What's in a name ?
Like many other church lands throughout the country at that time, some of the possessions described in the Inquest had probably passed into the hands of laymen, but were no doubt restored, as most of the lands specified can be identified among those subsequently belonging to the bishopric.
Those adjoining Glasgow, so far as identified, were situated to the east of the Molendinar Burn. It seems to have been considered unnecessary to mention the site of the Cathedral and Glasgow itself, unless such possessions are included under designations that have not been recognised. All around Glasgow the lands not belonging to the Church seem to have been part of the royal domain, and the whole of that territory was disposed of by King David before the close of his reign.
Rutherglen was erected by him into a royal burgh, with the privilege of trade over a wide district, extending on the west to the River Kelvin, and embracing apparently the town of Glasgow - and that part of'' Perdeyc " which was situated on the east side of the Kelvin. " Perdeyc," which is identified with the modern Partick, was at one time held by the Archdeacon of Glasgow for payment of a silver merk yearly, and it was bestowed by King David upon the Church of St. Kentigern in July, 1136, on the occasion of the dedication of the newly built Cathedral.
The next recorded acquisition of land near Glasgow was that of '' Guven," which the King granted to the Church in 1152." About this time Bishop Herbert, who had succeeded Bishop John in 1147, erected the church of Govan into a prebend of the Cathedral, with an endowment of the islands between Guvan and Perthec, that part of Perthec which King David bestowed on the Church at the dedication, and an additional part of the same lands given to Bishop John at another time. Other lands in the neighbourhood of Glasgow which were acquired by the Church may be briefly enumerated.
In 1165 King Malcolm gave Conclud, perhaps lands additional to those of the same name mentioned in the Inquest? Conclud, Cader, and Badermonock, the two latter being identified with the modern parishes, of Cadder and Old Monkland, and supposed to be included, wholly or partially, in the Inquest, were confirmed by King William between 1165 and 1174. Besides these grants of lands there is a charter whereby William transferred to Bishop Joceline and his successors Gillemachoi of Conclud, with all his children and descendants, a vivid reminder that serfdom was then a reality. King Malcolm, likewise, in recompense" for excesses committed by him against St. Kentigern and his Church,'' granted to the Bishop the lands of " Badlayn," or " Balain," a place which may be identified with the modern " Bedlay."
The several lands thus acquired were latterly known by the collective designation of the barony and regality of Glasgow. New names found in subsequent charters, such as Shedinston, Possele, Kenmore, and Rammishoren, merely imply sub-divisions of land already acquired. Large tracts of land were probably allowed to remain in their natural forest state, but the more fertile parts would be brought into cultivation by the bishops men, whogradually developed into rentallers, paying to the bishops so much in money or produce, and attaining for themselves and their descendants, a right to continued possession on the same terms. considerable distance from the residences of the churchmen, who, along with their dependents, dwelt in the vicinity of the Cathedral.
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