Cortachy and Clova is a united parish in the north-west of Forfarshire. It is bounded by Aberdeenshire, and by the parishes of Lochlee, Lethnot, Tannadice, Kirriemuir, Kingoldrum, and Glenisla. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Acharn, Clova, Cortachy, Cullow, Dykehead, Milton, Moulzie, Rottal, Wester Eggie
The parish of Kirriemuir had a detached part situated in Glenprosen, and bounded on the east by the parish of Cortachy and Clova, and on the west by the parishes of Lintrathen and Glenisla. This detached part was transferred to Cortachy and Clova. 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 parishes of Cortachy and Clova were united in 1618.
Cortachy. The parish of Cortachy was a prebend of Brechin. Its church was dedicated to St Columba. There ws a chapel in the parish at Lethnot. There was also within the bounds a Well of the Nine Maidens. A fair of St Columba was held at Cortachy.
Clova. The church of Clova (Cladh-ath = the mound at the ford) was dedicated to St Mary. It belonged to the Abbey of Arbroath. A church was built in 1855. Clova was disjoined quoad sacra from Cortachy on 14 March 1860.
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Cortachy (QO)
Clova (QO)
(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 |
| 1662-1854 | Cortachy and Clova | 278 | OPR |
| 1855-1947 | Cortachy and Clova | 278 | RD |
| 1948-1968 | Kirriemuir and Cortachy and Clova | 299 | RD |
| 2009 | Angus, Kirriemuir | 361 | RD |
| 2026 | Angus Council; Kirriemuir Landward East 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
Cortachy: Carnegie, Forbes, Guthrie, Hogg, Low, Lowden, Milne, Robbie, Whyte, Winter
Clova: Crichton, Fearn, Gordon, Guild, Hendry, Kennedy, Robbie, Sturrock, Whyte, Winter
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 Mr William Haldane, Preacher of the Gospel.
"The number of souls at present is 1020. Of these there are 490 males, and 530 females. There are 76 farmers, 81 sub-tenants, 3 smiths, 4 carpenters, 7 weavers, 3 millers, 3 shopkeepers, 1 shoemaker, 4 gardeners, 10 ale and whisky sellers, 218 inhabited houses.
The inhabitants are frugal and industrious, and enjoy, in a reasonable degree, the comforts and advantages of society. They are not fond of a military or sea-faring life. They seem contented with their situation and circumstances, and are regular in their attendance on the ordinances of public worship. There is no surgeon or lawyer in the united parish; and the inhabitants are all of the established religion, except 4 families of Episcopalians."
(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 10, p. 608
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section I, p. 434
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
