Strathmiglo

The ScotlandsPlaces website lets users search across national databases by geographical location. It includes, amongst other material,

• catalogue entries for maps and plans held by the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh; some maps and plans can be viewed
• photos and details of historical buildings and archaeological sites recorded by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh
• 17th and 18th century tax rolls
• Ordnance Survey [place] Name Books
• an opportunity to transcribe thousands of historic documents

A very good description is to be found in the relevant chapter in History of the County of Fife: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time by John M Leighton, published 1840, online at Google Books

Strathmiglo Churchyard / Cemetery & extension (grid ref. NO 216102, GPS: 56.277969, -3.266746):

• The pre-1855 monumental inscriptions for Strathmiglo Churchyard are listed in Fifeshire Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) vol. 3 The north east parishes by John Fowler Mitchell & Sheila Mitchell, published by the Scottish Genealogy Society. ISBN 0901061999
• Some stones are recorded in Graveyard Monuments in East, North and Central Fife, John di Folco, published in Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 1969-70, vol. 102, pages 205-236, which deals largely with stones dated pre-1707. It can be downloaded from ARCHway.
• The current lair registers (dating from 1910) are administered by Fife Council, Bereavement Services East, County Buildings, St Catherine Street, Cupar, KY15 4TA. Tel. 01334 659336. Fax 01334 412896.
• A CD with photographs of the stones and transcriptions is available from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions or from The Parish Chest.

Parish / district reference number for 1841 - 1901 censuses: 457

The 1841 and 1851 returns can be searched on the FreeCEN website.

The 1851 census has been indexed by the Tay Valley Family History Society.

Some census records on microfilm may be consulted in  LDS Family Search Centres around the world.

LDS Library Film Numbers:

	1841	1851	1861	1871	1881	1891
Strathmiglo	1042704	1042272	103832	103995	203531	208768

(Data provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

Further information on the main Fife page.

In addition to the Parish Church, there was a United Secession Church (later United Presbyterian) at Edenshead (now Gateside); also a Free Church at Strathmiglo.

The Old Statistical Account (written in the 1790s) gives this information about Dissenters:

• About 750 people are of the Established Church.
• About 228 Seceders.
• 2 Episcopalians.

The New Statistical Account (written in 1843) gives this information:

• Besides the Established Church, there is another church at Strathmiglo in connection with the Reformed Presbyterian Church, stated to have a congregation of 200 drawn from various parishes. The number of communicants may be 140 of whom 90 are from Strathmiglo.
• At Edenshead, there is a place of worship connected with the United Associate Synod, the congregation has been computed at 300 of whom 200 may be communicants.

The 1865 Ecclesiastical Directory lists the parish church, the United Presbyterian Church at Edenshead, and the Free Church.

Information and pictures of the churches at the Scottish Churches website.

Details of church history:

• Strathmiglo Kirk Session:

The church of Strathmiglo, which was rebuilt in 1787, was dedicated to St Martin and formerly existed as a prebend of Dunkeld. Ministry of the session is recorded from 1562, in the person of George Leslie. In 1953, following the 1929 union of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church, Strathmiglo parish church (known after 1929 as Strathmiglo St Martin's) joined with the former United Free Church congregation of Strathmiglo West. The two charges united under the name of Strathmiglo, and after the union the former West church was sold. Further union later followed in 1981 with Edenshead to form the session of Edenshead and Strathmiglo. Strathmiglo Kirk Session sat within the Presbytery of Cupar, until the restructuring of the presbyteries in 1976, when it became part of the Presbytery of St Andrews.

