Golspie, Sutherland, Scotland Genealogy

Parish # 51

History
The name of this parish is, in the Gaelic language, pronounced ''Goishbee. ''Situated in the maritime parts of the Highlands, the parish has, like many other places, and in all probability, received its name from the ancient northern invaders, who for a time were possessors of these parts. The ancient name of the parish was Culmallie, denoting that the church or chapel had been dedicated to some tutelary saint. The parish is bounded on the north by the parishes of Rogart and Clyne; on the east by the latter and the Moray Frith; on the south by that firth; and on the west by the small inlet, which bears the name of Little Ferry, and the stream called Fleet.

In this parish there is, strictly speaking, no town, and the nearest market-town is Tain, a distance of about twenty miles. There is however a village, bearing the name of the parish.

Like other maritime parishes in the Highlands, Golspie appears to have, in ancient times, been invaded, and possessed, for a period, by foreign northern nations. By far the most prominent and interesting part of its history relates to the eminent characters that have been connected with it.

Her Grace the Duchess of Sutherland, who, with the other members of her family, often reside in this parish. The thanes of Sutherland first received the title of earls from Malcolm Canmore, King of Scotland, A.D. 1031. Her Grace Elizabeth, the present Countess, is the twenty-third representative of this ancient family, and a lineal descendant of Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland. The family of Kilcalmkill is a very old family of this parish. This family derives its descent from Adam Gordon, Dean of Caithness. Also among these eminent persons connected with this parish, by birth, is Sir Hector Munro of Novar who was born at Clayside in 1727.

The Duke and Duchess Countess of Sutherland are the sole owners of the land in the parish; and by the late purchase of the Reay country, they have become owners of nearly the whole county.

Since the census in 1821, there is an increase in the population up upwards of a hundred; which has been occasioned by the increased comforts of the working-classes, arising from employment on the large farms, and in the various works, such as buildings and roads, carried on in the county.

The earliest entry in the parochial register here is 29th December 1789. The register is at present regularly and carefully kept. The parish church is situated about in the middle of the parish, and so near the sea, that the glebe only intervenes. The situation is convenient for the parishioners; the village, which contains from a third to a half of the population, being in its immediate vicinity.

This account was written March 1833, and revised September 1834.

Source: New statistical Account of Scotland, FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2, vol. 15.

Also available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages under ‘For non-subscribers,’ then search for the parish report.

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index available on computers at the Family History Library and family history centers. The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: Registers are incomplete 1756–1785. Families are occasionally recorded in groups after 1776. There is a duplicate of entries in volume 1 to February 1817. Marriages: There are no entries May 1799–January 1807 and May 1807–August 1810, seven entries after 1815 and no record 1817–1825. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1731–1756, 1776 Contributions for Support of Government 1798 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/615.

Golspie United Free Church
History— At the Disruption the people adhering to the Free Church in the parish were put under the care of two neighboring ministers. They worshiped in a chapel belonging to Abbey Close congregation, Paisley, which was made over to the Free Church. The charge was sanctioned in 1845, when a church was in course of erection. Membership: 1855, 500; 1900, 370. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source, including ministers.

Records— No known pre–1855 records.

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