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 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. Ibid. (1592), (1892), 118/1. The haill skatt of the uthail land within the said yle baith butter and wadmell. Ibid. (1609), 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 1/2 den. lie utalandis nuncupat. Ibid., 757/2. 24 den. kingisland et udailland in dicta villa. Ibid. (1649), 769/2. Towmale of uddalland vocat. Skegebuster.
1664. in Gifford, Descr. Zetland (1886), 65. The lands called Udell-lands, lying within the said earldom. Ibid. (1707), 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 sb. (sometimes in contrast to ‘royal’). Obs.
1584. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 264/1. Cum … scattis terrarum regalium et outhell de Southerbie … et owthell de Nolland. 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 sbs., 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. Ibid. (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.
