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Estates in IslaySome history of estates in Islay:
By this time, large pieces of land had been given to tacksmen by wadset mortgage from the Campbells, and the tacksmen then rented farms and crofts to tenants. Gradually Islay's lands were broken away from the main 'Islay' estate, as the tacksmen paid up their wadsets and became the new owners of their land-holdings. Some of these bigger pieces of land- holdings were enlarged over the years as farms and other lands were bought. These large land-holdings eventually became some of the estates which now exist in Islay. The Shawfield Campbells held Islay lands until Walter Frederick Campbell died in 1848, when the estate was declared bankrupt. The Morrison family bought Islay estate by auction in 1852, and have held Islay Estate since then. Nowadays Islay has five main estates who own most of the land on Islay: Ardtalla & Kintour, Dunlossit, Foreland, Islay and Laggan. There isn't much 'rest of the land' outside of the estates, farms and crofts. The RSPB owns farmland at Aoradh and Smaull. Service industries which supply electricity, the public water supply and telecommunications to Islay's households and businesses own relatively small amounts of land in order to deliver these services. (There is no piped gas supply on Islay.) Some Islay businesses own their premises, but many rent from the estates or other owners.
Estates and Farms
Recent legislation (Term & Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990 c.22) has specified new Scottish quarter days as: Candlemas ' 28th February, Whitsun ' 28th May, Lammas ' 28th August, Martinmas ' 28th November. These new quarter days apply to more recently agreed leases unless otherwise stated, and they divide the year into more equal 'quarters'. Estates and Crofts Recent developments on estates Estates as employers Factors/Estate Managers Head Gamekeepers, under-keepers, ghillies, river watchers: harm ground-nesting birds such as pheasant) Stalking and shooting The 'Monarch of the Glen' television series was an entertaining parody of life on a Highland estate. On most estates, the ghillie works under the gamekeeper; he or she is the person who works as a sort of general labourer at the keeper's tasks, and may be in training under the supervision of the keeper. The ghillie may have the task of carrying or transporting shooting equipment out to the hill and for transporting the shot deer back down, traditionally using Highland ponies carrying specially made deer saddles or, more often nowadays, by using some kind of 4WD vehicle. In the 'Monarch'' series the character 'Golly' was in a responsible position on the estate, but was still called the ghillie. While this was fun for a TV show, the wacky character 'Duncan' was more the true ghillie. In Gaelic, ghillie means 'boy, or youth', so the ghillie on an estate is generally a less responsible post. Contact and other details for the estates on Islay: Ardtalla Estates Ltd Offers Contact Details Dunlossit Estate Offers: Contact Details Foreland Estate - Bruichladdich Contact Details
Islay Estates Offers: Contact Details
Laggan Properties Ltd Offers: Contact Details Callumkill Estate Offers: Contact Details
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On farms which are owned by estates and rented to farmers, an annual rent is paid. Islay Estate's farm rents, known as Agricultural Tenancies, are paid in May and November each year. This follows the old custom of paying rents and other debts on the ancient 'quarter days' which were pre-Christian feast days and which now correspond to Christian holy days. These 'settling up' days are still part of the Scottish legal system, and in Scotland the traditional quarter days are referred to as Term Days:
Estate buildings and grounds maintainance is now usually done by Islay or mainland contractors, rather than by permanent employees of the estates, as used to be the case. Taken as a whole, the estates of Islay and their enterprises are together a major employer of Islay people. The main jobs and tasks on estates are:
Deer-stalking is the hunting, the 'creeping up' on an animal to get close enough to it to shoot and kill it, or alternatively, to photograph the wild deer. Modern high-powered rifles with telescopic sights make it easier to shoot deer from a distance. 'Shooting' is done when pheasants are chased by 'beaters' (humans, often with specially trained dogs) through rough ground towards where the waiting 'guns' are standing ready to shoot. Other game birds and duck are shot where they are found. It's the gamekeepers', or on some estates a specialised stalker's job to know where the deer and birds are likely to be. They must closely observe the habits of the animals, and check the weather and wind directions carefully as these affect the animals' movements. In the interests of public safety, estates keep notices on gates leading out to hill ground, stating dates of deer-stalking in the area and giving gamekeepers' phone numbers.
In some areas of mainland Scotland there is a 
Books from Amazon
Norman Newton - Islay guide
A small book, loaded with gorgeous colour pictures of this beautiful Island in the Hebrides. Has a useful Information and Places to visit Guide. Includes a map, distillery info and lots more.
Margaret Storrie - Biography of an Island
Dr Margaret Storrie gives a compreh account about the past and present of Islay. Anyone wishing to learn and understand the history of Islay will find this book fascinating.
Gilbert Carmichael - Old Islay
A lovely book with many pictures from The Old Days on Islay including the distilleries, peat cutting and steamers at Port Ellen
George Robertson - Islay and Jura
George Robertson (Lord Robertson of Port Ellen), has produced an intriguing and, dare I say it, eccentric collection of photographs of his favourite islands Islay and Jura.
Hamish Haswell Smith - The Scottish Islands
Fascinating book dealing with all the beautiful islands Scotland has to offer. A must for the Island Hopper.
