Leswalt is a parish in the Rhinns of Galloway, Wigtownshire. It is bounded on the north by Kirkcolm, on the east by Loch Ryan, on the south-east by Stranraer and Inch, on the south by Portpatrick, and on the west by the Irish channel. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Clayhole, Craigencross, Larbrax, Leswalt, Portslogan, Smithyhill or Smithy Hill, Stranraer
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Leswalt belonged to the Abbey of Tongland. A new church was built early in the nineteenth century.
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 |
| 1729-1854 | Leswalt | 891 | OPR |
| 1855-1966 | Leswalt | 891 | RD |
| 2009 | Dumfries and Galloway, Stranraer | 870 | RD |
| 2026 | Dumfries and Galloway Council; Leswalt 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
Adair, Allison, Brown, Campbell, Gibson, Hamilton, Murray, Stewart, Thomson, 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 John Rose.
"The present population of the parish, from an accurate survey lately made, amounts to 1194 souls. Of this number there may be about 150 Irish, 3 English, and 1 Mulatto. These are in general either hired servants or labourers.
There are two villages in the eastern extremity of the parish, called Clayhole and Hillhead, which contain near one half of the inhabitants of the parish. In the year 1766, there were only 18 houses in Clayhole, and now there are about 50. The inhabitants of the villages are generally tradesmen, sailors, and labourers; and some of them rent small pieces of ground."
(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. 318
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 4, Section III, p. 123
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
