Muirkirk of Kyle
Muirkirk is a parish in the extreme north-east of Kyle, Ayrshire. It comprises the most easterly land in the county. It is bounded on the north and the east by Lanarkshire, and on other sides by the parishes of Auchinleck, Sorn, and Galston. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Glenbuck, Muirkirk
Wellwood
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
Muirkirk was disjoined from Mauchline on 29 July 1631. Its severance was ratified by Act of Parliament on 28 June 1633. For a long time the parish church was commonly known as the Kirk of the Muir. The church of Muirkirk was rebuilt in 1812. There is a mission chapel in the parish at Kames.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Glenbuck. A church was built here in 1881. The parish was disjoined from Muirkirk, 11 December 1882.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Muirkirk (QO)
Glenbuck (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 |
| 1659-1854 | Muirkirk | 607 | OPR |
| 1855-1971 | Muirkirk | 607 | RD |
| 1972-2005 | Muirkirk | 678 | RD |
| 2006-2008 | Muirkirk, East Ayrshire | 678 | RD |
| 2009 | East Ayrshire, Muirkirk | 678 | RD |
| 2026 | East Ayrshire Council; Muirkirk 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
Blyth, Brown, Gibson, Murdoch, Reid, Samson, Smith, Thomson, Wallace, 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 John Sheppard.
"In 1755 the population numbers were rated at 745. When the present minister was admitted in this parish, the number of examinable persons was 447. The increase of men, women, and children, connected with the manufactures, is 532. The whole number of souls, at present may be computed at about 1100.
Nothing very singular distinguishes the people here from those of other parishes of like nature. They are of the ordinary size in general, and of a healthy and robust constitution. Their turn of mind, so far as it is peculiar, is, in a great degree, formed by their situation and manner of life, and they discover a strong attachment to the place of their birth, even when they remove to countries more fruitful and better cultivated. Their chief amusement in winter is curling, or playing stones on smooth ice."
(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 7, p. 598
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 5, Section I, p. 147
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
