The parish of Banchory Devenick was formerly partly in Aberdeenshire.
Please also visit the page of general information applicable to all of Angus & Kincardineshire.
Abbreviations
NLS | National Library of Scotland |
---|---|
NRS | National Records of Scotland, formerly called the National Archives of Scotland [NAS] and, before that, the Scottish Record Office [SRO] HM General Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YY (Tel: +44-131-535-1314) |
OPR | Old Parish Registers of Births/baptisms, Banns/marriages & Deaths/burials (pre-1855) |
- See also, for history of the parish:
- The Statistical accounts of Banchory Devenick
- General histories listed on the page for Books about Angus & Kincardineshire
S. & W. Beverly (edd.) - 30 Years at Portlethen: Day Book 1840-1869 of the Rev. William Low [Law] (Aberdeen: Aberdeen & North East Scotland FHS)
John Alexander Henderson - History of the Parish of Banchory-Devenick (Aberdeen: D.Wyllie & Son, 1890) - here
Statistical accounts of Banchory Devenick
- Old Statistical Account of the 1790s - vol. 4, p. 450
- New Statistical Account of the 1840s - vol. 11, p. 178
- 1:25000 Ordnance Survey map - published 1957
- 1:10560 (Six inch) Ordnance Survey map - surveyed 1865, published 1868
For the full range of maps of Banchory Devenick, see National Library's Maps.
Geograph.org: Banchory Devenick - recent photographs of Banchory Devenick. National Grid ref. NJ9002.
Geograph.org: Portlethen Village - recent photographs of Portlethen Village. National Grid ref. NO9396.
Located at National Grid ref. NJ907024. Built in 1822. Photograph
Other churches
Portlethen Kirk is at NO924966. It became a quoad sacra parish church in 1856. Photograph
The Free Kirk of St Devenick on the Hill was built in 1844 at NJ913017.
adm.: admitted, ass.: assistant, bapt.: baptised, contr.: contract, dem.: demitted, dep.: deposed, ind.: inducted, lic.: licensed, mar.: married, min.: minister, ord.: ordained, pres.: presented, rel.: related, res.: resigned, suc.: successor, test.: testament, tr.: translated
Patrick Dunbar | 1560 | had been vicar in 1550; still here 1560, probably having conformed |
David Menzies | 1567 | min. in 1567; also had Nigg in his charge |
Robert Mercer (primus) | 1567-1578 | of family of Innerpeffry; matric. St Andrews 1531; exhort and parson 1567; adm. bef. 1574; d. bef. 25 Feb 1578; mar.; issue: Malcolm, rector of Crieff; Robert, min. here; Thomas |
Robert Mercer (secundus) | 1578-1618 | son of above; regent Kings Aberdeen; pres. 25 Feb 1578; still min. 24 Mar 1618; mar. Isobell Collison; probable issue: John, Robt |
Andrew Melvill | 1622-1645 | son of David M., litster; probably tr. from Eccles; pres. 14 Nov 1622; still min. 27 Dec 1645; mar.; issue: Andrew |
William Robertson of Peterstoun | 1651-1656 | M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1630; adm. bef. 21 Oct 1651; d. 16 Jun 1656 aged ca. 46; mar. 1630 Isobel Gordon who survived him; issue: Wm, of Peterstoun; Patrick, tutor, Marischal Coll.; Chas; Isobel; Margaret; Jane |
David Lyell | 1658-1666 | ord. bef. 18 Oct 1658; tr. to 3rd charge Aberdeen 1666 |
