Banchory-Devenick is a parish divided into two parts by the River Dee, this being the boundary between Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire, that part of the parish which lies on the north side of the river is in the former county, and that on the south side in the latter. The part of the parish in Aberdeenshire is bounded on the east by the parish of Old Machar, on the north by Newhills, and on the west by Peterculter. The Kincardineshire part is bounded on the east by the parish of Nigg, and by the German Ocean (North Sea) for about 3 miles, on the south by Fetteresso parish, and on the west by Fetteresso and Maryculter. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Downies, Findon or Finnan, Hillside, Portlethen
Ardo, Auchlee
This parish (Banchory-Devenick) was situated partly in the county of Aberdeen and partly in the county of Kincardine. No change was made in the county boundary, but the Aberdeenshire part of the parish was transferred to the Aberdeenshire parish of Peterculter. Thus the parish of Banchory-Devenick now consists simply of the Kincardineshire part of the old parish. 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:
In or about 887 St Deavanach was buried at Banchory. To him, in later times, the church of this parish was dedicated. Banchory-Devenick was a prebend of Aberdeen.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Craigiebuckler. Craigiebuckler Church was opened in February 1883. The parish of Craigiebuckler was disjoined from St Machar's, Banchory-Devenick, Peterculter, Newhills, and Rubislaw, 15 March 1886. Its erection and endowment were due to the generosity of John C. Couper of Craigiebuckler.
Cults. The parish of Cults was disjoined from Banchory-Devenick, Peterculter, and Craigiebuckler on 13 March 1896.
Mannofield. The parish of Mannofield was disjoined from Holburn and Banchory-Devenick on 13 March 1882.
Portlethen. The parish of Portlethen was disjoined from Banchory-Devenick on 25 June 1856. The modern church was erected in 1843 on the site of a chapel built in 1633 by Robert Buchan.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Banchory Devenick (QO)
Craigiebuckler (QS)
Cults (QS)
Mannofield (QS)
Portlethen (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 |
| 1713-1854 | Banchory Devenick | 251 | OPR |
| 1855-1859 | Banchory Devenick | 251 | RD |
| 1860-1931 | Banchory Devenick | 251-1 | RD |
| 1860-1931 | Portlethen | 251-2 | RD |
| 1860-1891 | Cults | 251-3 | RD |
| 1932-1967 | Portlethen | 251 | RD |
| 1972-1975 | Nigg and Banchory Devenick | 341 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeen City | 300 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Banchory 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
Craig, Duncan, Leiper, Main, Reid, Robertson, Smith, Taylor, Walker, Wood
Note: Names appearing in research materials, other than censuses. Simple names (First name, surname only) have been omitted unless they appear as owner/proprietor of large properties. All women's names, and men's names with occupations, military ranks, or peerage titles are included.
By the Reverend Mr George Morison.
"The population at present amounts to about 1700. Of these 1700, no more than 744 are males, which leaves 956 females. I suppose this disproportion will be found to be greatest in the country parishes in the vicinity of large towns."
(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 4, p. 450
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section II, p. 178
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
