Please also visit the page of general information applicable to all of Angus & Kincardineshire.
Note: There is also a parish of Fearn in Ross-shire.
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 Fern
- General histories listed on the page for Books about Angus & Kincardineshire, in particular Warden, vol. 3, pp. 265-283.
- Old Statistical Account of the 1790s - vol. 3, p. 438
- New Statistical Account of the 1840s - vol. 11, p. 311
- 1:10560 (Six inch) Ordnance Survey map - surveyed 1862, published 1865 (The church is at the right-hand edge)
- 1:2500 (25 inch) Ordnance Survey map - surveyed 1862, published 1865 (The church is at the right-hand edge)
For the full range of maps of Fern, see National Library's Maps.
See Geograph.org: Fern - recent photographs of Fern. National Grid ref. NO4861.
Located at National Grid ref. NO484617. Built in 1883.
There is an article, with photographs, on Fern Parish Church in A Corpus of Scottish Mediaeval Parish Churches.
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
| Walter Fairwodder (Fariweather) | 1563 | reader |
| James Melville | 1563-1567 | M.A.; min. 1563; also had Menmuir and Kinnell in his charge 1567; tr. to Tannadice 1567 |
| Andrew Leitch | 1580-1584? | pres. to vicarage of Kilmoir, within cathedral kirk of Brechin, 15 May 1577; min. here 1580 with Dunlappie also in charge; master of Brechin Grammar School 13 Jan 1580-1; tr. to Maryton bef. 1585 |
| Patrick Mure | 1584 | parson 30 May 1584 |
| Alexander Norie | 1586-1602 | son of Robert N.; min. of Dunlappie 1585 with Fern also in charge; removed here 1586; d. Nov 1602; mar.; issue: Alexr; Robert, min. of Stracathro; Barbara, Kath., Isobel, Agnes |
| Robert Norie | 1607-1610 | M.A.; min. 1607; tr. to Stracathro bef. 12 Sep 1610 |
| George Symmer | 1614-1653 | 2nd son of Robt S.; nephew of George Symmer of Balzeordie; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1604; killed Mar 1653 Dundee; mar. Jean Arbuthnott; issue: Alexr, Helen, another dau. |
| James Cramond | 1653-1690 | yst bro. of Hercules Cramond of Balhall; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1644; preacher in England 1648, for which he was suspended; reponed 30 Jan 1651; ord. 14 Sep 1653; d. 1690, aged ca. 66; mar. Geils Ramsay; issue: Capt. Wm; James; Eliz. (mar. Col. William Clephane) |
| Alexander Wilson | 1690 | M.A.; formerly of Elie FIF; intruded here; outed; went to Kinnaird |
| George Wemyss | 1698-1737 | M.A. St Andrews 1690; ord. 29 Dec 1698; d. 8 Jun 1737, aged ca. 67; mar. 1699 Marjory, dau. of John Spalding, min. of 2nd charge Dundee; issue: Robt; James, min. here |
| James Watson | 1715-1716 | episc. min.; intruded here Sep 1715 to Feb 1716 |
| James Wemyss | 1735-1744 | son of above Geo. W; ord. (ass. & suc.) 2 Apr 1735; tr. to Errol PER 30 Oct 1744 |
| George Tytler | 1745-1785 | b. 1706, son of John T., Corsindae ABD; ord. to Premnay ABD 10 Oct 1733; tr. & adm. 24 Apr 1745; d. 29 Jul 1785; mar. 1734 Janet Robertson; issue: Barbara; Geo., divinity student; James, "Balloon Tytler" (1745-1805), author & editor; Henry Wm, M.D., Brechin, author & translator |
| John Gillanders | 1786-1802 | b. 1757 ABD; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1778; schoolmaster Tannadice; ord. 7 Jun 1786; d. 9 Nov 1802 unmar. |
