Clyne is a parish on the east side of Sutherlandshire. It is bounded on the south-east by the German Ocean (North Sea), and on other sides by the parishes of Loth, Kildonan, Farr, Rogart, and Golspie. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Brora, Inverbrora, Killcholumkill, Killiain, Killmachain, Kilpheadair
Kilcalmkill
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church at Clyne was dedicated to St Aloyne. A prebend of Clyne in the Cathedral of Dornoch was held by the Dean of Caithness. In this parish there were at least four chapels. At Inverbrora, near the church, various fairs were held. They included trysts of St Aloyne and St Peter, a Lady Day Fair in December, a Lammas Fair, and one at Michaelmas.
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 |
| 1782-1854 | Clyne | 45 | OPR |
| 1855-1971 | Clyne | 45 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Clyne | 177 | RD |
| 2009 | Highland, Clyne | 177 | RD |
| 2026 | Highland Council; Brora 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, Grant, Gunn, MacDonald, MacKay, MacLeod, Melville, Murray, Ross, Sutherland
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 Walter Ross.
"Very little industry in manufactures has hitherto been introduced among the inhabitants. Two gentlemen have of late set up a retail shop at Brora. They give out lint to be spun, which is of use throughout this parish and the whole country, employing betwixt 2000 and 3000 spinners. The yarn is sent south to be manufactured. There are joiners, coopers, tailors, weavers, shoemakers, smiths, wheelwrights, (no gardeners) in the parish; but it can hardly be said that any of these carry on business to any great purpose, or live entirely by their craft."
(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 10, p. 297
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 15, Section I, p. 149
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
