Tongland and Balnacross
Tongland is a parish in the centre of the southern division of Kirkcudbrightshire. It is bounded on the north by Balmaghie, on the south-east by the River Dee, which separates it from Kelton and Kirkcudbright, and on the southwest by Twynholm. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Ringford, Tongland
Argrennan, Barcaple
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
Tongland. The parish of Tongland consists mainly of the tongue of land lying between the rivers Dee and Tarf. Its church belonged to the Abbey of Tongland, within the parish and close to the church. This Premonstratensian monastery was founded about 1150 by Fergus, Lord of Galloway. Upon the site of the abey the old parish church of Tongland, now ruinous, was erected. There were in the parish of Tongland two chapels: St Conal's at Kirkconnel, and St Saviour's, near the Mains of Tongland, where for a long time there was a croft called the Chapel Yard.
Balnacross. The church of Balnacross was dedicated to St Michael. It belonged to the Abbey of Holyrood.
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 |
| 1693-1854 | Tongland | 881 | OPR |
| 1855-1968 | Tongland | 881 | RD |
| 2009 | Dumfries and Galloway, Kirkcudbright | 865 | RD |
| 2026 | Dumfries and Galloway Council; Tongland and Ringford 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
Barclay, Blair, Brown, Gourlay, Johnstone, Kirk, Mitchell, Murray, Rae, Thompson
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 Robb.
"By a careful survey in 1792, the number of the inhabitants, old and young, amounts to 520. Of the above number, there are 249 males and 172 females. The inhabitants are, in general, a decent and respectable people in their different ranks of life; sensible and rational in their religious principles. No sectaries. Very few persons have emigrated to America. There are no villages.
By the two harbours in the south end of the parish, upon the river Dee and Tarff, the inhabitants have a great advantage for exporting their grain and meal, and of importing manure in lime and seashells. There is a paper mill and corn-mill, near the church, on the river Dee. The cotton manufacture is not as yet introduced here.
They are industrious and careful about their secular affairs, in their different lines of life, and do not interfere with matters of State; decent in their dress, and good economists in their mode of living. None of them have been hanged or banished in modern times. In general they are sober and temperate, notwithstanding that whisky is both cheap and plenty of late years, there being only a few who are votaries of that pernicious beverage. They have made great progress in civilization and good manners, and have made remarkable improvement of late in their houses, dress, and manner of living."
(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 9, p. 312
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 4, Section II, p. 63
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
