Kirkmichael is a parish in Carrick, Ayrshire. It is bounded by Dalrymple, Straiton, Dailly, Kirkoswald, and Maybole. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Crosshill, Kirkmichael
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Kirkmichael belonged to the priory of Whitern (Whithorn). It was dedicated to St Michael. In honour of the patron saint a yearly Michaelmas Fair was held here. There was a chapel in the parish at Lindsayston. Kirkmichael Church was rebuilt in 1787.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Crosshill. A church was built here in 1838. The parish of Crosshill was disjoined from Kirkmichael and Kirkoswald, 8 March 1854.
Patna. A church was built here in 1837. On 2 July 1877 the parish of Patna was disjoined from Dalmellington, Dalrymple, Kirkmichael, and Straiton.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Kirkmichael (QO)
Crosshill (QS)
Patna (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 |
| 1638-1854 | Kirkmichael | 600 | OPR |
| 1855-1968 | Kirkmichael | 600 | RD |
| 2009 | South Ayrshire, Maybole | 683 | RD |
| 2026 | South Ayrshire Council; Crosshill, Straiton and Kirkmichael 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, Andrew, Brown, Caldwell, Campbell, Dunlop, Kennedy, Smith, Wilson, Wyllie
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 John Ramsay.
"The total number at present is 856 inhabitants, of whom 233 are under 10 years of age. There are 20 weavers, 14 carpenters, 6 blacksmiths, 3 shoemakers, 4 tailors, and 3 masons; the above numbers include apprentices and journeymen. All the inhabitants are of the Established Church.
Though there is not a town, and scarcely any thing that deserves the name of a village, yet the parish is not altogether without manufactures: several thousand ells of plaiding are spun and wove in it. In this article the old women, the wives of labourers, and the women-servants of farmers, are occasionally employed. The raw undressed plaiding is sold to merchants from Glasgow, at Ayr and Maybole fairs.
The people are in general sober and industrious, and few have no visible means of subsistence. Many of the farmers are respectable intelligent men, who know they have a character as such in the country, and are at pains to support it. They are generally solicitous to give their children a good education; and there is a happy prospect in this corner, that many of the young people will turn out sensible useful member of the community."
(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 6, p. 102
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 5, Section I, p. 492
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
