Opinion: Charter confirmed Inverness monopoly on foreign imports
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Next month will see the 455th anniversary of the birth of James Charles Stuart, only son of Mary Queen of Scots, later James VI of Scotland and James I of England, Scotland and Ireland – and who would grant Inverness the powers which made it the foremost burgh in the Highlands.
James, who succeeded Elizabeth I – his mother’s executioner – to the three kingdoms, signed the Great Charter, or Golden Charter, of Inverness on January 1, 1592. But because in that era New Year didn’t arrive in Scotland till March 25, it was actually still 1591, making this year the 430th anniversary of the document!
The charter, granted at Holyrood Castle, is now in Inverness Museum and should be a key asset of the forthcoming visitor centre at Inverness Castle. It confirmed all previous charters while extending major new advantages to the burgh.
Its power continues today, with Highland Council using it as the legal basis for Common Good title over land including the Longman and Carse industrial estates, Inverness Town House, Victorian Market, Ness Islands, Cavell Gardens, and the foreshores of Clachnaharry, Longman and South Kessock.
Under the charter, all territories and common lands of burgh were transferred in perpetuity to the Provost, baillies and “community of the burgh”.
Fish was a key part of the local diet and James decreed to the burgh “the water of Ness betwixt the stone called Clachnahagaig and the sea, with all fishings and fishing places as well as salmon and other fish, ports, havens, creeks, privileges, profits and commodities of said water”.
The ancient Clachnahagaig Stone, restored in 2015, stands beside a bench on the canal bank above the Holm Mills weir and marked the burgh boundary.
The charter included “the fishing place of the pool called the Red Pool on the west side of the ferry of Kessock”. It also gave Inverness “all the waters of Kessock and all the landing places on both sides of said ferry” plus authority to ferry “men, cattle, corn, beasts, pack, timber and other goods”.
This authorisation of the Kessock ferry to Inverness rather than Ross-shire was important and the document also confirmed the burgh’s right to have a ferry on Loch Ness where previously Lord Lovat had attempted to impose tolls.
The Inverness monopoly on foreign imports was confirmed with the Charter stressing no unauthorised vessel would be allowed to land wine, salt, timber, fish and other essentials between Tarbat Ness and Inverness.
All ships had to take their merchandise to Inverness harbour to be taxed and unloaded. This caused much dissent and damaged the economies of Fortrose, Tain, Dornoch and Wick. A Leith captain who sold salt at Petty in 1609 had his cargo confiscated under the Charter.
The rights and fees “to every one of the mills of our said burgh, called the King’s mills” were also gifted to Inverness.
Council gained the right “to pasture their goods, pull heather to cast and turn feal, fearn, divots, peats, turf, lime, clay, mortar, stones, and of making all other necessary, profitable things... upon the hills called Craig Phadrick, Caiplach Moor, Davimont and Bogbain”.
James’s document gave Inverness royal approval to hold two markets a week. Goods could be sold to outsiders by the freeman burgesses. This along with the grant of eight fairs a year established wider, sometimes international trading links and is credited with introducing luxury goods to the burgh.
Any trader coming to these fairs from north of Inverness had to pay a levy to the burgh before they could sell their wares – an unpopular tax.
The document reckoned Inverness was “on every side to be environed with great troublesome tribes or clans, tending to the detriment of the Kingdom” – suggesting the mutually advantageous reason for the royal largesse.
James VI became king of Scotland when he was 13 months old and he reigned for an unprecedented 57 years. He became obsessed with pursuing witchcraft as a result of which many people were tortured or killed.
But his Golden Charter remains a key pathway to progress for Inverness.
Sponsored by Ness Castle Lodges.
