Mains and Strathmartine (Angus)

Records, sources & information about the Parish of Mains and Strathmartine

Parish number 307


map of Mains and Strathmartine

More maps of Mains and
Strathmartine

Introduction
Births & baptisms
Books & articles
Census records
Church Session
Clock & watch tax
Deaths & burials
Farm horse tax
Heritors' records
Land owners
Maps
Marriages
Ministers of the parish
Monumental inscriptions
Old parish registers
Parish Church
Photographs of places
Places of interest
Population statistics
Portraits
Statistical Accounts
Testaments & wills
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Introduction

The parishes of Mains and Strathmartine were united on 21 Nov 1792. Anciently, Mains (an abbreviation of "Mains of Fintry") was called Strathdichty Comitis or Earl's Strathdichty; Strathmartine (or Strickmartine) was called Strathdichty Martin. The Dichty Water flows through the parishes.

Please also visit the page of general information applicable to all of Angus & Kincardineshire.

Abbreviations

NLSNational Library of Scotland
NRSNational 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)
OPROld Parish Registers of Births/baptisms, Banns/marriages & Deaths/burials (pre-1855)

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Books & articles

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Statistical accounts of Mains & Strathmartine

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Maps of Mains & Strathmartine

Map of Mains and Strathmartine

Above: modern street map of Mains & Strathmartine (© OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA)
Click on the map above to go to OpenStreetMap centred on Mains & Strathmartine

For the full range of maps of Mains & Strathmartine, see National Library's Maps.

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Recent photographs of places
Not many people seem interested in photographing this area!

Photographs of Mains. National Grid ref. NO4132.

Photographs of Trottick and Claverhouse. National Grid ref. NO4033.

Photographs of Kirkton of Strathmartine - now called Bridgefoot. National Grid ref. NO3735.

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Parish churches

The ruins of Mains Kirk are at National Grid ref. NO411331, beside Mains Castle. The mediaeval kirk was dedicated to St Ninian and granted to the Abbey of Arbroath by Gillechrist earl of Angus.

Strathmartine Kirk, at Kirkton of Strathmartine (now called Bridgefoot), at NO378352, built in 1779, was demolished in 1799.

The kirk built after 1799 at Trottick, in the south-east corner of the junction of the Old Glamis Road and Claverhouse Road, at NO402336, served the united parishes of Mains & Strathmartine.

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Parish ministers of Mains, 1560-1792, Mains & Strathmartine 1792-1945

