Wattin
Watten is a parish nearly in the centre of Caithness-shire. It is bounded on the north by Bower, on the east and south-east by Wick, on the south by Latheron, and on the west by Halkirk. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Achavrea, Achay, Achingale, Dunn, North Dun, Scowthal, Watten or Achingale
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Watten was dedicated to St Magnus. A prebend of Watten, in the Chapter of Dornoch Cathedral, belonged to the Archdeacon of Caithness. There were chapels in this parish at North Dun and Scowthal. At Watten were held fairs of St Magnus and St Fumach, and a Rood fair on Roodmas Day.
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 |
| 1714-1854 | Watten | 42 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Watten | 42 | RD |
| 2009 | Highland, Wick | 163 | RD |
| 2026 | Highland Council; Watten 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
Bain, Bruce, Campbell, Gunn, Henderson, MacKay, Munro, Sinclair, Sutherland, Swanson
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 Joseph Taylor, Minister.
"There being neither village nor manufactory within the bounds of this parish, its inhabitants are all employed in the business of farming. Even our tradesmen (of whom there are sufficient numbers of every kind to supply the demands of householders), as well as our servants, betake themselves to that occupation, dividing their time between the labours of the field, and their particular professions. Numbers of both sexes annually leave the place, in hopes of higher wages, and in the belief that better living is to be had elsewhere, than what they are accustomed to at home."
(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 11, p. 259
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 15, Section II, p. 49
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
