Urray is a parish partly on the north border of Inverness-shire, but chiefly in the south end of the district of Wester Ross in Ross-shire. It is bounded on the west and north by Contin, on the east by Urquhart and Killearnan, and on the south by Kirkhill and Kilmorack. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Jamestown, Tarradale, Tollie, Urray
(1) The parish of Fodderty had two detached parts:
(a) Fodderty detached No. 1 extended to 18,474 acres, and was almost surrounded by the parish of Contin.
(b) Fodderty detached No. 2, extending to 2,720 acres, lay to the south of the main portion of the parish, and was separated from it by a narrow strip to the parish of Dingwall.
Not only had the parish of Urray two detached parts in the county of Ross and Cromarty, but in addition part of the main portion of the parish was situated in the county of Inverness.
(a) Urray detached No. 1, containing 2,463 acres, was almost surrounded by the parish of Contin.
(b) Urray detached No. 2, with 38,561 acres, lay in Glen Orrin west of the main portion of the parish, being separated from it by a strip of Contin and a strip of Fodderty detached No. 1.
In dealing with these two parishes it was found necessary to effect alterations on the boundaries of the parishes of Contin and Dingwall. The only territory taken from Contin is the small portion of the parish lying to the south of the watershed between Strath Conan and Glen Orrin which was transferred to the parish of Urray. On the other hand, Contin received a large accession of territory, for there were transferred to it detached part No. 1 of the parish of Urray, and all of Fodderty detached No. 1 except the portion lying to the south of the above-mentioned watershed. 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)
(2) The Inverness-shire parish of Kilmorack had a detached part situated in that county near Muir of Ord, presenting the appearance of a narrow wedge of the county of Inverness driven into the county of Ross and Cromarty. This detached part was disjoined from the parish of Kilmorack and from the county of Inverness and annexed to the parish of Urray and to the county of Ross and Cromarty. See details. (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 Urray and Tarradale were united about 1600.
Urray. The church of Urray was dedicated to St Constantine. The prebend of Urray was held by the sub-chantor of the Cathedral of Fortrose.
Tarradale, or Cill Chriosd (Kilchrist). The old church of Tarradale, long a ruin, was re-roofed about fifty years ago. Like that of Kiltearn, it was dedicated to Our Lord. Therefore it is always called Cill Chriosd (the Church of Christ).
Maryburgh. A church built here in 1841 was retained by the Free Church in 1843.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Kinlochluichart. In 1825 a parliamentary chapel was built at the upper end of Loch Luichart. On 16 March 1864 the parish of Kinlochluichart was disjoined from Contin, Fodderty, and Urray.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Urray (QO)
Tarradale (QO)
Maryburgh (QO)
Kinlochluichart (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 |
| 1756-1854 | Urray | 85 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Urray | 85 | RD |
| 1968-1971 | Tarradale | 85 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Tarradale | 199 | RD |
| 2009 | Highland, Tarradale | 199 | RD |
| 2026 | Highland Council; Muir of Ord 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
Cameron, Campbell, Fraser, MacDonald, MacKay, Mackenzie, MacLean, MacLennan, MacRae, Munro
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 John Downie.
"From a roll made up in 1791, there are in the parish 1860 persons, of whom 420 are under 10 years of age. The great body of the people is divided into two classes, tenants and cottagers, or, as the latter are called here, mailers. The mailers are those poor people who build huts on barren ground, and improve spots around them, for which they pay nothing for a stipulated number of years. The proprietor frequently indulges them with tools and seed for the first season. After the first period is expired, these crofts are rented at from 3s. to 40s. a year. Every year produces one or more of these new settlers. At present they consist of 248 families, of whom 148 have settled within the last 40 years. All the tradesmen in the parish are included among the mailers. They consist of 20 weavers, 1 house-carpenter, 3 millers, 15 tailors, 2 masons, 21 brogue or shoemakers. All of them work for the parishioners and immediate neighborhood. No article is manufactured for exportation."
*Maillar: A tenant-famer who pays his rent in money.
(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 7, p. 245
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 14, Section II, p. 399
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