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

Ninian Hall1563exhorter
William Auchmowtie1568-1572M.A.; adm. Aug 1568 with Lundie also in his charge; tr. to Strathmartine 1572
Ninian Cook1572reader
Alexander Tyrie1574-ca. 1581tr. from Meigle PER 1574; had Strathmartine, Auchterhouse and Tealing also in charge; tr. to Auchterhouse bef. 1582
Alexander Graham1575vicar
William Bruce1585reader; pres. to vicarage 21 Feb 1588-9 on death of Alexr Graham
William Rait1590-1593, 1595-ca. 1632min. 1590; tr. to Lundie 1593; tr. to Strathmartine 1594; returned here 1595; had Strathmartine also in charge 1612; d. 5 Oct 1630 x 19 Feb 1633; mar. Janet Lundie; issue: David, min. of Kinnaird (by Farnell); Harry; Margaret
Henry Fithie1633-16492nd son of James Fithie, skinner, merchant burgess of Dundee and Anna Thain; M.A. St Andrews 1621; adm. to Benvie 25 Mar 1627; pres. 19 Feb 1633; dep. 1649; d. bef. 1 May 1655; mar. Isobel Erskine; issue: Henry (d.y.); Mr James, min. here
Henry Auchenleck1652-1662ord. 14 Oct 1652; tr. to 2nd charge Perth 23 Dec 1662
James Fithie *1663-1672b. ca. 1630, son of above Henry F.; M.A. St Andrews 1650; ord. May 1663; d. 23 Jun 1672; mar. 1654 Martha (who survived him), dau. of David Souter, alias Johnston, of Wardmilne, Arbroath; issue: Henry; John; Isobel (mar. James Ramsay, town clerk of Dundee); Christian (mar. George Crockat); David; Henry; James, Martha, Robert
Patrick Strachan1673-1701b. ca. 1650, son of James Strachan in Carmyllie; M.A. St Andrews 1669; adm. 16 Mar 1673; dep. 23 Oct 1701 for contumacy, but remained till 1707; d. aft. 1710; buried Perth; mar. (1) 1675 Margaret Morton; issue: John, Geo.; mar. (2) Lucrese, eldest dau. of Arthur Granger, min. of Panbride
James Hodge1707-1709ord. 6 Mar 1707; tr. to Longforgan PER 5 Oct 1709
Andrew Ronaldson1710-1722M.A. St Andrews 1696; ord. 25 Oct 1710; d. Jan/Feb 1722, aged ca. 46; mar. 1704 Margaret, dau. of Wm Hackstoun, tailor, Edinburgh; issue: Helen (mar. John White, shoemaker, Dundee); Agnes; Florence (mar. James Donaldson, shoemaker, Edinburgh); Andw; Margaret; 2 others
John Ker1723-1759b. ca. 1693, bro. of Thomas Ker, min. of Balmerino FIF; M.A. St Andrews 1713; chaplain to Sir John Sinclair of Stevenson; ord. 6 Feb 1723; d. 30 Jun 1759; mar. 1726 Eliz. Campbell; issue: Ann, Thos, Eliz., Margaret
John Gibson1760-1795b. 1732, son of John G., farmer, Pettinain LKS; ord. 12 Mar 1760; d. 9 Feb 1795; mar. 1766 Euphemia Halliburton; issue: Agnes (mar. Patrick Macvicar, min. of 3rd charge Dundee)
Alexander Strachan1795-1799b. 6 Sep 1747, son of James S., min. of Kinkell ABD; M.A. Marischal 1766; schoolmaster Dun; ord. to Strathmartine 19 Jan 1775; removed to Mains on union 21 Nov 1795; d. 24 Feb 1799; mar. (1) 1771 Jean Fullerton; issue: Margaret; James, M.D., Mauritius; Mary; Jean (mar. James Burnet, merchant, Arbroath); mar. (2) 1781 Eliz. Mitchell; issue: Wm; Eliz.; Nancy Adamson; Euphemia; Janet; Isabella [M.I. to her in Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh]; Lilias
Francis Nicoll1799-1820M.A.; tr. from Auchtertool FIF; adm. 19 Sep 1799; tr. to St Leonard's FIF 20 Jul 1820
David Cannan1820-1848b. 1774 Kells KKD, son of James C., farmer; ord. to Kirriemuir 24 Mar 1803; tr. to Murroes 3 Aug 1809; tr. & adm. 16 Nov 1820; D.D. St Andrews 1828; dem. 28 Jun 1848; d. 12 Jul 1854 Edinburgh; M.I. in Dean Cemetery Edinburgh; mar. 1804 Margaret Ouchterlony, dau. of James Lowe, Trinidad; issue: James; Joseph; Mary; Francis Nicoll, min. of Lintrathen; Robt, lieut.-gen. in Turkish service; John, surveyor, Australia; Peter; Helen (mar. James Forgan, writer, Dundee); Thos, planter, Mysore; David; Alexr, capt., H.E.I.C.S.
John Robertson1848-1858ord. 21 Sep 1848; tr. to St Mungo's Glasgow 24 Jun 1858
John McMurtrie1858-1866M.A.; ind. 2 Sep 1858; tr. to St Bernard's Edinburgh 11 Jan 1866
William Boyd1866-1873b. 30 Oct 1840 Dundee, son of John B., farmer; M.A. St Andrews 1860; ass. Leslie FIF; ord. 19 Apr 1866; d. 2 Apr 1873 Florence; mar. 1866 Janet Lockie, dau. of David Runciman, D.D., min. of St Andrew's Glasgow; issue: Janet Aitchison; John James; David Runciman
Alexander Stewart1873-1882M.A., D.D.; ord. 18 Sep 1873; res. 4 Nov 1882 on appointment as prof. of systematic theology, Aberdeen
Richard Spittal Ritchie1888-1917b. 27 Apr 1859 Moonzie FIF, son of Wm Spittal & Cath. Ritchie; ord. to Sorn AYR 21 Jul 1885; tr. & adm. 21 Nov 1888; d. 18 Apr 1917; mar. 1891 Sophia Playfair, dau. of Andrew Chrystal (son of James C., D.D., min. of Auchinleck AYR); issue: Sophia Playfair; Shina Fowler; Eliza Chrystal; Cath. Giffen
Alexander Anderson1918-1925b. 15 Oct 1876 Fraserburgh ABD, son of Alexr A.; M.A. Aberdeen 1899; B.D. St Andrews 1906; ass. to prof. of Hebrew, St Andrews; ass. Uddingston; ord. to St James's Kirkcaldy FIF 24 Jan 1912; tr. & adm. 20 Feb 1918; dem. 25 Nov 1925; adm. Robertson Memorial Glasgow 12 Jan 1928
John Sinclair1926-1945M.A., B.D.; b. 31 Dec 1889 Edinburgh, son of Chas Wm S., photographer; educ. Royal High Sch.; M.A.(Edinburgh 1910), B.D.; ass. Woodside Aberdeen; locumtenens Armadale; ord. to Fauldhouse 16 Feb 1916; tr. & adm. to Lundie 17 Jul 1919; tr. here 14 Apr 1926; dem. 1 Oct 1945; clerk to the Presbytery of Glasgow, 1 Oct 1945; died 1965 Erskine; mar. (1) 1927 Hannah W. Hunter; (2) 1940 Margaretta McG., dau. of John McMurtrie; had issue

* The Fasti mistakenly list him as being twice married, but Martha Souter and Martha Johnston were the same woman - see Note for Mr John Souter, alias Johnston, of Wardmilne, minister of Barry, Martha's brother.
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Parish ministers of Strathmartine 1567-1795

