Fala is a united parish on the south-east verge of Edinburghshire and the south-west verge of Haddingtonshire. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Blackshiels, Fala, Fala Dam, Soutra
The parish of Fala and Soutra was situated partly in the county of Edinburgh and partly in the county of Haddington. The parish was placed wholly in the county of Edinburgh. See affected properties and landholders. (1892: Boundary of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government Act, 1889, by Hay Shennan)
The parish of Humbie had a detached part which was at the same time a detached part of the county of Haddington. This detached part has been transferred to the county of Edinburgh and to the parish of Fala and Soutra. See affected properties and landholders. (1892: Boundary of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government Act, 1889, by Hay Shennan)
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
Fala. Previous to the Reformation the church, dedicated to St Modan, belonged to the Preceptory of Ednam. The kirk was in ruins 6 September 1621.
Soutra. The church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and was connected with the Trinity Hospital here, endowed by Malcolm IV about 1164. Previous to the Reformation it was a benefice belonging to the Provostry of the Holy Trinity, Edinburgh. It was annexed to Fala in 1618.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Fala and Soutra (QO)
Soutra (QO)
(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 |
| 1673-1854 | Fala and Soutra | 686 | OPR |
| 1855-1968 | Fala and Soutra | 686 | RD |
| 2009 | Fala and Soutra, Midlothian | 762 | RD |
| 2009 | Midlothian | 762 | RD |
| 2026 | Midlothian Council; Tynewater 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
Brockie, Docherty, Knox, Lees, Purvis, Robertson, Simpson, Swanson, Thomson, 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 Archibald Singers, Minister.
"The number of inhabitants in this parish, which was taken last year (1792) with some accuracy is as follows: 113 men, 119 women, 140 children, total 372. The only village in the parish, is Fala, which consists of a few miserable cottages, and contains about 100 inhabitants, young and old. The only dissenters are the Burgher Seceders.
As no foreign trade of manufactory is carried on in this parish, the inhabitants are mostly employed in agriculture. There are, however, 2 wrights, 1 smith, 1 baker, 3 masons, 3 tailors, and 3 weavers.
The manners of the common people are, in general, rather rough. This particular trait of character is, in some measure, owing to the scarcity of hands, and the high rate of wages, which makes them at once independent and insolent."
(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 10, p. 600
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 1, p. 534
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
