Monifieth is a parish on the southern border of Forfarshire. It is bounded by the Firth of Tay, and by the parishes of Dundee, Murroes, Monikie, and Barry. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Barnhill, Broughty Ferry, Drumsturdy, Lamerton, Mattocks, Monifieth
Grange, Kingennie
Whereas part of the parish of Caputh and of the county of Perth, containing 283 acres or thereby, situated at or near Foffarty and adjoining the parishes of Glamis, Inverarity, and Kinnettles, in the county of Forfar (being the part marked on the Ordnance Survey maps Caputh detached No. 5) is detached from the main portion of the parish of Caputh and of the county of Perth:
And whereas part of the parish of Caputh and of the county of Perth, containing half an acre or thereby, situated at Broughty Castle, and adjoining the parish of Monifieth in the county of Forfar, is detached from the main portion of the parish of Caputh and of the county of Perth:
I. The aforesaid detached part of the parish of Caputh and of the county of Perth, marked on the Ordnance Survey maps Caputh detached No. 5, shall cease to be part of the said parish and county, and shall form part of the parish of Kinnettles and of the county of Forfar.
II. The aforesaid detached part of the parish of Caputh and of the county of Perth, situated at or near Broughty Castle, shall cease to be part of the said parish and county, and shall form part of the parish of Monifieth and of the county of Forfar.
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 church of Monifieth was dedicated to St Rule. It belonged to the Abbey of Arbroath.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Beach Parish. Begun as a mission in 1887. A chapel was built and opened 22 February 1890. The Beach Parish was disjoined from Broughty Ferry on 19 July 1907.
Broughty Ferry. A chapel-of-ease was opened here 7 May 1826. The parish of Broughty Ferry was disjoined from Dundee and Monifieth on 15 July 1863.
St Margaret's, Barnhill. A chapel-of-ease was constituted here in June 1884. A church, dedicated to St Margaret of Scotland, was opened on that Saint's day 16 November 1895. The parish of St Margaret was disjoined from Monifieth on 8 March 1907.
St Stephen's. A chapel was opened here on 26 November 1871. The parish of St Stephen's was disjoined from Broughty Ferry and Monifieth, 19 July 1875.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Monifieth (QO)
Beach Parish (QS)
Broughty Ferry (QS)
St Margaret's, Barnhill (QS)
St Stephen's (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 |
| 1560-1854 | Monifieth | 310 | OPR |
| 1855-1911 | Monifieth | 310 | RD |
| 1912-1922 | Monifieth East | 310-1 | RD |
| 1912-1922 | Monifieth West | 310-2 | RD |
| 1923-1971 | Monifieth | 310 | RD |
| 1972-1984 | Monifieth | 372 | RD |
| 2009 | Dundee City | 350-353 | RD |
| 2026 | Angus Council; Monifieth 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, Ferrier, Gall, Knight, Robertson, Scott, Smith, Stewart, Webster
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 James Roger, Preacher of the Gospel.
"In this parish there are at present 1218 persons of all ages. Of these 620 are males, and 598 females. There are 246 families, of which 233 belong to persons who have been married, and 13 to persons who were never married. The three villages of the parish are thus peopled: In the village of Drumsturdy-moor, there are 132, viz. 70 males and 62 females; in that of Monifieth, 175, viz. 84 males and 91 females; and in that of the East Ferry, 230 viz. 114 males and 116 females. Many inhabitants of this parish early in life settle in Dundee; many go aboard merchantmen, may perish by the dangers of the sea, or be impressed into ships of war, and perish by the hands of the enemy.
There is little in this parish which deserves the name of manufacture. There are only 38 weavers who are scattered over the parish; the quantity of cloth which they weave cannot easily be ascertained. But it must be very inconsiderable, as several of them occupy a few acres of land, which requires a portion of their time.
As their situation is so salubrious, that multitudes resort every summer to the villages of the East and West Ferry for the benefit of sea-bathing; as the employments of few are sedentary; as the ground is no where marshy; as the access to coals is easy; they are generally healthy. But it is of more importance to characterize the minds than the bodies of a people; it is of more importance to be told, that within the last 80 or 90 years, this parish has increased as much in religion and morals, as in the arts of life.
The inhabitants of this parish are not only regular and decent in their attendance on church, steady in their religious principles, but distinguished for their industry and sobriety. Successful diligence has given to several the blessings of moderate wealth; and laborious exertion has been able to banish from the dwellings of all, save the 14 poor on the fund, the wretchedness of abject poverty. Since the beginning of the present century, none in this parish has deprived himself of life, been deprived of it by the law, or been doomed to exile."
(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 13, p. 481
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section I, p. 539
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
