Upper Drumelzier
Tweedsmuir is a parish in the south-western extremity of Peeblesshire. It is bounded by the counties of Dumfries and Lanark, and by the parishes of Drumelzier and Megget. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Tweedsmuir
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
Disjoined from Drumelzier in 1643; the first church built 1648, and the present edifice 1874. A chapel dedicated to St Cuthbert existed here before the Reformation.
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 |
| 1644-1854 | Tweedsmuir | 772 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Tweedsmuir | 772 | RD |
| 2009 | Scottish Borders | 803 | RD |
| 2026 | Scottish Borders Council; Tweedsmuir 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, Dempster, French, Little, Rait, Renwick, Todd, Tweedie, Walker, Wilson
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 Thomas Muschet.
"The whole number of souls, at present in the parish, is 227. The inhabitants of Tweedsmuir are in general stout and healthy, and many live to an advanced age. There are only 3 farmers at present resident in the whole parish; the whole number of dwelling houses is only 51, and of these 3 are inns."
(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 8, p. 86
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 3, Section II, p. 56
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
