udal
(ˈjuːdəl)
Forms: α. 6 outhale, 6–7 outhell, owthell, 7 owthall; 6 uthall, -ail, 6–7 -ale, 7 -el. β. 6–7 owdaill, 6– udal, 7 udail, udell, uddal, utal.
[Orkney and Shetland form of Norw. odal, odel, ON. óðal odal.]
1. attrib. a. udal land or udal lands, land(s) in Orkney or Shetland held by the old native form of freehold tenure.
| α ? 1502 in Peterkin Rentals Orkney (1820) i. 6 Tankarnes xij d terre uthall land. 1576 in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. (1890) 479/2 The said James outhale landis of Gartht, lyand within the parochin of Stronnes, Menland of Orknay. 1592 Ibid. (1892) 118/1 The haill skatt of the uthail land within the said yle baith butter and wadmell. 1609 Ibid. 129/1 Et omnium lie owthall-landis in dicto rentali content. |
| β 1576 Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 488 Being heretour of the udall land of the Yle of Gairsay in Orknay. 1633 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 757/1, 11/4 den. ex antiquo lie kingisland et ½ den. lie utalandis nuncupat. Ibid. 757/2, 24 den. kingisland et udailland in dicta villa. 1649 Ibid. 769/2 Towmale of uddalland vocat. Skegebuster. 1664 in Gifford Descr. Zetland (1886) 65 The lands called Udell-lands lying within the said earldom. 1707 Ibid. 68 Sundry isles,..udell-lands, and other lands. 1795 Statist. Acc. Scot. XV. 393 Some of the udal lands pay a small proportion of yearly rent to the King, and to the kirk. 1805 G. Barry Hist. Orkney Isl. ii. v. 219 These udal or allodial lands are directly opposed to fees or feus. 1884 Scotsman 26 July 3/1 Two Merks and One-Half Merk Udal Land. |
† b. Placed after the
n. (sometimes in contrast to ‘royal’).
Obs.| 1584 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 264/1 Cum..scattis terrarum regalium et outhell de Southerbie..et owthell de Noltland. Ibid., Cum scattis..terrarum regalium et owdaill de Sandweik. 1602 in A. Peterkin Notes Orkney & Zetl. (1822) App. 40 The richt and tytil of 6 mark land uthel, lyand in the town of Gruting. 1627 in Peterkin Rentals Orkney (1820) iii. 45 Lynais is ane d. land outhell. |
c. With other
ns., as
men,
right,
tenure, etc.
| c 1500 in A. Peterkin Orkney & Zetl. (1822) 88 The uthale men. 1587 in Edinb. Antiq. Mag. (1849) 60 He hes Reft and spulzeit diuerss of the uthallmen and heretors..of Orknay and Zetland of yair proper heritaige. 1669 in Peterkin Orkney & Zetl. (1822) 190 That their udal right may be sustained valid in all tyme coming. a 1688 J. Wallace Descr. Orkney (1693) 94 Udall-lands, such as are possessed by the Udall-right, a possession the natives have successively without either Charter or Seasin. 1750 in Hibbert Descr. Shetl. Isl. (1822) 192 The udalmen were likewise called Rothmen or Roythmen; that is, self-holders. 1765–8 Erskine Inst. Law Scot. ii. iii. §18 The udal right of the stewartry of Orkney and Zetland is of the same nature. 1793 Statist. Acc. Scot. VII. 239 There are three kinds of tenure of lands in Scotland... Thirdly, the Udal, being a right compleat without writing. 1805 G. Barry Hist. Orkney Isl. ii. v. 219 The laws by which this udal property was inherited, sold, redeemed, or transmitted from one person to another. 1814 Scott Diary 4 August in Lockhart, The Udal proprietors have ceased to exist, yet proper feudal tenures seem ill understood. 1821 ― Pirate xix, The wide Udal possessions of their father..were divided betwixt the brothers. 1909 J. Gunn Orkney Bk. 110 In Scotland land was held according to the feudal system, in Orkney according to the udal system. |
2. The form of freehold tenure characteristic of Orkney and Shetland; land held in this way.
| 1588 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 547/1 To be haldin..off our soverane lord..in fie, heretage, frie uthall and blensche for evir. 1750 in Hibbert Descr. Shetl. Isl. (1822) 192 Their udals, at this day, are not transmitted like other lands, but with the..compleat propriety and demesne of the subject. |