Applecross in maps
3. 18th Century
Blaeu’s atlas, together with some original survey work by John Adair in some parts of Scotland, was used by Herman Moll in a series of maps published in the early 18th century. Applecross, however, remained much as it appeared in 17th century maps. Many maps produced even in the late 18th century were still basically copies of these earlier maps.
Moll 1714
Dorrett
In 1750 however James Dorrett produced a map, giving much more detail of the Applecross area.
Dorret 1750
Very little is known about Dorrett. He was an Englishman, valet to the Duke of Argyll, and was made a burgess of Inverary in 1744. The huge expense involved in producing the map was met by his employer, the Duke.
It is known that Dorrett used new information from Roy's Military Survey, carried out for the government following the Jacobite rising of 1745, in some of his maps. But it is unlikely that Dorrett was able to use it for Applecross because although Roy started his work in 1747, it was confined to the area around Fort Augustus for the first couple of years, and it was not until 1749-50 that the Survey was extended to the rest of northern Scotland.
Dorrett 1750 (detail)
For the first time since ‘Dunra’ and ‘Toir’ were marked in 1595, individual settlements are shown, this time more familiar to today’s inhabitants.
‘Loan Bayne’ is Lonbain
‘Aremeaun’, ‘middle shieling’, is on the hillside to the south-east of Sand
‘K. toun Aplecross’ is at Clachan church
‘Aplecrobs house’
‘Borridale’ – the farm
and ‘Milion’ - Milton
William Roy
The official map produced from Roy’s survey, was kept securely in the King's Royal Library in London because of its strategic and military value. It is the most detailed map of Scotland for the period, and for a long time afterwards, but was never published.
Roy 1747-55
The places marked are: Callakill, Vonebane [Lonbain], Rownamoan, Ben Clachan, Clachan, Coilmor, Water of Applecross. Buildings are indicated in red and fields in yellow.
Roy 1747-55
Marked from north to south are: Applecross, Keppoch, Ashfork [Achicork], Borrodale, Balivulen [Baile Mhuilinn - Milton], Langwell, L Lurg [Loch na Larach(?)], I na Nuy [Eilean nan Naomh], Ard-dow [Ard Dubh], L na Nuag Loch nan Uaighean?], L Dow, L Brae Naich [Loch Braigh an Achaidh], L in Tagart [Lochan an t-Sagairt], Tosgaig, L na Cour, L Ary Alaster [Loch Airigh Alasdair], Row Damue [Rubha na h-Uamha?].
It was not until the early 19th century that the Roy map was first properly seen and used by other mapmakers. This explains why late 18th-century maps of Scotland often reflect a poorer geographical knowledge of the country than Roy’s map. Dorrett’s map was used directly or indirectly for nearly all Scottish maps for the next 40 years.
Robert Campbell, about whom nothing more is known apart from his military rank (Lieutenant), produced a map in 1790 based on Dorrett, but additionally showing a track into Applecross and continuing round the north coast. It also has the interesting detail ‘Foot post to Inverness’ marked just to the east of Loch Carron.
Campbell 1790
Meanwhile, the expert Scottish surveyor, map-maker, and engraver, John Ainslie, had produced a new 9-sheet map of Scotland in 1789.
Ainslie 1789
Ainslie did some of his own survey work and also used the work of other surveyors such as that of Murdoch Mackenzie who prepared charts of parts of the west coast and Western Isles for the Admiralty. However it is not known where Ainslie got his information for the area from Applecross north to Cape Wrath.