Alford is a parish in the south-west of the district of Alford, Aberdeenshire. It is bounded by the parishes of Tullynessle, Keig, Tough, Cushnie, and Auchindoir and Kearn. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Aidgethen, Alford, Bandley, Buckie, Gallowhill, Kirkton, Meiklendovie
Haughton
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Alford was dedicated to St Andrew. It belonged to the Priory of Monymusk. A Fair of St Andrew was held at Alford.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Parish registers turned over to the Registrar-General, as a result of the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Scotland) Act of 1854. The letters B. D. and M. indicate Births (or Baptisms), Deaths (or Burials), and Marriages (or Proclamations of Banns) respectively. Numbers indicate separate volumes or books. Note: These records are by no means complete or without damage; consult the Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland (1872) to learn more about the condition of the records.
| OPR and RD Numbers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date Range | Name | Number | Type |
| 1717-1854 | Alford | 171 | OPR |
| 1855-1893 | Alford | 171 | RD |
| 1894-1967 | Alford | 171a | RD |
| 1894-1967 | Ardallie | 171b* | RD |
| 1968-1971 | Alford | 171 | RD |
| 1972-2000 | Alford | 326 | RD |
| 1972-2000 | Sauchen | 327 | RD |
| 2001-2003 | Alford and Sauchen | 326 | RD |
| 2004-2004 | Alford, Sauchen and Strathdon | 326 | RD |
| 2005-2006 | Alford | 326 | RD |
| 2007-2009 | Aberdeenshire, Alford | 326 | RD |
| 2026 | (Alford) Aberdeenshire Council; Donside Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Sauchen) Aberdeenshire Council; Cluny, Midmar & Monymusk Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Ardallie) Aberdeenshire Council; Deer Community Council | ||
* Ardallie was disjoined from Cruden, Ellon, Longside, and Old Deer parishes in 1862.
(2009: Parishes and Registration Districts of Scotland - Old and New, National Records of Scotland)
Local community councils (2026) are provided as a potential source of additional information for settlements within the original boundaries of the parish. (Source)
Statistics from informal and official censuses
Anderson, Berry, Forbes, Mitchell, Murray, Nicol, Reid, Smith, Stewart, Taylor
Note: Names appearing in research materials, other than censuses. Simple names (First name, surname only) have been omitted unless they appear associated with large properties. All women's names, and men's names with occupations, military ranks, or peerage titles are included.
By the Reverend Mr Thomas Birnie.
"The number of souls is 663; of these there are 310 males and 353 females. Of artificers there are in the parish, 2 masons, 9 joiners, wrights, coopers, and turners, two of whom make a variety of musical instruments without any education for that purpose; 6 weavers, 3 blacksmiths, 10 tailors, 6 country merchants, 4 millers, and 2 dyers; but they all have small possession of land to support them as well as their trade.
The only manufacture in this county worth mentioning, is that of knitting stockings, which has been long established in Aberdeenshire. The country part of the manufacture, is carried on entirely by women, to whom the wool is delivered out by the Aberdeen stocking merchants, who have fixed stations over the country, for giving out wool, receiving stockings, and reckoning with those whom they employ.
In their general character, the people are well entitled to commendation, for an obliging hospitable disposition, for their religious conduct, and regular attendance of divine worship, and for having laid aside that quarrelsome temper which once prevailed, without adopting in its stead the spirit of litigiousness that has succeeded it in many places; but candour must acknowledge, though they possess in general a laudable economy, they have not yet fully acquired those habits of labour and industry, that have bettered the condition of the lower classes of people, in other parts of Scotland; an acquisition which must always and every where be gradual in its beginnings, and which it is hoped, a few years will hasten on in this country."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)
Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 15, p. 447
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 485
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
