Lochwinnoch is a parish on the south border of Renfrewshire. It is bounded by Ayrshire, and by the parishes of Kilmacolm, Kilbarchan, Abbey-Paisley, and Neilston. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Beltrees, Bridgend, Burnfoot, Castle SEmple, Hollow Wood, Hollowwood, or Howwood, Lochwinnoch, Newton of Beltrees
Barr, Castle SEmple, Garthland, Lochside
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Lochwinnoch belonged to the Abbey of Paisley. It was dedicated to St Gwinoch. In 1504 John, first Lord Sempill, built in this parish St Mary's Collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch, now a ruin. Lochwinnoch church was rebuilt in 1806.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Howwood. The General Assembly granted a constitution to a chapel here called Elliotstoun on 28 May 1838. It was rebuilt in 1858. The parish was disjoined from Lochwinnoch and Kilbarchan by the Court of Teinds, 15 July 1904.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Lochwinnoch (QO)
Howwood (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 |
| 1718-1854 | Lochwinnoch | 570 | OPR |
| 1855-1952 | Lochwinnoch | 570 | RD |
| 2009 | Renfrewshire, Johnstone | 644 | RD |
| 2026 | Renfrewshire Council; Lochwinnoch 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, Crawford, Greenlees, Jamieson, Kerr, Love, Orr, Smith, Wilson, Wylie
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 James Steven, Minister.
"In 1791 there were 1289 males, and 1324 females in the parish, total 2613, in 557 families. In the village there were 557 males, and 557 females, 1114 total inhabitants; in the country, 732 males, and 767 females, 1499 total.
There were 148 farmers, 380 employed in the cotton mills, 135 weavers, 19 tailors, 14 shoemakers, 2 grocers, 2 bakers, 2 butchers, 39 wrights, 17 masons, 31 smiths, 2 surgeons, and 14 ale-sellers.
The greater part of the inhabitants attend the established church, and there are not above 100 Seceders, Burghers, &c. in the parish."
(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 15, p. 65
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 7, Section I, p. 74
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
