South Knapdale is a parish in the Argyle district of Argyleshire. It comprises all the district of Knapdale, excepting what is comprised in the parish of North Knapdale. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Achahoish, Ardpatrick, Ardrishaig, Inverneil, Tarbert
Auchindarroch, Barmore, Erins, Inverneil
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
This parish was disjoined from North Knapdale on 20 February 1734. South Knapdale has two parish churches, the one at Achahoish, where the manse is, and the other at Inverneil.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Ardrishaig. A church, built on a site granted by the Commissioners of the Crinan Canal, was opened in March 1860, and was served for a time by the Royal Bounty Missionaries. The parish was disjoined from Lochgilphead and South Knapdale, 1 March 1875.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
South Knapdale (QO)
Ardrishaig (QS)
(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 |
| 1771-1854 | South Knapdale | 533 | OPR |
| 1855-1892 | South Knapdale | 533 | RD |
| 1893-1969 | South Knapdale | 533-1 | RD |
| 1893-1969 | Kilberry | 533-2 | RD |
| 2009 | Argyll and Bute, Lochgilphead | 533 | RD |
| 2026 | Argyll and Bute Council; South Knapdale 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
Bruce, Campbell, Crawford, Ferguson, Galbraith, Gillies, Law, Leitch, Sinclair, Smith
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.
From Materials communicated by some Gentlemen in the Parish.
"In the year 1796 the population of South Knapdale was 1524, of whom 789 were males, and 735 were females. Of these, 236 are married, 15 widowers, and 62 widows. There are 2 residing heritors, 7 tacksmen, 3 schoolmasters, 89 tenants, 158 cottagers, 14 males servants, 29 female servants, 9 masons, 12 joiners, 16 shepherds, 2 gardeners, 4 smiths, 6 millers, 13 shoemakers, 1 dyer, 12 tailors, 19 weavers, 4 soldiers, 171 fishermen, 3 boat carpenters, and 9 publicans.
Of selected farms, the population in 1796 was in Kilmalieaig and Drimdrishaig 52, Ormsray 33, Lochhead 34, Barmore 5, Invernul 34, Oakfield and Brackley, 81.
The emigrants to America since 1763, amount to 175; of these, about 100 emigrated in 1774.
The Gaelic is the prevailing language spoken in the parish. The English has of late spread considerably, owing, in a great measure, to young people traveling to the low country, and returning home after they acquired the language. The inhabitants are in general active, industrious, and humane. They are extremely seldom guilty of any kind of immorality, that can expose them to punishment by law."
(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 19, p. 308
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 7, Section II, p. 257
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
