Kirkcudbright-Innertig, Kirkcubert-Invertig
Ballantrae is a parish in the south-western corner of Ayrshire. It is bounded by the Irish sea, Loch Ryan, Wigtownshire, and the parish of Colmonell. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Auchairne, Ballantrae, Big Park, Butters Church, Glen Ap or Glenapp, Glenour, Millburn, Salachan, Shennas
Auchairne, Glenapp
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The old church at Invertig, now ruined, was dedicated to St Cuthbert. It belonged to the Abbey of Crossraguel. In 1604 the church was removed to Ballantrae, and on 28 June 1617 this transference was confirmed by Act of Parliament. On 24 January 1699, the General Assembly removed the parish of Ballantrae from the Presbytery of Ayr to that of Stranraer. At Kirkoswald of Balmacneil, on the lands of Ardstinchar in this parish, there was a Chapel of St Oswald.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Glenapp. This parish was disjoined from Ballantrae, 9 March 1894. The church was built 1849-50, from a bequest dated 14 August 1819 of Mrs Isabella Butter, widow of James Caddell, minister of New Luce.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Ballantrae (QO)
Glenapp (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 |
| 1731-1854 | Ballantrae | 579 | OPR |
| 1855-1971 | Ballantrae | 579 | RD |
| 1972-1985 | Ballantrae | 687 | RD |
| 2009 | South Ayrshire, Girvan | 686 | RD |
| 2026 | South Ayrshire Council; Ballantrae 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
Agnew, Barnes, Brown, Clark, Coulter, Hannah, Millar, Ross, Wilson
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 Donaldson, Minister of the Parish.
"There are 770 in the parish, and of these about 300 are in the village. The inhabitants are lodged in about 190 dwelling houses. One hundred and thirteen of the houses are in what is called the country; the other 77 make the village or town of Ballantrae. The inhabitants of both town and country enjoy the comforts of society, in proportion to their circumstances, in a superior degree to others in similar conditions of life. For the common occasions of life there are weavers, tailors, shoemakers, &c. There are no manufactures in the parish.
There is no person in the parish connected with the law, not even a constable or sheriff's officer, nor has there been any in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. There is no justice of peace in the parish, nor within many miles of it; and the sheriff's court is at the distance of 36 miles. There is no surgeon or physician within a dozen miles, and it is doubtful whether half a dozen such parishes would give bread to one."
(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 1, p. 103
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 5, Section I, p. 415
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
