The Tenantry
Guisachan House
A long abandoned Victorian mansion
In Strathglass, removal of the people on the neighbouring Chisholm estate had largely been completed by the late 1830s. Although some sheep were introduced by the Frasers in 1829, Guisachan appeared to remain much as it had over the preceding centuries. Perhaps, having made a fortune in the West Indies, William Fraser XX laird (d.1829) had no need to follow the same course as his near neighbours. He was however particularly good at advising successive Chisholms as to ways of ‘improving’ their estate at the expense of their tenants.
When Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks purchased Guisachan, a number of his tenants were estate workers, but the majority had their own piece of land that they farmed on their own account. Records show that most rentals were leased for nineteen years from 1845. There were several townships, or settlements, on the estate namely Tomich, Achblair, Balcladaich, Easter Achnaheglish and Wester Achnaheglish. Except for Tomich, where Marjoribanks built his model village, the other townships were cleared of people and the old farms absorbed into an improved Home Farm. Those living in the townships either joined the ranks of the expanding estate workforce or moved elsewhere rather than give up their status as independent farmers. Successive census records show a steady transformation from farmers to agricultural labourers and other occupations pertaining to a sporting estate.
A Committee of the House of Commons was established in 1872 to examine the conduct of landowners with respect to the Highland Clearances. Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks MP was questioned regarding his actions towards his tenants following his purchase of Guisachan. Lord Tweedmouth, when questioned, claimed that he did not evict any of the people. When it was put to him, “Then the tenants went away of their own free will,” Sir Dudley replied, “I must not say so quite. I told them that when they had found other places to go to, I wished to have their farms.”
In 1883, Lord Napier was appointed to chair a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Condition of Crofters and Cottars in the Highlands and Islands. The Commission heard evidence of concerns on several issues, excessively high rents, lack of security of tenure and deprivation of rights of access to land. Much of the evidence was historical going back decades.
One witness who gave evidence was Colin Chisholm a retired customs and excise officer who hailed from Glen Cannich. The main thrust of his evidence related to the earlier Clearances in Strathglass, but he also took the opportunity to challenge the actions of Lord Tweedmouth in his management of the Guisachan estate.
“I recollect a number of warm-hearted, hospitable tenants of small holdings on the estate of Guisachan. So recently as 1855, there were sixteen tenants and six cottars or dependants. They had sixty-two cows, twenty-four horses, and four hundred and twenty sheep among them. But the present proprietor of Guisachan, Lord Tweedmouth, turned every one of them out of their farms, and the land is now virtually in his own hands. In 1851, before his Lordship was elevated to the peerage, he rented Guisachan. In 1854 he bought it. What induced him to buy it was ‘simply the game.’ In order to place his motives beyond doubt, his Lordship added, ‘The scenery is very fine; but it was the game that induced me to purchase it.’”
Without waiting to be invited, Lord Tweedmouth appeared at the next session of the Commission to challenge Colin Chisholm’s evidence. He maintained that when he purchased the estate, the tenants were in a better position than sub-tenants and cottars and his actions were to seek improved conditions for the majority and not the few. He believed that the best course of action was not to renew tenant’s leases, combine their holdings into a large home farm, and instead provide employment as estate workers for all. He also claimed to have rented Kerrow from the Chisholm in order to ensure he could emply everyone.
The model village of Tomich provided housing, still here today after a century and a half, in stark comparison to the poorly built thatched cottages that were the norm. You can see the remains of some of these traditional cottages on our Achblair page. Alexander Mackenzie is quite scathing referring to the “dandy cottages at Tomich, made more for show than convenience,” It might be argued however that the new houses in Tomich must have improved the quality of life for those living in them.
Site Information
SHA Site No:
Site Status: 
Location: NH 2874 2524 Landranger OS 26
Three words: banquets.steer.scam
Period: Modern
Date: 19th Century
Site Owner: Hilton Estate
Open: 24 Hours
Access: Access to grounds, ruin is fenced off for safety
Grade: Easy
Parking: On verges
Notes: Livestock may be present
Location Map
