Tarland and Migvie is a united parish in the south-west of Kincardine O'Neil division of Aberdeenshire. It comprises four districts, all lying detached from one another. The most important district contains the village of Tarland, and is bounded by Cushnie, Coull, and Logie Coldstone. The second district lies a mile west of the former, and is bounded on the north by Towie, and on all other sides by Logie Coldstone. The third district lies 5½ miles north-west of the village, and is surrounded by Glenbucket, Towie, Logie Coldstone, and Strathdon. The fourth district lies 9 miles west-north-west of the village, and is bounded on the west by Banffshire, and on all other sides by Strathdon. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Tarland
Blelack, Candacraig, Colquoich, Corrachree, Deskrie, Edinglassie, Finzean, Hopewell, Invernan, Melgum, New-Ardgeith, SKellater, Tillypronie
These four parishes (Logie Coldstone, Strathdon, Tarland and Migvie, and Towie) form a group, and can best be dealt with together.
The parish of Strathdon had a detached part in Glenkindie, bounded on the east by the parish of Towie and on the west by the parish of Glenbucket. This detached part was so situated as to separate a part of the parish of Towie at Glencuie from the rest of that parish. In the case of these two detached parts these defects have been cured by transferring the detached part of Strathdon to Towie, thus uniting the detached part of Towie with the main portion of that parish.
The parish of Tarland and Migvie had three detached parts. Tarland and Migvie detached No. 1 was situated at Deskry, and had the parish of Strathdon on the west and the parish of Towie on the east. Tarland and Migvie detached No. 2, situated at Migvie, was bounded on the north by the parish of Towie and elsewhere by the parish of Logie-Coldstone. Tarland and Migvie detached No. 3 was almost entirely surrounded by the parish of Strathdon. Detached No. 3 was transferred to Strathdon; Tarland and Migvie detached No. 1 was divided between Strathdon and Towie, Strathdon receiving the part situated on the left bank of the Deskry, and Towie receiving the remainder; and Tarland and Migvie detached No. 2 was transferred to the parish of Logie-Coldstone. The north-east corner of Logie-Coldstone was transferred to Tarland and Migvie.
See affected properties and landholders. (1892: Boundary of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government Act, 1889, by Hay Shennan)
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The parishes of Tarland and Migvie were united early in the seventeenth century. There is a church in each parish.
Tarland. The church of Tarland was dedicated to St Mathulach. It belonged to the Priory of St Andrews. A fair of St Luag was held at Tarland.
Migvie. The church of Migvie was dedicated to St Finan. It belonged to the Priory of St Andrews. A fair of St Finan was held at Migvie.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Corgarff. A mission was set up at Corgarff in 1740. Sir Charles Forbes of Newe, Bart., built a new chapel and a manse for the mission in 1834. The parish of Corgarff was disjoined from Strathdon and Tarland, 9 March 1874. A fair of St Machar was long held at Corgarff.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Tarland and Migvie (QO)
Corgarff (QS)
(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 |
| 1764-1854 | Tarland and Migvie | 242 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Tarland and Migvie | 242 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Aboyne | 330 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Cromar Community Council | ||
(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, Esson, Forbes, Gordon, Milne, Reid, Skene, Smith, Thomson, Troup
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 William Maitland.
"With regard to the population of the parish, no distinct account can be given, as no register of births, deaths, or marriages has ever been, or can be exactly kept, owing to the distance of several parts of the united charge to the place of the minister's residence.
In the parishes of Tarland and Migvie, exclusive of that part of Tarland in Strathdon, there may be about 50 or 54 farms; some of larger and some of lesser extent; some possessed by one, and others by two tenants, each of whom have from 2 to 3, and some 4 or 5 subtenants; and about a dozen of smaller possessions occupied only by one tenant. The only branches of manufacture in this country are the spinning linen yarn, and knitting hose. These bring a great deal of money into the country; by which the greatest part of the poorer families are supported, and enabled to pay the rents of their houses and small crofts of land.
There is nothing remarkable in the characters or dispositions of the people. They are generally of the ordinary size; and not at all deficient in hospitality."
(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 6, p. 222
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 839
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
