Thanks for the replies RJ & DD.
Greatly appreciated.
The writing is indeed old, and scriptive.
However, very precise/clear.
[Done by a legal scribe - an Ecuyer Royale!]
Definitely a "C" and not a "D" at the start of the word.
So, "Doagh" is eliminated.
[Shame, 'cos our man is stated quite clearly in a separate document as being of (nearby) "Ballycraigy" in Co. Antrim - no designation of Parish or Townland being mentioned.]
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We consulted our local Oracle at Broughshane.
"We are looking for a man at Crough".
"Never heard of it, but Clough is about 4 miles North of here.
Was his name CRAWFORD?"
"Er, yes!"
Scary!!
Apparently the McDONNELLs built a castle at CLough to overlook the Bann Valley, and put a Capt. CRAWFORD in charge.
[Presumably back in the 17thC.]
He, and his ilk, obviously did OK.
The graveyard there is half-full of CRAWFORDs!
So, suspect that Clough is indeed the answer.
The "de la Date" proceedings in the Royal Court in Guernsey were conducted verbally, with a transcription written down by the Court officials. They may have "misheard" the Ulster accent, recording "Clough" as "Crough".
[Perhaps Mr. CRAWFORD mentioned that he hailed from near a mountain that St. Patrick had climbed ... so they assumed Croagh instead of Slemish!]
The Castle at Clough in Co. Down seems to have survived the years a tad better than the one in Co. Antrim ...
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However, a slight doubt remains ....
Clough is NOT a Parish (nor even a townland);
The Court were sticklers for recording inheritance facts, as honed by the island's laws over centuries.
A person's inheritances and, more importantly debts, were strictly transported around the family tree as necessary.
Heirs (and their issue) were made liable if preceeding members in the hierarchy (including parents) defaulted.
Importantly the liability was "Pour leur hoirs pour jamais".
[For their heirs for ever!]
There were lots of lovely Co. Antrim folks there in the 19thC, either as soldiers or as stone masons in the St. Sampson quarries (whose products faced many of London's buildings).
So, if you had ancestors present there at any time, just make sure that they did indeed clear all of their obligations to anyone before you visit.
Otherwise you might end up spending more time at the Constable's Office and the Royal Court than you planned!
[Helping to create new records, rather than consulting old ones.]
Capt. Jock
