Kincardine, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Parish # 71

History
The name of this parish is of Celtic origin, being derived from Cinn-na’n-Airdean, signifying the extremities of the heights: several lofty ranges of hills coming to a termination here. The parish of Kincardine is partly in the county of Ross, and partly in the county of Cromarty.

There is no market-town in the parish; the nearest in Tain, which is thirteen miles from the church of Kincardine.

The first era to which reference can be made in the history of this parish, is the fourteenth century, in which the battle of Tuiteam-Tarbhach took place. This was also known as the Battle of Tuttim-Tawach in which a Scottish clan battle fought between the Clan MacLeod of Lewis against the Clan MacKay in the year of 1406.

The clan Ross, as far back as tradition goes, were the proprietors and inhabitants of this district. They still retain three-fourths of the property in the parish, and are by much the most prevalent name in it. The landed proprietors of this parish, who are all non-resident, are: Sir Charles W. A. Ross, Bart. of Balnagown; Hugh A.J. Munro, Esq. of Novar; John Hay Mackenzie, Esq. of Cromartie; George Ross, Esq. of Pitcalnie, the chief of the Rosses; William Robertson, Esq. of Kindeace; His Grace the Duke of Sutherland; Robert Ross, Esq. of Invercarron; and Sir Hugh Munro, Bart. of Foulis.

The earliest census of the population of this parish, so far as is now known was 1755 and the population at that time was 1743 people. In 1790, there were about 1600 persons, and by 1831 there were 1887 people living in the parish.

Sheep-farming was introduced in the parish by Sir John Lockhart Ross of Balnagown, and now there are large numbers grazing the land.

The parish church is situated within a mile of the eastern extremity of the parish; its situation is of inconvenience for the bulk of the population, its distance from the western extremity being no less than thirty-four miles. It was built in 1799, and affords accommodation for 600 persons; but it is too small for the congregation that usually attend. The sittings in the church have been divided by the heritors according to their valued rents, and the tenants on their estates have free access to them. There are no seat-rents.

The register of baptisms and marriages commences about forty-three years ago, the date of the earliest entry being August 21, 1797, since which period it has been regularly kept. It consists of two volumes; the dates of births have not been kept in the first, but commence with the second volume, in May 1804. The minutes of the Kirk-session of Kincardine commence on the 21st of May 1804, previous to this date, no records of the session exist. There is no register of deaths of burials.

This account was written August 1840.

Source: New Statistical Account of Scotland, FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2, vol. 14.

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: Births and marriages are intermixed, otherwise they were regularly kept. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1804–1819, 1825, 1830, 1851 Minutes and Accounts 1845–1855 Heritors Minute’s 1844–1854 Other post-1855 records Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1356.

Kincardine Free Church
History— The minister of the parish, and his congregation adhered to the Free Church at the Disruption. They worshiped in a shed erected near the parish church. About 1849 a church was built at Gledfield and a manse was erected at Lower Gledfield. Membership: 1859, 420; 2900, 42. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source, including ministers.

Records— The extent of records is unknown.

Return to Ross &amp; Cromarty parish list.