Smailholm is a parish on the northern border of Roxburghshire. It is bounded around three-fourths of its outline by Berwickshire, and chiefly on the south by Kelso and Makerston. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
East Third, Smailholm, West Third
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church, previous to the Reformation, belonged to the Abbey of Jedburgh. There was here a hospital called Smailholm Spital.
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 |
| 1648-1854 | Smailholm | 805 | OPR |
| 1855-1947 | Smailholm | 805 | RD |
| 1948-1967 | Kelso and Smailholm | 793 | RD |
| 2009 | Scottish Borders, Kelso | 821 | RD |
| 2026 | Scottish Borders Council; Floors, Makerstoun, Nenthorn and Smailholm 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
Brunton, Burrell, Gibson, Hogg, Knox, Muldoon, Robertson, Scott, Thomson, Vallance
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 Dr Alexander Duncan.
"In 1700, the number of inhabitants was 600; in 1743, the examination roll was 457; in 1790 it decreased from that 100. In Dr Webster's report (1755) the number of souls is stated at 551. The number of examinable persons, who are enrolled after they are seven or eight years old is 335; of these 150 are males, and 185 females."
(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 3, p. 216
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 3, Section I, p. 141
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
