Kennethmont is a parish on the western border of the district of Garioch in Aberdeenshire. It is bounded by Gartly, Insch, Leslie, Clatt, and Rhynie. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Kennethmont
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The parishes of Kennethmont and Rathmureal were united in or about 1630.
Kennethmont. The church of Kennethmont was dedicated in early times to St Alkmund, but there was a later dedication to St Rule. This church belonged to the Abbey of Lindores. It obtained a collegiate endowment. Kennethmont had a fair of St Rule. There was in the parish a Well of St John.
Rathmureal. The church of Rathmureal was dedicated to St Muriel. At a late date we find the charge called Christ's Kirk, and it is likely there was a change of dedication. The church belonged to the Abbey of Lindores. This parish long continued to hold a very popular tryst of a singular kind. It was called Christ's Fair, and was held in May from sunset to sunrise. Hence it got the name of the "Sleepy Market." In 1794 this was changed to a daytime fair, but the alteration seemed to take away the motive of gathering. It was poorly attended for a few years, and then given up altogether.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Kennethmont (QO)
Rathmureal (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 |
| 1728-1854 | Kennethmont | 212 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Kennethmont | 212 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Insch | 318 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Tap O'Noth 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, Fraser, MacDonald, Mackie, Milne, Mitchell, Morrison, Reid, Robertson, Thomson
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 George Donaldson, formerly Minister of Kennethmont, now of Rathven.
"In February 1791, there were 360 males and 442 females; in all 810. In June 1792 there were 358 males and 472 females; in all 830. There are 4 shopkeepers, 3 smiths, 2 masons, 5 tailors, 4 house carpenters, 4 weavers, 4 wheel and plough-wrights, 3 shoemakers, 3 millers, 4 gardeners, 1 dyer, 2 midwives, 4 male domestic servants, and 24 female domestic servants.
Though no manufacture has hitherto been established, a number of families of all ages are employed by the Huntly and Aberdeen manufacturers to knit woollen stockings, and spin flax. The knitters, on average, work 60 dozen every month.
The people of this parish are temperate, industrious, and frugal, moderate in their principles, and regular in their attendance on public worship and the other ordinances of religion. They are all of the Established Church, except 5 or 6 who occasionally attend Episcopal meetings. The dress of both sexes is considerably improved of late, especially among the young. In all places of public resort they appear in their best clothes, with a cheerful countenance and contented mind. Their houses in general are bad, and have not that appearance of cleanliness and neatness which is always commendable. But as the heritors are disposed to give every reasonable encouragement to the sober and industrious, we may soon hope to see a spirit of improvement prevailing in their houses similar to that which they have already begun to show in their dress."
(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 13, p. 66
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 583
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
