Strathdighty, Mains of Fintry (Mains)
Mains and Strathmartine are two parishes politically united to each other, and lying mutually contiguous, Mains on the east and Strathmartine on the west, near the south-western extremity of Forfarshire. The united parish is bounded by Tealing, Murroes, Dundee, Liff, and Auchterhouse. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Baldovan, Claverhouse, Downfield, Kirkton, Pitempton
Fintry
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The parishes of Mains and Strathmartin were united on 21 November 1792.
Mains, previously Strathdighty. The church of Strathdighty was dedicated to St Ninian. It belonged to the Abbey of Arbroath. There was here a Well of St Ninian.
Strathmartine. The church of this parish was dedicated to St Martin.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Downfield. The parish of Downfield was disjoined from Mains and Strathmartine, 23 February 1912. The church was built in 1893.
Fairmuir. A mission station called Victoria Chapel was opened here in 1899. The parish of Fairmuir was disjoined from St Mary's, Dundee, and Mains and Strathmartine on 20 December 1907.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Mains and Strathmartine (QO)
Strathmartine (QO)
Downfield (QS)
Fairmuir (QS)
(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 |
| 1635-1854 | Mains and Strathmartine | 307 | OPR |
| 1855-1908 | Mains | 307-1 | RD |
| 1855-1908 | Strathmartine | 307-2 | RD |
| 1909-1951 | Mains and Strathmartine | 307 | RD |
| 2009 | Dundee City | 350-353 | RD |
| 2026 | (Mains) Angus Council; Muirhead, Birkhill and Liff Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Strathmartine) Angus Council; Strathmartine 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
Mains: Anderson, Barrie, Brown, Campbell, Christie, Millar, Mitchell, Robertson, Smith, Stewart
Strathmartine: Boyd, Cameron, Gibson, Henderson, Mitchell, Robertson, Ross, Smith, Taylor, Watson
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 Strachan.
"There are 340 souls in the parish. The people in general are quiet, peaceable, and well disposed. In the parish are 2 Antiburghers, and 1 Episcopalian. There is a remarkable alteration to the better, in the dress of the parishioners, since the year 1780."
(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 5, p. 218
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section I, p. 54
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
