Langrigg introduction


	Langrig, Langrigg, Longrig, Longridge. The farm is described in the Statistical Account as " a long narrow strip of land, consisting of 155 acres Scots measure, or 186 English. It is low but well improved and skillfully cultivated as it has very long been he occupation of the proprietor". Ownership of the farm gave a vote for a Member of Parliament. At the end of the 18th century, when the Statistical Account was written, the Langrigg farmhouse was the only one that the author considered worthy of note. Like other farms in the parish, Langrigg does not appear on some of the earliest maps including those by Gordon and Bleau, but it was certainly in existence at the end of the 17th century since it is mentioned in the "List of Hearths" prepared in March 1694 for the Hearth Tax. The 17th century farm was obviously small, with only a single cottar (called Taitt, no forename given) listed as working for the owner. Other farms on the list have as many as 6 or 7 workers listed.


	Langrig introduction The pre-census people The post census people The Taits of Langrigg


	Ownership. Langrigg is remarkable among the Whitsome farms because of its continuity of ownership. In the 1694 "List of Hearths" , the owner is shown as Robert Ruchead. From then until 1945/6,the farm was owned by the Tait family, as follows: (their birth years are shown to give a sense of time since it's not always clear when they died). The farm passed between siblings several times. James (1684), Joseph (1730), Williams (1732), George (1765), James (1769), James (1816), James (1851), David (1855), Margaret (1861). As will be seen, continuity was further maintained by their habit of letting the farm to members of the family.


	Langrigg farmhouse (left) is now Ravelaw farmhouse as the farms have been merged. It's now an excellent B&B--I stayed there when I went to photograph the burial ground.