Kyraem
Kirkcolm is a parish in the extreme north of the Rhinns district of Wigtownshire. It is bounded on the west and north by the Irish Sea, on the east by Loch Ryan, and on the south by the parish of Leswalt. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Dhuloch, Ervie, Kirkcolm, Portencalzie, Weirston
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Kirkcolm belonged to the Abbey of Sweetheart. It was dedicated to St Columba, and near it is St Colum's Well. There were four chapels in the parish: St Bride's at Kirkbride, St Cuthbert's at Killiecuddican, St Donan's at Kildonan, and St Mary's at Kilmorie, beside which is St Mary's Well.
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 |
| 1779-1854 | Kirkcolm | 887 | OPR |
| 1855-1966 | Kirkcolm | 887 | RD |
| 2009 | Dumfries and Galloway, Stranraer | 870 | RD |
| 2026 | Dumfries and Galloway Council; Kirkcolm 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
Agnew, Campbell, Drysdale, Hamilton, Hannah, Kerr, Murray, Rennie, Ross, Wallace
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 M'Culloch.
"The population of this district is 945; of these there are 518 males, and 427 females; there are 298 under 10 years of age, of both sexes.
Till within these three years, there was not the least vestige of a village in the parish; but, since that time, about 30 houses, contiguous to each other, have been built. They are, in general, inhabited by tradesmen, but some of them by common day-labourers. Unfortunately, however, more than one third of these houses may be called gin, or rather whisky shops, as they all sell that pernicious liquor. What effects this must have upon the morals of the people, not only in the village, but in the neighourhood, may be easily foreseen."
(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 2, p. 46
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 4, Section III, p. 102
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
