Hobkirk is a parish in the district of Teviotdale, Roxburghshire. It is bounded by Cavers, Bedrule, Southdean, Castleton, Teviothead, and Kirkton. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Bonchester, Bonchester Bridge, Cleuch Head, Hobkirk, Kirkton
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
Hobkirk. Hobkirk, previously called Hopekirk, belonged to the Abbey of Jedburgh. The church was restored in 1914.
Abbotrule. Abbotrule was joined for a time to Bedrule. This parish was severed from it in 1777. A large portion of Abbotrule was then annexed to Southdean, and the remainder was united to Hobkirk. Till the middle of the twelfth century the name of the parish was Rule Hervey. It was then granted to the Abbey of Jedburgh, and thenceforward called Abbotrule.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Hobkirk (QO)
Abbotrule (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 |
| 1726-1854 | Hobkirk | 790 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Hobkirk | 790 | RD |
| 2009 | Scottish Borders, Hawick | 823 | RD |
| 2026 | Scottish Borders Council; Hobkirk 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
Bell, Easton, Elliot, Laidlaw, Murray, Scott, Taylor, Thomson, Walker, Waugh
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 John Riccalton.
"The parish at present contains about 700 souls. The number of males and females are nearly equal. The number of souls under 10 years of age is 150. There are 147 houses in the parish.
The number of farmers in the parish is 32, and that of their servants, 127. The number of handicraftsmen is 27, with 6 apprentices. There is only one woollen manufacturer. None have been under the necessity of leaving the parish for want of employment; nor have any emigrated from it, farther than to the neighbouring towns or parishes. None have ever perished for want, nor have any been guilty of capital crimes, or even of those more petty offences which are punished by banishment.
The people in general are of a strong robust make, and a good complexion. The greatest height of stature any of them attain, is 6 feet 2 inches."
(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. 311
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 3, Section I, p. 208
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