| David Harris | 1803-1867 | b. 1774, son of Geo. H., farmer; ord. 8 Sep 1803; d., father of the Church, 28 Oct 1867 Blairgowrie PER; mar. 1812 Grace, dau. of William Dow, min. of Blairgowrie; issue: Mary Duncan; Amelia; Geo., min. here; Grace; Eliz. Greenhill; Jane; Wm |
| George Harris | 1854-1860 | b. 18 Jan 1818, son of above; ass. Gamrie BAN; ord. (ass. & suc.) 12 Oct 1854; d. 20 Jul 1860 unmar. |
| Andrew Wilson | 1861-1867 | b. 12 Nov 1819 Macduff BAN, son of Andrew W., seaman; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1837; teacher Alehouse-hillock school, Cairnie ABD 1839-41; achoolmaster Alvah BAN 1841; headmaster John Watson's School, Edinburgh 1850-5; ord. to Lochgelly Chapel FIF 4 Jul 1856; tr. & adm. (ass. & suc.) 25 Apr 1861; res. 28 Oct 1867; thereafter journalist "Cornelius Crabtree"; d. 8 Feb 1891 Edinburgh |
| William Waddell | 1868-1874 | b. Apr 1844 Langton BEW, son of Alexr W., builder; M.A. Edinburgh 1863; ass. Forfar; ord. 23 Apr 1868; dep. 30 May 1874; d. 18 Sep 1896 Australia; mar. (1) 1869 Jane Reid, dau. of John Alexr Castlemaine Tannoch, D.D., min. of Glamis; issue: Lieut. John Tannoch, 48th Foot; mar. (2) 1884 Mary Davidson, who survived him |
| John Fergusson | 1875-1907 | b. 29 Jul 1834 Glenshee, son of Donald F., farmer; ass. St John's Dundee; ord. to Glenprosen 4 Oct 1860; tr. to New Pitsligo ABD 19 Mar 1869; tr. & adm. 7 Jan 1875; LL.D. St Andrews 1896; d. 6 Aug 1907 Edinburgh; unmar.; botanist, cryptogamist |
| Robert Constable Mitchell | 1907-1937 | b. 19 Jan 1872 Kilry, Glenisla, son of John M., farmer; ass. St Paul's Perth and Wormit FIF; ord. to Wormit Chapel FIF 15 Sep 1898; tr. & adm. 19 Dec 1907; dem. 16 Feb 1937; d. 26 Jun 1945 Dundee; mar. 1914 Eliz. Allan, dau. of Hugh Allan Gault, C.E., Christchurch N.Z.; had issue |
| George Arthur Sefton* | 1937-? | B.D.; b. 3 Mar 1900 Aberdeen, son of Alfred S., Post Office clerk; from Pitsligo Parish Church, Rosehearty; ind. Oct 1937; d. 1988 Brechin; mar. 1928 Mary C. Reay |
| Henry Reay Sefton* | 1962-? | b. 1931 Pitsligo, son of the above; educ. Brechin High School; M.A.(St Andrews 1954), B.D., S.T.M., Ph.D.; ord. 15 Sep 1957; succ. 1962; Master of Christ's College, Aberdeen 1982; d. 7 Dec 2019 Banchory |
* He was also minister of Careston.
Monuments in Fern Kirkyard bearing pre-1855 information (ca. 50 stones) are listed in Alison Mitchell (ed.), "Pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Angus, Vol. 1: Strathmore" (Edinburgh: Scottish Genealogy Soc., 1993), which can be bought from the Scottish Genealogy Society. (It's listed as "Angus MI - Vol. 1. Pre-1855 Strathmore" in their online shop.)
Andrew Jervise recorded some monuments at Fern in his "Epitaphs & Inscriptions", vol. 1, pp. 268-70.
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.
-
Additionally, in the National Records:
- 1855 - 1914 for Church of Scotland [NRS CH2/149/10]
- 1844 - 1890 for Fern Free Church [NRS CH3/962/8]
- 1891 - 1961 for Fern Free Church (later United Free, later Church of Scotland) [NRS CH3/962/9]
-
Additionally, in the National Records:
- 1856 - 1905 for Church of Scotland [NRS CH2/149/10]
- 1843 - 1880 for Fern Free Church [NRS CH3/962/8]
-
Additionally, in the National Records:
- 1840 (or 1841?) - 1879 (or 1890?) for Church of Scotland [NRS CH2/149/10]
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.
