Features: Scottish Parishes » Historic Shires » Ayrshire » Riccarton

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Location
• Boundary & Name Changes
• Parish Timeline
• Records
• Residents
• Notes

LOCATION

Location Description:

Riccarton is a parish near the middle of the northern verge of Kyle, in Ayrshire. It is bounded by Kilmarnock, Galston, Craigie, Symington, and Dundonald. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).

Shire, District, and Region Timeline:

• Shire: Ayrshire (Before 1707)
• County: Ayr (After 1707)
• District: Kyle (Before 1930)
• Landward District: Kilmarnock (1930-1975)
• Region: Strathclyde (1975-1996)
• Sub-Region: Ayr (1975-1996)
• District: Kilmarnock and Loudoun (1975-1996)

Cities, Towns, Villages, and Hamlets:

Hurlford, Riccarton, Sornhill

Estates:

Bellfield, Caprington, Dollars, Treesbank

BOUNDARY & NAME CHANGES

Part of the parish of Riccarton was detached from the main part of the parish by a narrow intervening portion of the parish of Galston. An exchange of territory was effected between the two parishes, whereby Galston received the east portion of the detached part of Riccarton, while the remainder of the detached part was joined to the main portion of Riccarton parish by the annexation of the intervening portion of Galston parish. See affected properties and landholders. (1892: Boundary of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government Act, 1889, by Hay Shennan)

PARISH TIMELINE

PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:

• Diocese: Glasgow
• Deanery: Kyle and Cunningham

POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:

• Synod: Glasgow and Ayr
• Presbytery: Ayr

PAROCHIAL OVERVIEW:

From 1229 to 1238 the church of Riccarton belonged to the priory of Dalmulin. From 1238 to 1560 it was in the possession of the Abbey of Paisley. Sometime after 1578 the parishes of Craigie and Riccarton were united. They were severed again in 1648. In 1823 Riccarton church was rebuilt on a new site, which is now within the burgh of Kilmarnock.

Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Hurlford. The parish was disjoined from Kilmarnock, Galston, and Riccarton, by the Court of Teinds, 9 March 1874, and, by Act of Assembly, annexed to the Presbytery of Irvine. The church was built in 1875.

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND CLERGY:

Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.

Riccarton (QO)

Hurlford (QS)

(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)

RECORDS

Parochial Registers:

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.

• (1) B. and M. 1695-1819
• (2) B. and M. 1820-54

(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)

Population:

Statistics from informal and official censuses

• 1755: 745
• 1821: 2,122
• 1831: 2,499
• 1841: 3,226
• 1861: 5,629
• 1881: 7,133 (Riccarton: 3,298; Hurlford: 3,835)
• 1901: 8,080 (Riccarton: 4,028; Hurlford: 4,052)
• 1911: 7,590 (Riccarton: 3,765; Hurlford: 3,825)

RESIDENTS

Common Surnames:

Brown, Campbell, Cunningham, Orr, Ross, Samson, Smith, Templeton, Wilson, Young

Land-owners, teachers, and other professionals:

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.

• William Henry Cavendish Scott BENTINCK, Duke of Portland
• Thomas BROWN, Esq., of Lonfin
• (Colonel) Macadam CATHCART, of Craigengillan
• John Smith CUNINGHAME, Esq., of Caprington
• John DEANS, Esq., of Kirksyle
• James FAIRLEY, Esq., of Holmes
• John Wallace HAMILTON, of Cairnhill
• (Colonel) John Sprot TAIT, of Milrig
• (Capt) C. TUFNELL, of Dollars

Other land-owners:

• CAMPBELL, of Skerrington
• CAMPBELL, of Treesbank
• CLARK, of Shawhill
• CUNNINGHAM, of Lainshow
• HAMILTON, of Hillhouse
• HOWIE, of Kaimshill
• SHEDDEN, of Knockmarloch

Other residents:

By the Reverend Mr Alexander Moody.
"In 1755 the number of inhabitants in the parish amounted to 745; they are now increased to 1000. The increase has taken place in the village. There are very few Seceders, and no Roman Catholics in the parish. The school here is very well attended. The people are, in general, desirous to give their children all the education which their circumstances will permit.

The people are in general sober and industrious. The tradesmen in the parish are, with a few exceptions, either shoemakers or weavers."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)

NOTES:

Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 6, p. 117
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 5, Section I, p. 605

See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.