Features: Scottish Parishes » Historic Shires » Berwickshire » Whitsome & Hilton

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Location
• Parish Timeline
• Records
• Residents
• Notes

LOCATION

Location Description:

Whitsome and Hilton is a united parish in the Merse district of Berwickshire. It is bounded by Edrom, Hutton, Ladykirk, and Swinton. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).

Shire, District, and Region Timeline:

• Shire: Berwickshire (Before 1707)
• County: Berwick (After 1707)
• District: Berwick (Before 1930)
• Landward District: Middle (1930-1975)
• Region: Borders (1975-1996)
• District: Berwickshire (1975-1996)

Cities, Towns, Villages, and Hamlets:

Dykegatehead, Hilton or Hilltown, Whitsome

PARISH TIMELINE

PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:

• Diocese: St Andrews
• Deanery: Merse

POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:

• Synod: Merse and Teviotdale
• Presbytery: Chirnside

PAROCHIAL OVERVIEW:

The parishes of Whitsome and Hilton were united in 1734.
Whitsome. A church, which stood in the churchyard of Whitsome, was repaired in 1718. Its choir and nave were both thatched. In 1803 a new church was built on the western slope of Hardie's Hill. A chancel was added in 1912, and other improvements were made. A building at Ravenlaw, or Old Newton, was used as a meeting-house by Henry Erskine from 1687 to 1690.
Hilton. Of the church consecrated by David de Bernham on 2 April 1243, only a small fragment is now standing. The parish was united to Whitsome by the Lords Commissioners of Teinds, 19 June 1734. It included the lands of Otterburn, which later was annexed to Longformacus. The parish was in the Presbytery of Duns from Oct 1707 to Oct 1719.

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND CLERGY:

Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.

Whitsome (QO)

Hilton (QO)

(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)

RECORDS

Parochial Registers:

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.

• (1) B. 1724-1819; M. 1782-1822; D. 1784-90
• (2) B. 1820-54; M. 1821-54

(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)

Population:

Statistics from informal and official censuses

• 1755: 399
• 1801: 560
• 1811: 536
• 1821: 661
• 1831: 664
• 1841: 622
• 1861: 640
• 1881: 561
• 1901: 525
• 1911: 492

RESIDENTS

Common Surnames:

Aitchison, Anderson, Dickson, Gibson, Paterson, Russell, Shiel, Simpson, Waddell, Whitehead

Land-owners, teachers, and other professionals:

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.

• John ALLAN, Esq., of New Newton
• Robert BROWN, Esq., of Old Newton
• Charles BUCHAN, Esq., of West Newton
• Robert CHIRNSIDE, of Dykelhead
• John CUNNINGHAM, of Whitsome
• James DICKSON, Esq., of Anton's-Hill and East Newton
• Sir Alexander DON, Bart., of Ravelaw and East-Laws
• Francis Wemyss-Charteris DOUGLAS, Earl of Wemyss
• Anthony FOSTER, Esq., of Tondinfield
• George HAY, Marquis of Tweeddale, of Ravelaw
• Robert HEPBURN, Esq., of Clerkington
• James HERRIOT, Esq., of Herriot Bank
• John HERRIOT, of Whitsome
• John HOGARTH, of Hurdie's-Hill, Hilton, West Vaults, Cantrigg and Deadrigg
• Robert JOHNSTON, Esq., of Hilton
• Wynne JOHNSTONE, Esq., of Wynnefield
• David LOW, Esq., of Laws (Professor of Agriculture in the University of Edinburgh)
• Henry Seymour KER, Esq., of Moriston
• George PURVES, of Myresides
• George TAIT, Esq., of Langrigg, or Longridge
• Henry TROTTER, Esq., of Morton Hall
• John WILSON, Esq., of Whitsome Hill

Other residents:

By the Reverend Mr George Cupples, Minister of Swinton.
"At present, this parish contains in all 590 souls; of which number, 206 are men; 246 women; and 139 children at or about 10 years of age. Any thing like commerce with them consists in the sale of corn, eggs, poultry, &c. to Berwick.

The common people are moderate, sensible, and sober; nor have any of them for these 40 years been charged with a capital crime. Nor do I recollect either riot, violence, or disorder among them. Such as have had an opportunity of a better education, have imbibed it with docility and success."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)

NOTES:

Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 16, p. 348
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 2, Section III, p. 166

See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.