-
- 1739 - 1854
Additionally, in the National Records:
- 1844 - 1890 for Fern Free Church [NRS CH3/962/8]
-
- 1803 - 1806
- 1846 - 1854
Additionally, in the National Records:
- 1843 - 1880 for Fern Free Church [NRS CH3/962/8]
-
- None
Additionally, in the National Records:
- 1840 (or 1841?) - 1879 (or 1890?) for Church of Scotland [NRS CH2/149/10]
Church Session Records of Fern Parish Church
Later, Fern & Careston.
| Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. CH2/149/... |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 1739; 1803-1810 | 1 |
| do | 1839-1875 | 2 |
| do | 1875-1915 | 3 |
| Poors assessment | 1845-1874 | 4 |
| Loose minutes | 1788-1801 | 5 |
| Minutes | 1916-1982 | 6 |
| Cash book | 1803-1845 | 7 |
| Accounts | 1845-1879 | 8 |
| Register of accounts | 1762-1773 | 9 |
| Note of subscription by heritors for the poor | 1801 | 9 |
| Baptisms | 1855-1914 | 10 |
| Proclamations | 1856-1905 | 10 |
| Burials | 1841-1890 | 10 |
| Baptisms | 1915-1981 | 11 |
| Proclamations | 1906-1975 | 12 |
| Communion roll | 1862-1882 | 13 |
| do | 1883-1916 | 14 |
| do | 1917-1939 | 15 |
| Inventory of property | 1946-1965 | 16 |
| Misc. papers | 20th c. | 17 |
| Communion roll | 1938-1981 | 18 |
| Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. HR30/... |
|---|---|---|
| Minute book | 1913-1927 | 1 |
| Draft minute book | 1922-1926 | 2 |
| Vouchers | 1925-1926 | 3 |
| Cash Account | 1928 | 4 |
| Papers re transference of property to Church of Scotland General Trustees | 1925-1928 | 5 |
| Farm | Name | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Auchlochie [Afflochie] | Alexander Mitchell | -1861-1891- |
| do | William Nicoll | -1902-1906- |
| do | William Robertson | -1926-1937 |
| do | To Let | Mar 1937 |
| do | William Christie | -1938-1942- |
| Auchnacree | George R. Grant of Auchnacree | -1906-1924- |
| Balmadity | James Carnegie | -1841-1851- |
| do | John Carnegie | -1862- |
| do | John Martin | -1871-1884- |
| do | Colin Marshall [d. 1902] | -1891-1902 |
| do | James Eaton | -1906-1914- |
| do | Fletcher's Trustees | -1918-1924- |
| do | John Caird | -1926-1936 |
| do | William Mather | -1938-1942- |
| Balquhadly | John Anderson | -1841- |
| do | Helen Anderson | -1851- |
| do | Andrew Balnaves | -1861-1871- |
| do | Mrs Jane & John Balnaves | -1891- |
| do | John Balnaves | -1906-1940 |
| do | To Let | Jun 1940 |
| do | Alexander Anderson, jun. | -1951-1952- |
| Balquharn | Andrew Anderson | -1841- |
| do | John Anderson | -1851-1862- |
| do | Alexander Anderson | -1878-1885- |
| do | James Guild | -1888-1891- |
| do | Thomas McIntosh | -1895-1902- |
| do | George Ramsay | -1906-1924- |
| do | J.G. Graham | -1926-1942- |
| Boggie | William B. Buchan [d. 1925] | -1906-1925 |
| do | J.T. Lamont | -1926-1942- |
| Deuchar | Thomas Thomson of Deuchar | -1891- |
| do | Mrs Thomson | -1906- |
| do | R. Bruce Robertson [d. 1948] | -1926-1929- |
| do | Frederick Johnstone Haughs [d. 1952] | -1933-1952 |
| Farmerton | George Brown | -1871-1891- |
| Farmerton & Crowe | Mrs & Alexander Brown | -1902-1906- |
| Farmerton | Alexander Brown | -1910-1929- |
| do | A. & George A. Brown | -1933- |
| do | For Sale | Aug 1938 |
| do | George A. Brown | -1938-1942- |
| do | -- Brown | -1955- |
| Hilton of Fern | Alexander Doig | -1861 |
| do | William Nicoll [d. 1911] | -1881-1911 |
| do | James Greig | -1918-1924- |
| do | J.D. Dawson | -1926-1933- |
| do | J.A.M. Wilson | -1938-1942- |
| Noranpark | John Drummond | -1904-1914- |
| do | Mrs Isabel Drummond | -1917- |
| Shandford | John Dalgety | -1841-1851- |
| do | Margaret Dalgety | -1861- |
| do | Mrs F.M. Fletcher | -1906- |
| do | Mrs McGrath | -1910-1924- |
