OLD KINTYRE
ROADS.
F. S. Mackenna, M.A, F.S.A.
An Act of 1669 'for repairing Highways and Bridges' gave authority to Justices 'to conveen at the heid burgh of the shyre upon the first Tuisday of May yearly' in order to deal with the upkeep of existing roads, bridges and ferries, and to set in motion whatever was necessary for the provision of new lines of highway, etc. To this end 'all tennents and coaters and their servants...... to have in readiness horses, carts, sleds, spades, shovels, picks, mattocks and such other instruments as shall be required for repairing the saids highways...........'
This enactment did not meet with the expected continuity of compliance and even in 1730 there are frequent reports of dissatisfaction. Fines for neglect of the requirements were instituted, and in 1733 we find the Bailie of Lergie, John Campbell of Lossit and Neil McNeill of Uggadil each paying their ten-shilling fines, and likewise Malcolm McNeill of Carskey paying £5. Dugald Campbell of Glensaddil was fined a like sum, but it remained unpaid owing to his death. Angus Campbell of Skipnidge paid only £4.12.O. of his fine. In other parts of Argyll the proportion of non-payers was higher, some being termed 'desperat', meaning hopeless. The relative prosperity of the Kintyre communities no doubt provided the reason for this lesser number of defaulters.
In 1730 also there was a stent of six pennies (Scots) on each merkland, to provide sets of tools for the roadmenders. One set was allocated to 'Kilcolmonel' and one to 'Carradil and Saddile'. There is no mention of the requirements of roads nearer Campbeltown and the Mull.
The roads were to be at least nine feet wide, and where the ground was boggy it was to be covered with branches or heather tied into bundles, making a layer three feet deep; over this was to be a two-foot layer of stone, and lastly eighteen inches of gravel, all raised in the centre and with a ditch on either side. Where the track lay through 'cornland' the tenants were to be warned not to throw stones or earth on to it. Work began at 6 a.m. in July and finished between 6 and 7 at night; in October the hours were 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Until 1757 most of the road work was carried out by persons responsible for this statute labour, and hardships were common. For instance Colonsay men were required to give their services in North Knapdale, and Gigha men had to work in South Knapdale. As the squads were often large their support could impose a severe strain on the resources of the community they were serving, and it was sometimes necessary for them to bring a proportion of their requirements with them ' .........the poor people were obliged for their support to carry their Muttons and Lambs there on their backs, which they rmight have saved if allowed to work at home....... ' It was often found that bad weather, combined with ill-directed labour and inexperience, left the roads worse then before.
In 1756 it became possible for statute labour to be compounded monetarily, so that others might be employed on the work. This was well received, and in 1757 the Kintyre total was £68.7.2. (the highest of all in the Argyll areas). In 1760 an option was conceded of two days' work and eight pence payment.
One constant problem lay in the qualities of the surveyors and overseers, who tended to owe their appointment more to their local standing than to their aptitude, so in 1754 steps were taken to remedy this by means of official nominations. Those for Kintyre were:- Colin Campbell of Skipness, Dugald Campbe1l of Achachrossan, the Baillie of Kintyre, Neil MacNei1 of Ugadale, Lachlan McNeill of Kilchrist and Archd. McNeill of Carskey. But by 1773 things were again unsatisfactory, and it was only in 1775 that the district began to function as a local government unit, continuing thus until the Road Trustees' functions were vested in the County Council in 1890.
The Act of 1755 provided for the preferential treatment of certain main roads, one of them being the Post Road from Inveraray to Campbeltown down the west side of Kintyre. The most troublesome section was that which traversed the high ground at Sliabhgaoil, between Ardrishaig and Tarbert, so it was decided to build a new road along the loch-side.
These special roads were to be a full twenty feet wide, and even the secondary ones were subjected to a new degree of care. In 1776 the Kintyre Trustees decreed that the East Side road 'as far as carried on shall be finished in a workmanlike manner, and not in a paultry slovenly manner, and that it shall be Twenty feet broad of a lasting permanent road'.
