Saddel and Skipness is a united parish in the peninsula of Kintyre, Argyleshire. It forms the eastern part of the peninsula, from a point about 3 miles south of Tarbert, to a point about 8 miles north of Campbelton, and it thus extends along the lower part of Loch Fyne and along the whole of Kilbrannan Sound. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Carradale, Grogsport, Saddell, Skipness, Spearsaig
Dippen
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
On 11 March 1753 the Court of Teinds disjoined the district of Saddell from the parish of Killean, and that of Skipness from the adjoining parish of Kilcalmonell. The Court then erected the two districts into the new parish of Saddell. Each of these districts had its own church, and the parish was therefore commonly styled Saddell and Skipness. In 1870 Skipness was taken from Saddell, and made a separate parish.
Saddell. The parish of Saddell contains the ruins of St Mary's Cistercian Abbey of Saddell, founded about 1150 by Ranald of the Isles, second son of the great Somerled. There was of old, within the bounds, a well of St Andrew, and at Kilmichael in Carradale there stood a chapel of St Michael. There are now mission chapels at Carradale and Grogport.
Skipness. On 23 May 1870 the Court of Teinds disjoined Skipness from Saddell, and erected it as a separate parish. There was of old within the bounds a chapel of St Colman of Lan Eala belonging to the Abbey of Paisley.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Saddell (QO)
Skipness (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 |
| 1756-1854 | Saddell and Skipness | 531 | OPR |
| 1855-1969 | Saddell | 531-1 | RD |
| 1855-1969 | Skipness | 531-2 | RD |
| 2009 | (Saddell) Argyll and Bute, Campbeltown | 536 | RD |
| 2009 | (Skipness) Argyll and Bute | 534 | RD |
| 2026 | (Saddell) Argyll and Bute Council; East Kintyre Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Skipness) Argyll and Bute Council; Tarbert and Skipness 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
Brown, Campbell, Cook, Galbraith, Hyndman, Paterson, Stalker, Stewart, Thomson, Wilson
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 MacLeish.
"The number of souls in the parish in July 1792 was 1341, of whom 719 were males, 622 were females, and 389 were under 10 years of age. The increase in 25 years, notwithstanding considerable emigrations formerly to America, and lately to the Low Country, is 141.
The number of proprietors is 7; 3 residing, 3 not residing, and 1 occasionally. There are 6 tenants; all the rest have farms; many of these last are cottagers and day-labourers. There are 4 millers, 6 tailors, 8 shoemakers, 9 weavers, 3 wrights, 3 coopers, and 1 boat carpenter. Exclusive of farming business, most of the small farmers, and almost all the young men, are employed in the herring-fishing, during the season; and the women in spinning, &c. A list of servants is not given separately, there being few of them who are not natives, and these are taken in their own, or parents families, and included in the above numbers.
The people of this parish are, in general, of a sober, honest, and hospitable disposition. Few crimes, or high misdemeanors have been known among them. The fines, for instance, for fornication and adultery, have not exceeded 51 since the incumbent came to the parish, 25 years ago."
(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 12, p. 475
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 7, Section II, p. 436
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