| do | William, John & Wm, jun. Crow | -1937-1942- |
| Trusto & Shielhill | James Robertson | -1902-1906- |
| Trusto | James Robertson | -1910-1929- |
| do | William Robertson | -1937 |
| do | To Let | Mar 1937 |
| The Vayne | James S. Buick | -1851-1861- |
| do | John Pattullo | -1878 |
| do | Thomas Bowman | -1881- |
| do | David Bowman | -1891-1906 |
| do | James Thomson [d. 1926] | -1910-1926 |
| do | Robert Thomson | -1929-1933- |
| do | W.J. Robertson | -1938-1942- |
| Waterston | John Keir | -1841-1861- |
| do | George P. Keir | -1871-1881- |
| do | George Paterson [d. 1922] | -1902-1922 |
| do | Representatives of George Paterson | -1926-1933- |
| do | W. Paterson | -1934-1942- |
| Wellford | William Gair | -1841- |
| do | James Tosh | -1860-1881- |
| do | Mrs Sophia Tosh | -1891- |
| do | John S. Tosh | -1902- |
| do | John & Mrs Tosh | -1906- |
| do | William Abercromby | -1907-1926- |
| do | James Young | -1929-1942- |
| Windsor | Alexander Airth | -1851-1861- |
| do | Mary Stewart | -1871- |
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.
| Year | male | female | total | ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1755 | 500 | Dr Alexander Webster | ||
| 1790 | about 490 | Old Statistical Account | ||
| 1801 | 448 | |||
| 1811 | 419 | |||
| 1821 | 197 | 214 | 411 | |
| 1831 | 450 | |||
| 1841 | ||||
| 1851 | 392 | |||
| 1871 | 170 | 178 | 348 | |
| 1881 | 161 | 155 | 316 | |
| 1891 | 150 | 127 | 277 | |
| 1901 | 160 | 162 | 322 | |
| 1911 | 167 | 141 | 308 | |
| 1921 | 198 | 184 | 382 |
Fern was in the Commissariot of Brechin.
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 Fern people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Brechin, 1576-1800
'T' before the date indicates that the copy in the register is lost, but the original testament is extant.
| John Anderson | in Dubbitoun, par. of Feirne | 11 Mar 1595-6 |
| Richard Anderson | in Dubitoune of Ferne | 10 Sep 1578 |
| Thomas Bruce | in Ledincarre, par. of Ferne | 31 Oct 1601 |
| Catherine Fenton | spouse to John Lychttoune, in Ferne | 16 Dec 1577 |
| Marararet Syme | spouse to Alexander Hill, in Achloche, par. of Fearne | T. -- Oct 1666 |
| David Webster | sometime Beddell at the Kirk of Ferne | 6 Feb 1610 |
Testaments of Fern people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Dunkeld, 1682-1823
| John Black | tenant in Vain | 8 Jan 1814 |
| John Milne (or Mill) of Noranside | 26 Jan & 18 Feb 1822 |
Testaments of Fern people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1514-1600
| John Birnie (Birney) | in the New-Mylne of Feirne [in Angus?] | 17 Jan 1576-7 |
| Andro Bishop (Bischop) | in Sanctfurde, par. of Ferne, sher. of Forfar | 29 Jul 1590 |
| William Marschall of Auchnacrie | par. of Feme, sher. of Forfar | 25 Oct 1586 |
| Katherine Webster | sometime spouse to Robert Leiche, in Bruston, par. of Ferne in Angus | 31 Mar 1586 |
Testaments of Fern people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1601-1700
| William Deuchar of that ilk | par. of Farne, in Angus | 2 Feb 1602 |
| Marjory Finlayson | sometime spouse to John Wilkie, in Cristo, par. of Ferne, in Angus | 28 Jul 1607 |
| James How | in Fermertoun, par. of Ferne, in Angus | 18 Mar 1605 |
| Mr Alexander Norie | parson of Ferne, in Angus | 31 May 1603 |
| Jonet Stratoun | relict of William Dewarche [Deuchar] of that ilk, par. of Fairne, sher. of Forfar | 2 Feb 1602 |
Testaments of Fern people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1801-1823
| Hannah --- | of Alsops Buildings, New Road, Middlesex, relict of John Mill of Fearn | 12 Feb 1823 |
Images of the original records for Fern:
Images of the original records for Fern: