Fettercairn is a parish on the south-western border of Kincardineshire. It is bounded by Forfarshire, and by the parishes of Edzell, Strachan, Fordoun, and Marykirk. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Fettercairn
Arnhall, Burn, Fasque
The parish of Edzell was situated partly in the county of Forfar and partly in the county of Kincardine. No change has been made in the county boundary, but the Kincardineshire part of the parish has been transferred to the parish of Fettercairn. 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 Fettercairn was dedicated to St Mark. It was a mensal kirk of the Archbishop of St Andrews. At Arnhall, in the parish, there was a chapel of St Martin. A Lammas fair and a fair of St Mark were held at Fettercairn.
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 |
| 1669-1854 | Fettercairn | 257 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Fettercairn | 257 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Laurencekirk | 344 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Mearns 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
Christie, Middleton, Mitchell, Murray, Nicoll, Silver, Smith, Stewart, Taylor, Valentine
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 Robert Foote.
"The number of souls in this parish is about 2000. Of this number, there are 282 living in villages, and 145 in the following trades: 50 weavers, 5 flax-dressers, 20 shoemakers, 16 tailors, 7 shopkeepers, 1 surgeon, 4 masons, 1 slater, 18 wrights, 10 smiths, 10 millers, 2 butchers, and 1 baker.
The people here are not deficient in diligence, and their outward deportment to their superiors is decent and respectful. There are a few litigious people, as is the case among every multitude, but the inhabitants in general, are not inclined to lawsuits. They give regular attendance upon public worship."
(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 5, p. 330
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section II, p. 111
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
