Kingsbarns is a parish on the east coast of Fife. It is bounded by the German Ocean (North Sea), and by the parishes of St Andrews, Dunino, and Crail. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Cambo House, East Newhall, Hilleraye, Kilduncan, Kingbarns, Kippo, Morton, Randerston, Sandyhill
Pitmilly
The parish of Kingsbarns had a detached part consisting of the farms of Grassmiston and Randerston, which was separated from the main portion of the parish by an intervening strip of the parish of Crail. Kingsbarns had also a part very nearly detached consisting of the farm of Lochton. The farm of Randerston in the detached part is united with the main portion of Kingsbarns parish by annexing to that parish the intervening portion of Crail parish. In return the farms of Lochton and Grassmiston are transferred from Kingsbarns parish to Crail 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)
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The parish of Kingsbarns was disjoined from Crail, and was erected by the Commissioners of Teinds on 9 February 1631. This erection was confirmed by Act of Parliament on 28 June 1633. (1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
(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 |
| 1642-1854 | Kingsbarns | 441 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Kingsbarns | 441 | RD |
| 2009 | Fife, St Andrews | 413 | RD |
| 2026 | Fife Council; Kingsbarns 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, Brown, Christie, Johnston, Kay, Mitchell, Robertson, Scott, Spence, Walker
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 James Beatson.
"From the last state of the rolls, the numbers amounted to 807, of whom 467 reside in the village, and the remaining 340 inhabit the country part of the parish. There are about 24 extensive farmers, whose families amount to 192 souls. There are only 11 Seceders.
The number of weavers is from 20 to 30; and these are the people, at certain seasons of the year, who are also employed in the different fishings. They have greatly the advantage over the fishers in the coast towns to the westward, who, as they are not bred to business, consequently in stormy weather, not only are they idle, but half starved, while the people here are occupied at their looms, and can earn wages sufficient to maintain their families.
The people in general are industrious, much disposed to humane generous actions, and are well contented with the lot assigned them by Almighty God. The seafaring is preferred to the military life; and there is seldom a season but some of the young men are employed in the Greenland whale-fishing. At certain seasons the lobster-fishing is worthy of attention, and these all go to the London market."
(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 4, p. 254
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 9, Section I, p. 89
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
