Kellin
Carnbee is a parish in the south-east of Fife. It is entirely inland yet reaches within 1¼ mile or less of the Firth of Forth. It is bounded by the parishes of Cameron, Dunino, Crail, Kilrenny, Anstruther Wester, Pittenweem, Abercrombie, and Kilconquhar. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Arncroach, Balcormo, Balhouffie, Balmakin, Balmonth, Belliston, Carnbee, Clephanton, Comielaw, Easter Kellie, Falside, Gillingshill, Hurlmakin, Inch, Langside, Lochty, Nether Lochty, Ovenstone, South Baldutho, Wester Kellie
Kellie
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Carnbee belonged to the Abbey of Dunfermline. The present building was erected in 1793. (1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
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 |
| 1646-1854 | Carnbee | 413 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Carnbee | 413 | RD |
| 2009 | Fife, East Neuk | 414 | RD |
| 2026 | Fife Council; Carnbee and Arncroach 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
Anderson, Balfour, Bayne, Gray, Henderson, Laing, Mackie, Smith, Webster, 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 Alexander Brodie.
"At present the number of souls is 1041, of whom 502 are males and 539 are females. There are 82 men-servants, and 50 women servants, 5 wrights, 8 smiths, 15 weavers, 9 tailors, 3 masons, and 32 farmers.
There are 4 respectable families of the Episcopal persuasion; also 6 families who attend an Antiburgher meeting, and about 50 more who join themselves to the Kirk of Relief; but when they have no sermon there, they commonly attend the Established Church.
The parishioners are in general a sober and industrious people, religiously disposed, and mind their own affairs. In the last age, when smuggling was carried to a great length in this neighbourhood, many of the farmers and others were, by various means, induced to give assistance to the smugglers, in carrying away and disposing of vast quantities of foreign spirits, which had a very bad effect upon their health and morals. Happily, however, that illicit trade is in a great measure abandoned, and the farmers, with their servants, now employ themselves to much better purpose in improving their lands."
(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 13, p. 23
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 9, Section I, p. 913
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
