Drymen is a parish in the west of Stirlingshire. It is bounded on the north by Perthshire, from which it is separated at various points by the waters of Duchray, Kelty, and Forth, on the south by the parish of Killearn and the shire of Dumbarton, on the west by the parish of Buchanan, and by the Catter Burn and the River Endrick, which separate it from Dumbartonshire, and on the east by the parishes of Kippen, Balfron, and Killearn. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Auchintroig, Drymen, Gartness
Duchray, Gartness
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Drymen was dedicated to St Columba or St Kessog. It was a mensal church of the Archbishop of Glasgow. St Vildrin's Well, on the lands of Finnich-Drummond in the parish was much resorted to by pilgrims. Close by it, at Knockanheglish (Cnoc na h-eaglais = the hill of the church), there was a chapel. Within the bounds stood two other chapels - St Mary's, at Chapel Laroch near Gartmore, which belonged to the Priory of Inchmahome, and St Kessog's on the lands of Finnich-Tennent. Drymen Church was rebuilt in 1771.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Buchlyvie. A chapel was built here in 1835. The parish of Buchlyvie was disjoined from Kippen and Drymen, and erected 6 March 1876.
Gartmore. A chapel was built here in 1791. The parish of Gartmore was disjoined from Port of Menteith and Drymen, and erected 19 July 1869.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Drymen (QO)
Buchlyvie (QS)
Gartmore (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 |
| 1676-1854 | Drymen | 477 | OPR |
| 1855-1969 | Drymen | 477 | RD |
| 2009 | Stirling, Balfron | 472 | RD |
| 2026 | Stirling Council; Drymen 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
Brown, Buchanan, Fisher, Graham, MacAdam, Orr, Paterson, Scott, Stewart, 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 Dunca MacFarlane, Minister of the Parish.
"The population in April 1792, was 1607. There were 40 families in the village, 216 inhabitants in all. There were 60 weavers, 6 tailors, 15 shoemakers, 16 wrights, 3 innkeepers, and 6 ale-sellers. There are Dissenters of various denominations; but none of them have a place of worship within the bounds of the parish.
There is only one village in the parish, which lies near the church. The inhabitants are mostly tradesmen and day labourers, who depend for employment upon the neighbouring country, excepting a few weavers, who work for the manufacturers of Glasgow. A considerable number speak the Gaelic language; and there are 3 or 4 who do not understand English."
(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. 546
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 8, Section II, p. 99
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
