Barr is a parish in the south-east of Carrick, Ayrshire. It is bounded by Kirkcudbrightshire, and by the parishes of Straiton, Dailly, Colmonell, and Girvan. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Barr, Craigheads
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The parish of Barr was disjoined from Dailly, Girvan, and Colmonell, in 1653. At Kirkdominie in the parish there was a Chapel of the Holy Trinity, with a Holy Well. Here was held annually the Fair of Kirkdominie, sometimes vulgarly called Kirkdamdie Fair. The fair day was Trinity Sunday, but was changed in Protestant times to the last Sunday of May.
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 |
| 1689-1854 | Barr | 580 | OPR |
| 1855-1968 | Barr | 580 | RD |
| 2009 | South Ayrshire, Girvan | 686 | RD |
| 2026 | South Ayrshire Council; Barr 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
Allan, Caldwell, Campbell, Drummond, Gunning, Kennedy, Kirkland, Laing, Seaton, 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 Stephen Young.
"Of the inhabitants at present there are 750, of whom 115 are under 8 years of age; males 386, females 364. Of mechanics, there are 2 millers, 5 blacksmiths, 12 weavers, 6 masons, 3 carpenters, 2 shoemakers, 5 tailors, 5 innkeepers. Of farmers 46; there are many more farms in the parish; some individual farmers hold some 2, others 3, 4, or 5 farms. There is one Seceder."
(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 12, p. 81
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 5, Section I, p. 407
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