James Gordon of Ardoe | 1673-1714 | b. ca. 1640, son of Wm G., prof. of medicine, Kings Aberdeen; M.A. Kings 1661; adm. bef. 28 Oct 1673; dep. bef. 21 Jan 1680 for publishing attack on corruption; re-inst. 14 Mar 1680; d. 24 Dec 1714; mar. Eliz., dau. of William Forbes of Corsindae; issue: James, intruding min. at Foveran and later episcopal min., Montrose; George, M.D. |
John Maitland | 1716-1727 | b. ca. 1678, son of Peter M., advocate in Aberdeen; M.A. Marischal 1693; ord. Skene 19 Sep 1700; tr. & adm. 1 Mar 1716; d. Mar 1727; mar. (1) 1700 Eliz., dau. of Thos Innes, factor to Panmure; mar. (2) Agnes, dau. of James Thomson, advoc. in Abd; issue: James, min. of Sorbie; Helen; May; Agnes |
John Lumsden | 1728-1735 | tr. from Keithhall; adm. 28 Feb 1728; tr. to chair of Divinity, Kings, 14 Oct 1735 |
James Nicolson | 1737-1772 | ord. 13 Sep 1737; d. 4 Jun 1772 (3 weeks after 2nd mar.); mar. (1) 1741 Janet, dau. of George Haliburton, lord provost of Edr; issue: Cadogana [!]; Geo. Haliburton; Charles, min. in Amsterdam; mar. (2) 15 May 1772 Helen Thom |
George Ogilvy | 1773-1785 | b. 1720, eldest son of James O., Kirriemuir; schoolmaster Auchterhouse; ord. Cortachy 22 Sep 1748; tr. & adm. 8 Jul 1773; d. 17 Apr 1785; mar. (1) 1742 Eliz., dau. of Matthew Crawford, prof. of Divinity, Edr; mar. (2) 1754 Kath., dau. of John Anderson, prof. of Philosophy, Marischal; issue: Skene, D.D., min. of Old Machar; David |
George Morison of Elsick & Disblair | 1785-1845 | b. 1758, 5th son of James Morison of Elsick, provost of Abd; M.A. Marischal 1776; ord. Oyne 7 May 1783; tr. & adm. 10 Nov 1785; D.D. Kings 1824; d. 13 Jul 1845, "father of the church"; mar. 1786 Margaret, dau. of Gilbert Jaffray of Kingswells; no issue |
William Paul | 1834-1884 | b. 1804 Maryculter, son of Wm P., min. of Maryculter; grand-nephew of above; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1822; teacher Colchester; ord. ass. 19 Oct 1826; adm. (ass. & suc.) 21 Aug 1834; D.D. Kings 1853; d. 27 Apr 1884; mar. (1) 1829 Jessy, dau. of Alexr Stewart, bailie, Abd; issue: Wm, advoc. in Abd; Jessy; Isobel; Margaret Morison (mar. James Brodie, merchant, Mauritius); Alexr; Geo.; sir George Morison; John Thurburn; Eliz. (mar. Capt. Sylvester Reid); James Stewart; David, min. of Robertson Memorial, Edr; Alexr; Edward Burness; Kath. Loyd; mar. (2) 1867 Margaret, 2nd dau. of Wm Smith, min. of Bower |
William Fyfe Lawrence | 1882-1919 | b. 1857 Carmyllie, only son of Wm L., farmer, Kirkbuddo; nephew of John Fyfe, professor, Aberdeen; M.A. Aberdeen 1880; ass. to above; ord. (ass. & suc.) 21 Jan 1882; d. 14 Feb 1919; mar. 1885 Eliz. Milne, yr dau. of Wm Duncan, quarrymaster, Carmyllie; issue: Mary Fyfe (mar. Albert George Watson); Helen Catherine Gerard; Wm; Charles Christie; Joan Felice (mar. Ronald Kirkham Grant) |
Alexander Mackenzie | 1919-1931 | b. 1869 Cromdale, son of Alexr M.; ass. Kilmorack, Dunnottar and St Machars; ord. Cookney 24 Apr 1901; tr. & adm. 11 Jul 1919; d. 14 Jul 1931; mar. 1903 Mary Young, dau. of James Henderson, Aberdeen; had issue |
Ministers of Portlethen quoad sacra, 1827-1938
The church stands on the site of a chapel built in 1633 by Robert Buchan. The quoad sacra parish of Portlethen was disjoined from Banchory-Devenick on 25 Jun 1856.