In earlier days the Commissioners of Supply were not empowered to borrow money which would have allowed them to deal simultaneously with considerable stretches of road, so local landowners occasionally came to their aid. Col. Charles Campbell of Barbreck undertook to complete the road from Ballochageichan to Campbeltown at his own expense over a few years and to delay recovery of his outlay over approximately twelve years.
However 1775 saw an Act which made provision for borrowing and the situation was much alleviated, and by 1800, when this Act expired, most of the main roads had been completed and attention could be directed towards dealing with lesser highways.
Our main source of information on these matters lies in the Minutes of the Commissioners of Supply, and some which relate to Kintyre between 1748 and 1770 will be of interest. Most of these extracts have been summarised for brevity and clarity, but the original text is given in others.
7 July 1748. Committee named to contract for the bridges of Erines in Slevegoyle, Camblain, Altinacraive in Kintyre and the Water of Inverliever.
22 June 1749. 'The Meeting appoints...... That the inhabitants of the parish of Kilcheynich north of Clenghart to Crubasdil Wster with the Inhabitants of Barr Glen work upon the Road leading from Barrbridge towards Ronadil in Carradill, And that Lachlan McNeill in Kilmaluag and Archibald McTavish in Achadadourie and Neil McGill in Amod be overseers. And as there is a New Road leading thorow a Mountain The Meeting Recommends it to Mr. Thomson, Minister there, Neal McNeal. of Ugadil and the Baillie of Kintyre and others of the Neighbouring Surveyors to view the said Moor and Stake out the Most proper Lines before the people begin to Work.'
22 May 1754. 'The Meeting appoints.....That the Inhabitants of the lands of Aird, Ronadil, & Duppin in Glencaradill, in place of the usual Work on the high roads, do work three days this Season in making a Key at the Ferry of Aird Under the Inspection of Dugald Campbell, late of Lochransay & Hector Campbell his brother.'
2 May 1759. 'There was a Petition given in to the Meeting from the Tennants of Glenbreckry in Kintyre Shewing That the Highroad leading from the Maoll of Kintyre to Campbeltown thro' a bad Muir called Sliavnabodiry is in great need of Repair being for a long time neglected and now was almost impassable, And craving it might please the Meeting to appoint them to work on the said Road till the same is passable. Which being considered by the Meeting, They Recommended to Sanda, Surveyor of Southend Parish, to view the said Road and to have such regard to the Petition as may be most beneficia1 to the Countrey in General. 'Petition for a bridge over 'the Water of Cloanaig' in Kintyre.'
1 May 1761. ref. to an abuse committed by the tenants of Kilmorie and Killean, Kintyre, through ploughing the road planned.
1 May 1762. The bridge over the Burn of Camibeltown to be rebuilt-
the carters of Campbeltown to work on the road towards the Salt Pans.
A new line of road to be laid out to Southend
Kirk - tenants to be forbidden to plongh it up.
4 May 1763. £50 10s for two bridges on
the Water of Clachan.
The carters belonging to
the tacksman of the Coal-works to work on the road from Campbeltown to the
Salt Pans.
The Provost of Campbeltown to lay
out money on repairing the road to the Coal-hill.
2 May 1764. The road to the Coalworks, Campbeltown, to be repaired.
1May 1765. ref. to repairing the road from Campbeltown to the
Salt Pans.
The Meeting appoint that herds above
16 years of age shall be called to work on the road or pay like others.
12 June 1766. The report by the Surveyor of the High Roads in Gigha accepted, with a rider that the Meeting 'are ready to doubt the truth of the Report' - a committee appointed to investigate.
1 May 1769. Proposals for finishing the road from Ballochageachan to Campbeltown (see ante.)
Final1y there is an amusing entry for 30th September 1776;- "The Meeting appoint Mr. Lachlan MacNeill to make a lasting permanent Road Sixteen feet Broad from the Publick road to his House at his own expence that he may have more Opportunities of shewing his wonted Hospitality to his Friends and to finish the said road with all convenient speed."
(The writer gratefu1ly acknowledges the help of Mr. Murdo MacDonald, the Archivist, in the matter of Extracts from Minutes.)
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