Durris is a parish on the northern border of Kincardineshire. Its north-west corner is about 2 miles from the post-town of Banchory, and its northern boundary is all traced by the River Dee. The parish is bounded by Aberdeenshire, and by the parishes of Maryculter, Fetteresso, Glenbervie, Strachan, and Banchory Ternan. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Durris or Kirkton of Durris
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Durris belonged to the Knights of the Order of the Temple (Knights Templar). It was dedicated to St Comgall of Bangor. Beside the church, St Comgall's Fair was held in May. The parish of Durris was severed from the Presbytery of Fordoun, and added to that of Aberdeen, 14 May 1717. A new church was opened on 17 November 1822.
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 |
| 1716-1854 | Durris | 256 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Durris | 256 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Banchory | 340 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Crathes, Drumoak and Durris 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
Duncan, Fraser, Grant, Mathieson, Milne, Reid, Robertson, Ross, Shepherd, Smith
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 Strachan.
"The present population of the parish is 651. The number of males is 299; the number of females 352. The number of farms is 42. There are no manufacturers, strictly speaking, in the parish. The women and children make a great many hose, but are not fond of spinning lint. There is one Roman Catholic, one Episcopalian; all the rest are of the established church."
(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 3, p. 259
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section II, p. 170
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