William Law | 1827-1870 | b. 1797, son of Arthur L., farmer, Kincardine O'Neil; M.A. Marischal 1816; schoolmaster at Maryculter; missionary here from 1827; ord. 30 Jul 1840, when he dem. as Maryculter schoolmaster; d. 11 Jan 1870; mar. Isobel Mathewson; issue: Agnes (mar. Geo. Lamb, accountant, Aberdeen), Sarah Christina Bower (mar. James Stewart) |
William Bruce | 1868-1882 | b. 1834 Sauchentree, New Aberdour, son of Wm B., ironfounder & farmer; M.A. Kings 1851; schoolmaster at Bankhead, Birse ABD; missionary at Finzean; ord. (ass. & suc.) 28 Sep 1868; d. 28 Nov 1882; mar. 1853 Euphemia Black Allan; no issue |
Alexander Robertson Grant | 1883-1938 | b. 20 Nov 1857 Abernethy INV, son of John G., hotel-keeper; M.A. Aberdeen 1878; ass. at Elchies; ord. 14 May 1883; dem. 31 Dec. 1938, d. 24 Apr 1942; mar. 1888 Annie Elizabeth, dau. of Alexr Robertson; issue: Alister Robertson, M.C., M.B., Ch.B., M.D.; Ian Cameron Robertson, C.E.; Ronald Kirkham, M.B., C.M. |
Ministers of Banchory Devenick Free Church
David Findlay Arthur | ?-1851-1891-? | b. 3 Aug 1813 New Cumnock AYR, son of David A.; d. 24 Aug 1893 Cults ABD; mar. 1849 Mary Ann Brown; issue: John F.; David M.; Alexr T.; Margt Jane |
Monuments in Banchory Devenick Kirkyard (ca. 250 stones), the burial ground of St Devenick on the Hill (5 stones), and in Portlethen (quoad sacra) Kirkyard (ca. 40 stones) bearing pre-1855 information are listed in Alison Mitchell (ed.), "Pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Kincardineshire" (Edinburgh: Scottish Genealogy Soc., 1999), which can be bought from the Scottish Genealogy Society. (It's listed as "Kincardineshire MI - The Mearns" in their online shop.)
Full texts of all extant inscriptions in Banchory Devenick Kirkyard, for Portlethen and for St Devenick on the Hill have been published, as three booklets, by the Aberdeen & North-East Scotland FHS. They have an online search facility for names of people on the monuments they have recorded. Their list of publications is here.
Andrew Jervise recorded some monuments at Banchory Devenick in his "Epitaphs & Inscriptions", vol. 2, pp. 277-85.
See also Banchory-Devenick Graveyard, Portlethen Churchyard and St Devenick Churchyard.
Banchory Devenick war memorial
Scottish War Memorials Project: Banchory Devenick
Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1855 to present
Indexes and actual records for Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths, beginning 1 Jan 1855, are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.
Burial records for Banchory Devenick and for Portlethen are held by the Registrar in Stonehaven. See Kincardine and Mearns Burial Grounds.
Births, Marriages & Deaths, before 1855
Indexes and actual records for all extant Old Parish Registers (OPRs) (pre-1855) of the Established Church of Scotland are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.
Church Session Records of Banchory Devenick Parish Church
Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. CH2/1219/... |
---|---|---|
Minutes & accounts | 1708-1742 | 1 |
do | 1773-1799 | 2 |
do | 1799-1818 | 3 |
Minutes | 1847-1897 | 4 |
do | 1897-1935 | 5 |
Banchory Devenick Heritors' records
Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. HR488/... |
---|---|---|
Minute book | 1786-1864 | 1 |
do | 1865-1921 | 2 |
do | 1921-1927 | 3 |
Minutes (Bundle) | 1893-1928 | 4 |
Minutes (File) | 1927-1928 | 5 |
Seat-Rent and Account Book (Kirk Session) | 1711-1821 | 6 |
Accounts | 1891-1928 | 7 |
Papers re ecclesiastical buildings, etc. (church, manse, churchyard) | 1893-1923 | 8 |
Papers re transference of property to Church of Scotland General Trustees | 1928 | 9 |
Correspondence | 1893-1928 | 10 |
Miscellaneous papers | 1866-1915 | 11 |
There were 17 proprietors of land in the parish in 1838, including
- Thomson of Banchory
- Menzies of Pitfodels
- Symmers of Cults (in the Aberdeenshire part of the parish)
- Anderson of Dee Bank (ditto)
- Corbett of Buildside (ditto)
- --- Watson (in the Kincardineshire part)
- Nicol of Badentoy (ditto)
- Gammel of Portlethen (ditto)
- Shand of Hillside (ditto)
- Boswell of Auchlee (ditto)
- John Garioch of Heathcot (ditto)
- Thurburn of Murtle
Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives hold:
Papers of Menzies of Pitfodels, relating to Lands of Pitfodels and Kaimhill, 1749-1865 - ref. DD8/A/2
Following records are held by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives:
Nature of record | Dates | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Banchory Devenick Parochial Board: Minute Book | 1845 - 1864 | AS/KPbdv/1 |
do | 1864 - 1875 | AS/KPbdv/2 |
do | 1875 - 1893 | AS/KPbdv/3 |
Banchory Devenick Parochial Board / Parish Council: Minute Book | 1893 - 1908 | AS/KPbdv/4 |
Banchory Devenick Parish Council: Minute Book | 1909 - 1922 | AS/KPbdv/5 |
do | 1922 - 1935 | AS/KPbdv/6 |
Banchory Devenick Parochial Board: General Register of the Poor | 1869 - 1893 | AS/KPbdv/7 |
Banchory Devenick Parochial Board / Parish Council: General Register of the Poor | 1886 - 1936 | AS/KPbdv/9 |
Banchory Devenick Parish Council: Record of Applications for Poor Relief | 1901 - 1930 | AS/KPbdv/9 |
The following records are some of those held by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives:
Nature of record | Dates | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Banchory Devenick School: Log Book | 1879 - 1915 | ED/GR6S/K7/1/1 |
do | 1915 - 1945 | ED/GR6S/K7/1/2 |
do | 1945 - 1994 | ED/GR6S/K7/1/3 |
Banchory Devenick School: Admission Register | 1887 - 1920 | ED/GR6S/K7/2/1 |
do | 1920 - 1941 | ED/GR6S/K7/2/2 |
do | 1941 - 1991 | ED/GR6S/K7/2/3 |
Portlethen School: Log Books | 1874 - 1975 | ED/GR6S/K37/1 |
Portlethen School: Admission Registers | 1914 - 195 | ED/GR6S/K37/2 |
Findon School: Log Books | 1877 - 1895 | ED/KC5/108/1 |
Records of the official censuses of the parish in 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 and 1921 are held in Register House, Edinburgh and are open to the public on payment of a fee.
