Alyth
Alyth is a parish partly in Forfarshire, but chiefly in Perthshire. It is bounded by the parishes of Glenisla, Airlie, Ruthven, Meigle, Bendochy, Blairgowrie, Rattray, and Kirkmichael. The river Isla separates it from Airlie and Meigle, and the Ericht or Blackwater separates it from Bendochy and Kirkmichael. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Alyth, Lynchat
(1) Whereas each of the parishes of Alyth, Coupar-Angus, and Liff, Benvie and Invergowrie is situated partly in the county of Forfar and partly in the county of Perth:
I. So much of the parish of Alyth as is situated in the county of Forfar, shall cease to be part of that county and shall form part of the county of Perth.
II. So much of the parish of Coupar-Angus as is situated in the county of Forfar shall cease to be part of that county, and shall form part of the county of Perth.
III. So much of the parish of Liff, Benvie and Invergowrie as is situated in the county of Perth shall cease to be part of that county, and shall form part of the county of Forfar.
IV. The parish of Fowlis Easter shall cease to be part of the county of Perth and shall form part of the county of Forfar.
V. The parish of Fowlis Easter shall form part of the Dundee district of the county of Forfar for the purposes of the Acts regulating the licensing of public-houses in Scotland.
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)
(2) The parish of Alyth was situated partly in the county of Forfar and partly in the county of Perth. It has been placed wholly in the county of Perth. 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:
Alyth. The ancient church of Alyth was dedicated to St Luag. The parish was a prebend of Dunkeld. Very near the church was a chapel of St Ninian. A fair of St Luag was held at Alyth. A new church was built in 1839.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Kilry. The parish of Kilry was disjoined from Glenisla, Lintrathen, and Alyth on 14th July 1879.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Alyth (QO)
Kilry (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 |
| 1623-1854 | Alyth | 328 | OPR |
| 1855-1870 | Alyth | 328 | RD |
| 1871-1968 | Alyth | 328a | RD |
| 1871-1968 | Ardoch | 328b | RD |
| 1894-1968 | Arngask | 328c | RD |
| 2009 | (Alyth) Perth and Kinross, Blairgowrie | 381 | RD |
| 2009 | (Ardoch) Perth and Kinross, Auchterarder | 395 | RD |
| 2009 | (Arngask) Perth and Kinross, Perth | 390 | RD |
| 2026 | (Alyth) Perth and Kinross Council; Alyth Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Ardoch) Perth and Kinross Council; Braco and Greenloaning Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Arngask) Perth and Kinross Council; Glenfarg 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, Brown, Ferguson, Fleming, Galloway, Mitchell, Murray, Robertson, Smith, Stewart
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 Colin Symers.
"The number of inhabitants in the whole parish is 2723; of whom 1060 are in the village, 943 in the lower district, and 720 in the upper district. The number of inhabitants in the village is almost doubled since 1774. At that time they amounted to 555; now they are increased to 1060. The numbers in the country part of the parish have diminished more than 200 in the last 15 years.
The inhabitants are sober and industrious, and regular attendants on public worship: With the improvement of their outward condition, they are more liberal and humane in their sentiments and dispositions. The fruits of industry appear in their dress and manner of living. Mean cottages are exchanged for more comfortable habitations, and those who before found it difficult, with all their labour, to produce the necessaries of life, now enjoy many of its comforts and conveniences."
(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 6, p. 397
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 10, p. 1110
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
