Tarves is a parish in the Ellon district of Aberdeenshire. It is bounded by Methlick, New Deer, Ellon, Udny, Bourtrie, Meldrum, and Fyvie. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Craigdam, Tarves
Tolquhon
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Tarves was dedicated to St Englat. It belonged to the Abbey of Arbroath. There was a chapel of St John within the bounds at Ythsie and chapels at Aquhorthies and Schivas.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Barthol Chapel. At the place now called Barthol Chapel there was of old a chapel of St Bartholomew belonging to the Abbey of Arbroath. Mary, Countess of Aberdeen, built a church here, which opened 16 August 1875, as a memorial of her son, George, 6th Earl of Aberdeen, he having been lost at sea in 1870. His brother and successor, John, the 7th Earl, afterward first Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair, gifted a manse to the Mission, and also contributed largely towards its endowment, with the result that the Parish of Barthol Chapel was disjoined from Tarves, Fyvie, Methlick, and Meldrum, on 17 January 1876.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Tarves (QO)
Barthol Chapel (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 |
| 1695-1854 | Tarves | 243 | OPR |
| 1855-1971 | Tarves | 243 | RD |
| 1972-2005 | Tarves | 315 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Ellon | 316 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Tarves 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, Burr, Clark, Davidson, Duncan, Gray, Mitchell, Morrison, Robertson, Smith
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 Mitchell.
"The population in 1792 was 1690 of whom there are 698 males and 892 females. The productions of the parish are barley, oats, peas, turnips, and potatoes. It does much more than supply itself with provisions. The grain is generally sold at Aberdeen, or at Newburgh, for exportation; the butter, cheese, and poultry, at Aberdeen."
(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 5, p. 309
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 667
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