Indexes to all the original census records, and the records themselves, can be accessed online at modest charge at ScotlandsPeople.
Microfilm copies are also widely available in libraries. The 1881 census is available on CD-ROM.
The early censuses of 1801-31 do not name individuals.
Population statistics
For 1821, 1831, 1871 and 1881, the numbers in the Kincardineshire (KCD) and Aberdeenshire (KCD) parts of the parish are given separately.
Year | male | female | total | ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1755 | 1495 | Dr Alexander Webster | ||
1792 | 744 | 956 | 1700 | Old Statistical Account |
1801 | 1557 | |||
1811 | ||||
1821 (KCD) | 1682 | |||
1821 (ABD) | 550 | |||
1831 (KCD) | 940 | 965 | 1905 | |
1831 (ABD) | 378 | 305 | 683 | |
1841 | 2736 | |||
1851 | ||||
1861 | 2846 | |||
1871 (KCD) | 1132 | 1187 | 2319 | |
1871 (ABD) | 341 | 392 | 733 | |
1881 (KCD) | 1047 | 1054 | 2101 | |
1881 (ABD) | 533 | 683 | 1216 |
After confinement of parish to Kincardineshire:
Year | male | female | total |
---|---|---|---|
1891 | 971 | 1010 | 1981 |
1901 | 856 | 870 | 1726 |
1911 | 758 | 742 | 1500 |
1921 | 665 | 712 | 1377 |
Banchory Devenick was in the Commissariot of Aberdeen [NRS CC1].
Indexes to all extant pre-1926 testamentary records (wills & inventories of moveable property) can be searched free of charge at ScotlandsPeople. Digital (and paper) copies of the documents can be purchased at that site. See further the introduction to Angus & Kincardineshire at Testaments.
Testaments of Banchory Devenick people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Aberdeen, 1715-1823
Anne Cormack | in hardgate of Aberdeen, sister of Robert Cormack, schoolmaster at Banchory Devenick | 10 Oct 1822 |
Alexander Gerard | at Cookston | 22 Oct 1806 |
Mr John Maitland | late minister at Banchory Devnick | 31 Jul 1727 |
William Michie | in Easter Ardoe of Nether Banchory | 20 Mar 1810 |
William Milne | in Mains of Banchory-Devinick | 2 Aug 1739 |
Mr James Nicolson | minister at Nether Banchory | 19 Dec 1774 and 22 Feb 1776 |
Testaments of Banchory Devenick people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Brechin, 1576-1800
James Hunter | in Buchanan, par. of Nether Banchrie, and Agnes Mill, his spouse | 24 Jun 1657 |
John Hunter | in Claisfarquhar, par. of Nether Banchrie, and Catherine Malson, his spouse | 17 Jun 1657 |
Robert Mill | in Jackstone, par. of Nether Banchrie, and Agnes Robertson, his spouse | 17 Jun 1657 |
Mr William Robertson | sometime minister of Banchrie, and Isobel Gordon, his spouse | 10 Jun 1657 |
Images of the original records for Banchory Devenick:
NRS ref. E326/12/2/79 - listed under the heading "Banchory Parish"
Images of the original records for Banchory Devenick: