Guthrie is a parish in the Sidlaw district of Forfarshire. The parish is inconveniently divided into two parts, one of which lies 6 miles south-west of the other. The northern part is bounded by Aberlemno, Farnell, Kirkden, Kinnell, and Rescobie. All its southern boundary is traced by the Lunan Water. The southern division of the parish is bounded by Inverarity, Dunnichen, Carmyllie, and Monikie. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Guthrie, Holemill, Kirkton, Pickerton
Middleton House
The parish of Dunnichen had a detached part situated at Dumbarrow, almost surrounded by the parish of Kirkden. The parish of Guthrie had a detached part situated at Kirkbuddo, and bounded by the parishes of Carmyllie, Dunnichen, Inverarity, and Monikie. The parish of Kirkden had a detached part situated at Middleton-moor, and bounded on the west and south by the parish of Guthrie, and elsewhere by the parish of Kinnell and a small detached part of the parish of Farnell. The detached part of Dunnichen was transferred to Kirkden, the detached part of Kirkden to Guthrie, and the detached part of Guthrie to Inverarity. 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:
The parishes of Guthrie and Carbuddo were united in the sixteenth century.
Guthrie. The church of Guthrie was dedicated to St Mary. It belonged to the Abbey of Arbroath. A collegiate foundation was granted to Guthrie in 1479 by Sir David Guthrie of that ilk and it was confirmed by Sir Alexander Guthrie in 1497.
Carbuddo. The church of the rectory of Carbuddo, dedicated to St Buit, was a mensal kirk of Guthrie. The parish is sometimes called Kirkbuddo.
(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 |
| 1664-1854 | Guthrie | 291 | OPR |
| 1855-1960 | Guthrie | 291 | RD |
| 1961-1968 | Kirkden, Kinnell and Guthrie | 298 | RD |
| 2009 | Angus, Arbroath | 369 | RD |
| 2026 | Angus Council; Royal Burgh of Arbroath 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
Black, Cameron, Dorward, Horne, Nicoll, Ogilvie, Paterson, Taylor, Whitton, Williamson
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 William Milligan, Minister of Kirkden*.
"The people, almost without exception are sober, industrious and contented; and a few excepted, all belong to the Established Church. By a particular enumeration, taken in 1792, the number, ages, and professions of the inhabitants appeared to be as follows: Males, 196; females 275; Total, 571. There were 76 families, 14 farmers, 17 weavers, 5 tailors, 2 shoemakers, 1 smith, 1 cooper, 2 wrights, 2 merchants, 1 brewer, 2 retailers of liquors, 50 male servants, 33 female servants, 11 tradesmen's servants, and 2 apprentices."
* This account was drawn up by Mr Milligan, at the desire of Mr Thomas Craig, minister of Guthrie, who has been settled in that district for 39 years; but, being prevented by indisposition, from drawing up the account himself, requested Mr Milligan to take the trouble of doing it.
(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 8, p. 329
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section I, p. 489
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
