as seen above) and
Coull of Ledmacay (seen here in June 2001) stands in the coull, gorge or gulley, higher than but downstream of the farm of Ledmacay. |
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and Howe of Ledmacay (seen here in June 2001) stands in the howe or hollow near - indeed very near - to Nochty Water, lower than but upstream of the farm of Ledmacay. |
In 1781 the above John Forbes of Bellabeg disponed the town and lands of Ledmacay and Tornagawn including Haugh and Cummerton in favour of his creditors. In 1783 these creditors resigned these lands to the same John Forbes and his elder son Revd George Forbes on assurances from John Forbes' second son, John Forbes of Bombay, to whom the lands were disponed in 1784. [Aberdeen University MS 3402 Bundle 29].
In 1801 a Rental of the Estate of New (sic) included Tornagawn (tenants Robert Mortimer and James Anderson), How (William Ogg), Ledmacay (Den & James Donds), Coull of Ledmacay (Peter McRobie) and Cummerton (Peter Brebar).
In 1887 a Plan of the Lands of Newe (McDonald Collection 023014 at 25 inch scale) shows Ledmacay (tenant Alexr Beattie), Cummerton (John Beattie), Parkhouse (Jessie Anderson), Coull of Ledmacay (James Grassick), Howe (George Kerr) and Tornagawn (Harry Thomson),