Thomas Cumming1562-1566vicar
James Weicht1563-1572exhorter 1563; min. 1567; d. Aug 1572
Thomas Morrison1568pres. to vicarage 14 May 1568 on death of James Tyrie
William Auchmoutie1572-?adm. to Mains Aug 1568; tr. & adm. 1572; pres. to prebend of quarter of parsonage 20 Mar 1572-3 on death of Sir James Weicht
David Tyrie1572reader
William Rait1594-1612tr. from Lundie 1594; removed to Mains 1595 but retained this charge till aft. 23 Apr 1612
William Rollock1620-1623M.A. St Andrews 1620; adm. bef. 2 Oct 1620; d. 1623, aged ca. 24; prob. mar. 1623 Elspeth Rollo
David Jameson1626-1637M.A. St Andrews 1612; adm. bef. 6 Sep 1626; d. aft. 8 Aug 1637, aged ca. 45; mar. Margaret Hay, who survived him
Alexander Ramsay1638-1649son of Alexr Ramsay in Gedhall; M.A. St Andrews 1625; adm. ca. 1638; dep. Sep 1649; issue: Marjory
James Fraser of Kirkton1653-1653adm. bef. 24 Jan 1653; tr. to Arbroath 21 Jul 1653
John Mow1655-1663adm. bef. 8 Dec 1655; still min. 3 Feb 1663
David Fergusson1664-1689?son of David F., burgess of Dundee; gt-gson of David F., min. of Dunfermline FIF; M.A. St Andrews 1648; adm. bef. 18 May 1664; still min. 6 Feb 1689; d. bef. 29 Jun 1696; mar. Barbara Pierson; issue: David, writer
Thomas Ogilvie1697-1703ord. 13 May 1697; tr. to Coupar Angus 18 May 1703
James Goodsir1706-1717ord. 12 Dec 1706; tr. to Monikie 12 Feb 1717
William Thomson1718-1743ord. 24 Apr 1718; d. 26 Jan 1743; mar. Helen, dau. of William Ged, merchant, Edinburgh
Hugh Maxwell1744-1751descendant of the Maxwells of Tealing; M.A. St Andrews 1702; ord. to Tealing 29 Jul 1703; tr. to Forfar 21 Mar 1717; tr. & adm. 27 Jun 1744; d. 30 Jan 1751, aged ca. 69; mar. (1) 1703 Margaret Kinloch; issue: David, min. here; Robt, of Halkerton; Geo., of Balmyles, provost of Dundee; Isobel; Janet (mar. Wm Moncrieff, min. of Kinnell); mar. (2) contr. 1724 Kath., dau. of Sir Alexr Brand of Brandsfield, Edinburgh; mar. (3) 1745 Kath., dau. of Mungo Murray, collector for Perthshire; mar. (4) Anne Dalgleish
David Maxwell of Strathmartine1751-1774b. 1704, son of above; M.A. St Andrews 1725; ord. to Eassie 22 Apr 1733; tr. & adm. 14 Nov 1751; d. 6 Jun 1774; mar. 1737 Isabel, 2nd dau. of Alexr Duncan of Lundie; issue: Isabella (mar. James Morison of Naughton & Strathmartine); Cath.; Janet; Anne (mar. Capt. Charles Bell); Helen (mar. George Blair of Adamstone); Mary; Lilias
Alexander Strachan1775-1795M.A.; ord. 19 Jan 1775; removed to Mains on union of parishes 1795; see above list for ministers of Mains & Strathmartine

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Monumental inscriptions

Monuments in Mains Kirkyard and at Trottick bearing pre-1855 information are listed in Alison Mitchell (ed.), "Pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Angus, Vol. 4: Dundee" (Edinburgh: Scottish Genealogy Soc.), which can be bought from the Scottish Genealogy Society. (It's listed as "Angus MI - Vol. 4. Pre-1855 for Dundee and Broughty Ferry" in their online shop.)

Mains Churchyard [old photo] is close to Mains Castle, within Caird Park, Dundee.

Andrew Jervise recorded some monuments at Mains in his "Epitaphs & Inscriptions", vol. 1, pp. 201-3 and at Strathmartine on pp. 204-6 of that volume.

An index of surnames on monuments at Old Mains is at Old Mains, Surnames.

Monuments in the surviving, southern part, of Strathmartine Kirkyard bearing pre-1855 information (ca. 40 stones) are listed in Alison Mitchell (ed.), "Pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Angus, Vol. 3: Environs of Dundee" (Edinburgh: Scottish Genealogy Soc., 1996), which can be bought from the Scottish Genealogy Society. (It's listed as "Angus MI - Vol. 3. Pre-1855 Environs of Dundee" in their online shop.) The northern part has been built over.

The following is one of the inscriptions in Strathmartine Kirkyard. [M1], etc., indicate Mitchell's numbering:

[M33] Memento mori Here lyes THOMAS SHEPHERD son to THOMAS SHEPHERD and ISABEL BROUN in Strathmartine who departed May 26 1705 and of his age 22 ; TS IB

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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.

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. That web-site does not distinguish records of Mains from records of Strathmartine.

This page updated 1 Aug 2023