Eckford is a parish in the lower part of Teviotdale, Roxburghshire. It is bounded on the east by Sprouston, Linton, Morebattle, and Hownam, on the south-west by Jedburgh and Crailing, and on the north-west by Roxburgh and Kelso. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Caverton, Caverton Mill, Cessford, Eckford, Eckfordmoss, Grahamslaw, Kirkbank
Kirkbank, Mainhouse
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
This parish belonged to the Abbey of Jedburgh. At Caverton, in the parish, was a chapel founded by Walter Ker of Cessford, and confirmed by a charter of James IV in 1500.
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 |
| 1694-1854 | Eckford | 787a | OPR |
| 1694-1854 | Edgerston | 787b | OPR |
| 1855-1856 | Eckford | 787 | RD |
| 1857-1967 | Eckford | 787a | RD |
| 1857-1967 | Edgerston | 787b | RD |
| 2009 | (Eckford) Scottish Borders, Kelso | 821 | RD |
| 2009 | (Edgerston) Scottish Borders, Jedburgh | 822 | RD |
| 2026 | (Eckford) Scottish Borders Council; Crailing, Eckford and Nisbet Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Edgerston) Scottish Borders Council; Jed Valley 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
Burns, Gray, Hogg, Hunter, Johnstone, Reid, Scott, Turnbull, Wilson, Wood
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 William Paton, A. M..
"The population in 1791 was 952, of whom 436 are males, 516 are females, and 138 were under 10 years of age. There were 219 families, 212 inhabited houses, 742 members of the Established Church, and 210 Seceders and Relievers.
In the parish there are 25 farmers, 2 keepers of alehouses, 34 smiths, masons, wrights, &c., 5 millers, and 106 servants.
The people are in general economical, sober, industrious, and contented with their situations in life; maintain society amongst themselves, and with their neighbours; are hospitable to strangers who accidentally come amongst them; and are endowed with a liberal spirit to relieve the distresses, and alleviate the miseries of their fellow creatures upon every emergency, according to their abilities."
(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. 20
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 3, Section I, p. 220
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