• Strathmiglo South Free Church (Strathmiglo United Free Church):

At the time of the Disruption in 1843 a congregation of adherents to the Free Church was established within Strathmiglo, which was later to become known as Strathmiglo South in 1876, after the union of the Reformed Presbyterian Church with the Free Church, as the RP church in Strathmiglo took the name of Strathmiglo North. The charge at Strathmiglo South was vacant after 1889, an ordained preacher serving the congregation. The two Free Church congregations were united in 1899 as Strathmiglo Free Church, and following the union of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland in 1900, the congregation became the United Free Church of Strathmiglo. In 1912 the charge was transferred by the General Assembly from the Presbytery of Dunfermline and Kinross to the Presbytery of Cupar and at the 1929 union of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church, the congregation was named Strathmiglo West. In 1933 Strathmiglo West church joined with the Parish Church congregation of Strathmiglo St Martin's. The two charges united under the name of Strathmiglo, and after the union, the former West church was sold. Further union later followed in 1981 with Edenshead to form the congregation of Edenshead and Strathmiglo. Strathmiglo and Edenshead Church presently sits within the Presbytery of St Andrews.

• Edenshead Kirk Session (United Secession, United Presbyterian, United Free, Church of Scotland):

The congregation of Edenshead originated in 1825 when the district was chosen to be the seat of a new United Secession church, and the first minister of the charge, Robert Redpath, was ordained in 1828. In 1847, the United Secession Church united with the Relief Church to form the United Presbyterian Church, and Edenshead was therefore a congregation within that Church. Following the union of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland in 1900, the congregation became Edenshead United Free Church and in 1912, Edenshead, which originally sat within the Presbytery of Dunfermline and Kinross, was transferred to the Presbytery of Cupar. In 1981, following the 1929 union of the United Free Church and the Church of Scotland, Edenshead was joined with the parish church of Strathmiglo, under the name of Edenshead and Strathmiglo. The united congregation presently sits within the Presbytery of St Andrews.

• Strathmiglo Reformed Presbyterian Church:

Strathmiglo Reformed Presbyterian Church was formed in 1824 on a petition to Edinburgh Presbytery. The church dated from 1828 (replaced on a more convenient site, 1852) and the first minister was appointed in the following year. At the union of 1876 it passed to the Free Church as Strathmiglo North, which united with Strathmiglo South in 1899. The Free Church charge was in the presbytery of Kinross and the synod of Fife.

Data provided by the  Scottish Archive Network (SCAN)

The Parish Church (Established Church, Church of Scotland):

The original Old Parish Registers (of baptisms / births, proclamations / marriages, and deaths / burials) of the Church of Scotland, which cover the years up to 1854, are held in the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh, and they can all be consulted there at the National Records of Scotland. The baptisms / births, proclamations / marriages and deaths / burials indexes can be searched at the ScotlandsPeople website. Copies of the register entries may be purchased.

Parish reference number: 457

The Old Parish Registers (OPRs) span the following dates (although there are gaps within these ranges):

Strathmiglo OPR	Births / baptisms	Proclamations / marriages	Deaths / burials / mortcloths
457/1	1719-1819	1719-1819	1817-1819
457/2		1702-1743	1714-1743
457/3		1748-1819	1742-1819
457/4	1820-1854	1820-1854	1820-1854

(Data supplied by the National Records of Scotland)

The Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland, published 1872, provides this information about the content of the OPRs, including the gaps within them:

B.  Prior to 1747, and again 1756 - 1800, each entry consists of a date and three words, viz. name and surname of father, and baptismal name of child. Mothers' names added after 1800.
M.  blank June 1753 - Feb. 1817, but there are entries of Contract Money 1702 - 1743, and 1748 - 1819, mixed up with Mortcloth Dues, etc.
D.  Only Mortcloth Dues prior to 1817. Burials after Jan. 1817.

Copies of the registers on microfilm may be consulted in some local libraries and at LDS Family Search Centres around the world. The indexes to baptisms / births and proclamations / marriages can also be searched on the LDS Family Search website or on the IGI on microfiche in local libraries.

LDS Library Film Numbers:

1040182 Items 1-2	Session book (includes Marriage proclamations and Mortcloth dues) 1810-1819; Baptisms 1819-1854; Marriages, burials 1820-1854
1040190 Items 2-4	Baptisms 1719-1819; Marriages 1719-1753, 1817- 1820; Burials 1817-1820; Session book (includes Marriage proclamations (some years missing) and Mortcloth dues (burial records) after 1714) 1700-1810

(Data provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

Deaths / burials are listed on Fife Family History Society's  Pre-1855 Fife Deaths CD.

