Ceres, Fife, Scotland Genealogy

Ceres #415

History
This parish contains five separate villages. The most extensive is Ceres from which the parish takes its name. The second largest is named Cragrothie and the third is Chance Inn. Coaltown was once a thriving village inhabited by colliers. The name Ceres is found in ancient records written Siris, Cyres, Cyrus, Cires and Ceres. The beautiful and useful river Eden runs along the north-west of the parish for the space of a mile and a half. It once abounded with excellent trout, but their numbers are now greatly diminished. Freestone and whinstone abound in the parish and there are several quarries. Coal and limestone are also found in the parish though the coal is not worked.

The parish in the past appears to have been made up of a number of distinct baronies. Ceres is a burgh of barony but is not yet chartered. Craigrothie has the privileges of a chartered burgh. There are three fine ruins in the parish. The population of the parish in 1755 was 2540, in 1793 was 2320, in 1831 was 2762, and by 1837 was close to 3000. The increase is due to several manufacturers in the parish, including looms and mills. The town of Cupar is so near to Ceres that the latter has few shopkeepers for venders.

There are 8000 acres of land in the parish of which about half is in pasture, slightly less is in tillage, and the rest is woods and moor. There is a great number of cattle fed for the market. Pork is also raised for the London market. Corn and potatoes are grown in abundance. The weekly market is in Cupar. There are two annual markets or fairs held in the village of Ceres. There is an abundant supply of good coal in the area and it is the cheapest fuel. There number of inns may be about 25. Their corrupting influence has not hitherto been very general.

A considerable part of the east end of the parish belonged formerly to the parish of St. Andress and about the year 1620 was annexed to Ceres. The present church was built in 1806. It seats 1300. There are also two Dissenter meeting-houses in the village of Ceres, one for the Associate Congregation of Antiburgher Seceders, which was built in 1744, and the other for the Presbytery of Relief. There are about 86 families in the parish attached to the Relief Church and about the same number to the Secession.

There is one parochial school, one Secession school, and three contribution schools, besides the schools at Piscottie and Tarvit Mills. There are also two females schools and one or two small private schools. The parochial school-house was built new in 1836 by the heritors and can accommodate 200 scholars. The school-house in Craigrothie was built by subscription in 1806. From 60 to 70 attend there. There are a couple of small libraries in the parish.

The above extract was taken from the account written in November 1837.

Source: The New Statistical Account of Scotland for Aberdeenshire. FHL book 941 B4sa, 2nd series, vol. 1; 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 are intermixed with marriages and deaths, burials, until 1644 and recorded in parallel columns of the same pages from 1645–1817, after which three separate records are kept. There are no entries January 1644–March 1645 and December 1646–March 1649. Marriages: Same as births above. Deaths: Same as births above. There are no entries May 1655–January 1708. After January 1817 deaths are recorded. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FHL British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Various Minutes 1644–1697, 1700–1717, 1740–1857 Cash Books 1700–1710, 1740–1757, 1783–1801, 1819–1851 Poor Fund Accounts 1835–1844 Note: Available at St. Andrews University Library, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, record CH2/65.

Ceres West United Presbyterian Church
History— The persons of Ceres who became Seceders at the origin of the Secession formed themselves into a praying society, which became part of an association that had previously existed in the district. They first traveled to Abernethy for worship. They later organized into a separate congregation for East Fife in 1738. When in 1740 there was opposition to the settlement of a new parish minister in Ceres, between 30 and 40 persons left the Established Church and applied to the Associate Presbytery to be recognized in connection it, and were received. Thus the Seceders in the Ceres district received supply of sermon. The following year an elder of the parish, along with a number of the parishioners, also joined the Secession congregation. In a short time the congregation at Ceres embraced residents from 32 parishes, extending from the Forth on the south to the Tay on the north, and from St. Andrews in the east to the Lomond Hills on the west. The congregation took possession of a place of worship in 1744. The majority of the congregation adhered to the General Associate Anti-burgher Synod at the Breach in 1747. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records—                                                                          FHL Film Number  Baptismal Register 1738–1806, 1808, 1836–37, 1858–1891      1482999 Another copy to 1837                                                             0304670 item 6    X Session Minutes 1738–1748                                                   1482999 Accounts 1738–1771, 1781–1863                                            1482999 Other: Accounts 1771–1833 Note: Available at St. Andrews University Library, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, record CH3/54. The X means the record has been extracted.

Ceres East Relief Presbyterian Church
History— When members of the West congregation differed over the selection of a new minister after 1793, those in sympathy with the man not chosen withdrew from the congregation and applied to the Relief Presbytery of Dysart to be taken under their inspection, which was granted in 1798. A church was built that same year.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records— The extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Ceres Free Church
History— This congregation was formed at the Disruption in 1843. At first public worship was held in a wooden structure; but before long a substantial church and manse were erected. The congregation suffered from decay of the weaving industry and also. Membership: 1848, 214; 1900, 92. 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—                                                   FHL Film Number  Baptismal Register 1877–1894                        1485042 item 1 Various Minutes 1844–1909                            1484199 item 2-6 Deacon’s Court Account Book 1847–1876        1484199 item 2-6 Communion Rolls 1852–1903                          1484199 item 2-6