Kiltearn and Lemlair
Kiltearn is a parish in Ross-shire. It is bounded on the south-east by the Firth of Cromarty, and on other sides by the parishes of Dingwall, Fodderty, Contin, Lochbroom, and Alness. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Ardullie, Auchterneed, Balconie, Culnasgiach, Drummond, Evanton, Kilchoan, Kiltearn, Mountgerald, Swordale
Balconie
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The parishes of Kiltearn and Lemlair were united about 1618.
Kiltearn. The church was dedicated to Our Lord, whence comes its name, Cill Thighearn, or the Lord's Church. There were within the bounds four chapels. Two of these were at Balconie, St Monans, and St Ninians. One stood at Culnasgiach, and the other at Wester-Fowlis. There was also in this parish a Well of St Colmog.
Lemlair. Lemlair was a prebend of the Cathedral of Fortrose. Its church was dedicated to St Mary, but there had been an older dedication to St Bride. At Kilchoan, in this parish, there was a chapel of St Coan.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Kiltearn (QO)
Lemlair (QO)
(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 |
| 1702-1854 | Kiltearn | 70 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Kiltearn | 70 | RD |
| 2009 | Highland, Dingwall and Carnoch | 196 | RD |
| 2026 | Highland Council; Kiltearn 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
Campbell, Fraser, MacDonald, Mackenzie, MacLean, MacRae, Matheson, Munro, Ross, Urquhart
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 Harry Robertson.
"It is well known, that in many parts of Scotland, particularly in the north, every district is inhabited chiefly by some one particular tribe or clan. So it is in this country. The name of Ross prevails in the east, Mackenzie in the west, and Munro in the middle district.
There are in this parish 3 blacksmiths, 15 masons and slaters, 8 joiners and coopers, 4 cart-wrights, 6 weavers, 1 dyer, 8 tailors, 9 shoemakers, 3 millers, 4 shopkeepers, 36 apprentices, and 1 bleacher. We may observe, that, as the above number of mechanics cannot be supposed to find constant employment in the parish, they work occasionally in the neighbourhood, and employ their leisure hours in cultivating their small lots of land, where potatoes are always the staple crop."
(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 1, p. 259
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 14, Section II, p. 313
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