Further information on the main Fife page.

Kirk Session records are held at the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library, with digital copies at the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh. Some Kirk Session material is to be found in the OPR records (457/2 & 457/3).

Heritors' Records (HR433) are at the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh.

At the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library, with digital copies of the earlier volumes at the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh:

• CH2/609
  Strathmiglo Kirk Session
  Minutes and accounts, 1719-1747; Baptismal register, 1857-1885; Communion roll, 1863-1946; Congregational Board minutes, 1934-1966; Certificates of proclamations, 1879 and 1886-1887; Minutes, 1863-1879 and 1900-1948; Collections, 1794-1806; Disbursements, 1794-1807; Poor's fund accounts, 1817-1818; Accounts, 1846-1889; Proclamation register, 1855-1907; Banns called, 1866-1889; Miscellaneous documents, 1692-1938; Births and baptisms, 1807-1833; Deacon's court minutes, 1929-1933; Property register, 1956-1890; Church door collections, 1944-1986; Account book, 1903-1941.

Included in the Old Parochial Registers on microfilm and at the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh but not online:

• Strathmiglo Kirk Session
  • 475/2
    Accounts, 1700-1742
  • 475/3
    Accounts, 1720-1819

At the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh:

• HR/433
  Strathmiglo parish heritors' records
  Minutes, 1845-1935; Accounts, 1845-1927; Real rent, 1910-1935; Papers relating to church buildings, 1783-1784.

At the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library:

• B5
  (in: Auchtermuchty Burgh Records):
  Strathmiglo heritors minutes, 1773-1800, 1818-1845.

Other Churches:

At the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library:

• CH3/541
  Strathmiglo South Free Church (Strathmiglo United Free Church)
  Cash book, 1921-1933; Minutes, 1844-1891 and 1922-1933; Communion roll, 1921-1930.

• CH3/1564
  Edenshead Kirk Session (United Secession, United Presbyterian, United Free, Church of Scotland)
  Minutes of congregational meetings, managers and elders, 1826-1914 and 1917-1948; Kirk session minutes, 1883-1948; Communicants roll, 1915-1953; Baptisms, 1914-1929; Seat rent book, 1854-1878 and 1949-1966; Cash book, 1883-1981; Church door collections, 1871-1923; Meeting house trustees, receipts for feu duty, 1883-1919; Property register, 1960-1972.

At the National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh:

• CH3/832
  Strathmiglo Reformed Presbyterian Church
  Managers' and congregational minutes, 1824-1879.

The Strathmiglo page of the LDS Family Search Research Wiki has more information about church history and records.

Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths began in Scotland on 1st January 1855. Full information on the main Fife page.

Registration districts covering this parish:

Registration districts did not necessarily coincide exactly with parishes. In the 20th century especially, there were frequent changes in registration districts.

Surrounding parishes: Falkland, Auchtermuchty, Collessie, Kettle, Abernethy (Perthshire), Arngask (Perthshire), Orwell (Kinross-shire), Portmoak (Kinross-shire).

• Geograph
• Flickr

The parish entry in Pigot's National Commercial Directory for the whole of Scotland, 1837, is online at Google Books.

Westwood's Parochial Directory for the Counties of Fife and Kinross for 1862 and 1866 are online at Google Books. On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is a transcription of the 1862 edition.

Several old gazetteers are available. They all contain descriptions of the parish and many are also worth searching for entries of places within the parish.

• David Webster's Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, published 1819, online at Google Books.
• Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, published 1846, online at British History Online.
• Barbieri's Descriptive and Historical Gazetteer of the Counties of Fife, Kinross and Clackmannan, published 1857, is at Google Books.
• Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4) and John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887), are on A Vision of Britain (click on "Historical places and writing").
• Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland(1892-6) on Electric Scotland

• Ask for a calculation of the distance from Strathmiglo to another place.

