THE DAVIDSONS OF ACHINGILLS AND BUCKlES

The farm of Achingills is in the parish of Halkirk.
In 2002 it was owned by Peter & Patricia Williamson

JOHN DAVIDSON, Commissary of Caithness, who died before 1632, had two sons: -

1. William, who, in 1632, was served heir to Samuel Davidson, residing in France, son of the deceased Mr. Archibald Davidson, his cousin-german, in the "Fischill in Thurso"
2. John

1. James, his successor
2. William, who married Janet Scobie. She survived him, and had a liferent of Aimster and Buckies

In 1675 Buckies was occupied by George Davidson, who is mentioned in that year in the decreet at Mey's instance against the heritors and others of Caithness. The family tradition is that he was of the Achingills Davidsons, and if so, he was probably the son of William Davidson, whose widow had the liferent of Buckies and Aimster. In 1682 he was admitted an elder by the Bishop and Session of Thurso. He was succeeded in the farm by his son, William. In 1700 William Davidson married Isabel Campbell, daughter of Alexander Campbell of Comliefoot, her brothers, Donald Campbell in Stainland, chamberlain to Lord Glenorchy, and John Campbell in Comliefoot, being parties to the contract of marriage. James Davidson succeeded his father, William, and he again was succeeded by his son, the late John Davidson, and thus from at least 1675 Buckies has been continuously occupied by the Davidsons.

In the Old Kirk of Thurso, and in the place where once stood the Buckies pew, there is an ancient and handsome gravestone, now embedded in the soil. At the top there are armorial bearings, with the motto "Vivat post funera virtus", and underneath the following inscription: -

Heir lyes ane famous man
Adam Davidsoun Burgess of Inverness, Indweller in Thurso
who departed in June 1587 being 66 yeires of age
And heir lyes Katharine Sinclair his Spous who departed
in May 1592 being 70 yeires of age
Memento Mori