Kilrenny is a parish on the south-east coast of Fife. It is bounded on the south by the Firth of Forth, and on the other sides by the parishes of Anstruther Easter, Anstruther Wester, Carnbee, and Crail. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Bankhead, Barnsmuir, Blacklaws, Caiplie, Cauldcots, Cellardyke, Crawhill, East Pitcorthie, East Pitkierie, Frithfield, Innergellie, Kilrenny, Loanhead, Nether Kilrenny, Rennyhill, Spalefield, Upper Kilrenny, West Pitcorthie, West Pitkierie
Rennyhill, Thirdpart
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Kilrenny was dedicated to St Ernan of Eileach Naomh. It belonged to the Abbey of Dryburgh.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Cellardyke. The church was dedicated here 6 March 1881. The parish of Cellardyke was disjoined from Kilrenny, 28 March 1883.
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Kilrenny (QO)
Cellardyke (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 |
| 1647-1854 | Kilrenny | 438 | OPR |
| 1855-1855 | Kilrenny Burgh | 438-1 | RD |
| 1855-1855 | Kilrenny Landward | 438-2 | RD |
| 1856-1930 | Kilrenny | 438 | RD |
| 1931-1967 | Anstruther Easter and Kilrenny | 402 | RD |
| 2009 | Fife, East Neuk | 414 | RD |
| 2026 | Royal Burgh of Kilrenny, Anstruther and Cellardyke 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, Boyter, Brown, Doig, Muir, Murray, Robertson, Smith, Watson, 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 William Beat.
"The population of this parish has considerably decreased within these 30 years. According to Dr Webster's state of the population (1755), the number of inhabitants was 1348. The numbers have been diminished by the decay of the fishery and the union of farms. There are, at present, 261 families, total 1086 inhabitants."
(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 1, p. 409
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 9, Section I, p. 970
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