On 15th May 1891, the following subjects, which were always in the County of Fife,   were transferred from the parish of Abernethy to the parish of Strathmiglo: Nochnarrie, Pitlour and part of Pitlour Farm.

A Vision of Britain provides historical descriptions, population & housing statistics, historic boundaries and maps.

Details of historic buildings and archaeological sites in this parish held by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh, are catalogued at ScotlandsPlaces. In the results, click RCAHMS. Unfortunately, not all entries have digital images.

Historic maps:

• On-line maps:
  • National Library of Scotland map collection - main page
  • For 17th, 18th and early 19th century maps, see the National Library of Scotland map collection.
  • Using the geo-referenced maps at the National Library of Scotland allows historic maps to be viewed on top of a modern map or satellite view
  • Ordnance Survey 6-inch, 1st edition (1855) Fife sheets 9, 15 & 16 at the National Library of Scotland (for the best images), or at

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference NO205092 (Lat/Lon: 56.268997, -3.285733), Strathmiglo which are provided by:

• OpenStreetMap
• Google Maps
• StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
• Bing (was Multimap)
• Old Maps Online
• National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
• Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
• Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
• GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)

• All places within the same township/parish shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby townships/parishes shown on an Openstreetmap map.
• Nearby places shown on an Openstreetmap map.

War memorials can be seen at the Scottish War Memorials Project.

Fife Deaths Abroad 1855-1900 - a compilation of overseas deaths recorded in Fife newspapers - has been produced by Andrew Campbell of Fife Family History Society. The Society have recently re-published it in their Publications Series, 30.

The parish is included in Andrew Campbell's compilation of Fife Shopkeepers and Traders 1820-1870 taken from newspapers and directories. It is available in most Fife reference libraries, in the libraries of the family history societies, and at the Manuscript Department of the Special Collections Department of St Andrews University Library. It is also available as Fife Traders and Shopkeepers on CD from Fife Family History Society.

The relief of paupers after 1845 was carried out by the Parochial Board and later by the Parish Council. Their records are at the Fife Council Archive Centre. See Public Records below.

There is a page with census statistics from 1755 to 1961 here.

See also A Vision of Britain and Histpop for population statistics.

Probate records are 'Confirmations' in Scotland.

Prior to 1824, wills, testaments & inventories of residents of Strathmiglo may be found in either the St Andrews Commissariot (CC20), the Dunkeld Commissariot (CC7) or the Edinburgh Commissariot (CC8) records. From 1824, commissary business has been conducted by the Sheriff Court of Fife at Cupar (SC20). 

Indexes and finding aids are given on the main Fife page.

Local sources worth searching for deeds include St Andrews Commissary Court, Dunkeld Commissary Court and Cupar Sheriff Court.

Parochial Boards and their successors, Parish Councils, administered many local functions including poor relief.

At the Fife Council Archive Centre, Kirkcaldy:

• FCC/6/53
  Strathmiglo Parochial Board / Parish Council
  Minute books, 1888-1930.

School Board records and / or school logbooks are held at the Fife Council Archive Centre. Strathmiglo records:

At the Fife Council Archive Centre, Kirkcaldy:

• Gateside Primary School
  Log books, 1922-1958; admission registers, various dates.

• Strathmiglo Public School
  Log books, 1873-1994; admission registers, 1949-1979.

• Strathmiglo School Board
  Minutes 1901-1919.

Entries less than 50 years old may contain sensitive personal information and are not on open access. If you are a former pupil you are entitled to see your own entry. Please contact the Archivist for further details.

Education statistics for Fife schools in 1891-2 list the following board schools in the parish:

"Statistical accounts" giving fascinating insights into the local topography and history, social and economic conditions, and even the daily lives of people, were written by the parish ministers in the 1790s and the 1840s. For more information see the main Fife pages

• The 'Old' Statistical Account is at The Statistical Accounts of Scotland and Google Books.
• The 'New' Statistical Account is also at The Statistical Accounts of Scotland and Google Books.

The hearth tax, clock & watch tax, male servants tax, female servants tax, and farm horse tax are all on ScotlandsPlaces.

See also the Early Taxation Records page.