Scottish Counties and Parishes:
their history and boundaries on maps
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This guide provides information on local government units in Scotland, particularly parishes and counties, focusing on their boundaries and changes over time. Much of the development of these units in the last two centuries is tied up with the growth of local government administration, and the main changes in legislation affecting these units are presented in this context. Some of the most useful cartographic and non-cartographic sources of information are listed for further reference, with links to their availability online.
In this section
- Local government units and their histories
- Legislation affecting local government units in the 19th and 20th centuries
- Information sources
2. Legislation affecting parishes in the 19th and 20th centuries
- 2.1 New Parishes (Scotland) Act 1844
- 2.2 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889
- 2.3 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894
- 2.4 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929
- 2.5 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947
- 2.6 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
- 2.7 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994
2.1 New Parishes (Scotland) Act 1844
This Act legalised the erection of new parishes 'quoad sacra'. 60 new parishes were created by 1858 and 356 by 1887.
2.2 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889
Described as "epoch-making" this Act aimed to establish a single authority in each county (County Councils) to take over the administrative powers and duties previously performed by several different bodies (such as the Commissioners of Supply, County Road Trustees, local authorities, and Justices of the Peace). These bodies were designed to be representative, rather than exercising authority by virtue of possession of certain lands and heritages, and were vested with new powers not previously exercised in counties. Boundary Commissioners for Scotland were charged with the tasks of forming electoral divisions, regulating boundaries of counties, and making boundaries of burghs and parishes coincide with those of counties.
2.3 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894
This carried into effect the proposals which were envisaged during the passing of the 1889 Act, resulting in the alteration of many parish and county boundaries in Scotland. The Act is sometimes referred to as the "Peasants' Charter", in its attempt to revive parochial life in rural districts, and establish the parish council in the more populous rural parishes. At the county level, the most important effects were:
- the creation of Orkney and Zetland as counties
- uniting Ross and Cromarty dispensing with the scattered portions of old county of Cromarty, annexed by Lord Tarbat in the 17th century
- the following changes to county boundaries, due to the attempt to alter the boundaries for parishes covering more than one county:
The following changes are taken from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, 1901. For a very detailed textual guide (without maps) to boundary changes of counties and parishes at this time, consult John Hay Shennan, Boundaries of counties and parishes in Scotland; as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, (Edinburgh: William Green & Sons, 1892)
- Aberdeenshire. Extensive internal alterations. Parishes straddling the boundary with Banff: Gartly, Glass, New Machar, Old Deer, and St Fergus were transferred to Aberdeenshire; Cabrach, Gamrie, Inverkeithney, Alvah, and Rothiemay to Banff. Parishes straddling the boundary with Kincardineshire: Drumoak to Aberdeenshire; Banchory Ternan to Kincardineshire.
- Argyllshire. Internal rearrangements. Part of Kilmallie and the whole of Small Isles were transferred to Inverness-shire.
- Ayrshire. Parishes straddling boundary with Renfrew: Dunlop and Beith were transferred to Ayrshire. Island of Little Cumbrae in the parish of Ardrossan was transferred to Buteshire parish of Cumbrae.
- Banffshire. Parishes straddling boundary with Aberdeen: Cabrach and parts of Cairnie and King Edward moved to Banffshire; Gamrie, Inverkeithney, Alvah, and Rothiemay moved to Banff. Parishes straddling boundary with Elgin: Boharm, Inveraven, and Keith to Banff, and Bellie and Rothes to Elgin.
- Berwickshire. Internal rearrangements. Parish of Oldhamstocks divided between Berwickshire and Haddingtonshire Berwickshire portion to parish of Coldingham, and Haddingtonshire portion remained as Oldhamstocks. Detached protions of Lauder and Earlston were transferred to the parish of Melrose in Roxburghshire; and the detached portions of Mertoun were transferred to St Boswells in Roxburghshire.
- Caithness. Internal alterations for parishes of Halkirk and Thurso. Parish of Farr was transferred to Sutherland.
- Dumbarton. No parish boundaries altered. County boundary extended to include parish of New Kilpatrick (from Stirlingshire) and town of Milngavie.
- Dumfries-shire. Kirkpatrick-Juxta and Moffat (straddling border with Lanarkshire) were transferred to Dumfries-shire. Interior rearrangements for the parishes of Dornock and Kirkpatrick-Fleming.
- Edinburghshire. Extensive internal alterations. Part of parish of Humbie (Haddingtonshire) was transferred to Fala and Soutra (Edinburghshire). Cramond moved wholly to Edinburghshire, and part of parish became Dalmeny in Linlithgowshire. Part of the detached parish of Kirkliston was transferred to Currie in Edinburghshire. Part of Stow formed a new parish of Caddonfoot (Selkirkshire) and the remainder to Edinburghshire.
- Elgin. Originally divided into two by Inverness-shire. Under the 1870 Inverness and Elgin County Boundaries Act, part of united parish of Cromdale and Inverallan including the village of Grantown was transferred to Elgin, and part of parishes of Abernethy and Duthil was transferred to Inverness-shire. Parishes straddling boundary between Elgin and Banff: Bellie and Rothes were transferred to Elgin; Boharm, Inveraven, and Keith were transferred to Banff. Parishes straddling boundary between Elgin and Nairnshire: Dyke and Moy and detached part of Ardclach were transferred to Elgin. Parishes straddling boundary between Elgin and Inverness: Cromdale now wholly in Elgin, its Inverness-shire portion was transferred to Duthil.
- Fife. Extensive interior alterations. Parishes straddling the border with Kinross: part of Portmoak parish to Kingussie (Fife), and part Kinglassie, Ballingry and Dunfermline were transferred to Kinross. Parishes straddling the border with Perthshire: parts of Culross and Tulliallan to Fife, and Abenethy and Arngask to Perthshire.
- Forfarshire. Extensive interior alterations. Parishes straddling the border with Perthshire: Fowlis-Easter, Liff, Benvie and Invergowrie, and detached parts of Caputh were transferred to Forfarshire; Alyth and Coupar-Angus, and the detached part of Kettins to Perthshire. Parish of Edzell (straddling border with Kincardineshire) moved wholly to Kincardineshire.
- Haddingtonshire. Interior adjustments. Part of Humbie, and Fala and Soutra were transferred to Edinburghshire. Part of Oldhamstocks was transferred to Coldingham (Berwickshire).
- Inverness-shire. Considerable readjustments. Parishes straddling border with Argyllshire: Ardnamurchan divided into two; Kilmallie moved to Inverness-shire; Small Isles (Rhum, Eigg, Canna, Muck, Sanday and four smaller ones) to Inverness-shire. Those bordering Nairnshire: Cawdor to Nairn; Daviot, Dunlichty, and Petty to Inverness-shire Moy and Dalrossie moved to Inverness-shire. Parishes straddling border with Ross and Cromarty: Urray moved wholly to Ross and Cromarty Inverness-shire portion moved to Kilmorack (Inverness-shire). Parishes straddling border with Elgin: Cromdale moved to Elginshire; Inverness-shire potion in parish of Duthil and Rothiemurchus.
- Kincardineshire. Parishes straddling border with Aberdeenshire: BanchoryTernan to Kincardineshire; Drumoak to Aberdeenshire. Edzell moved wholly to Forfarshire, Kincardineshire portion moved to Fettercairn.
- Kinross-shire. Parishes straddling border with Fife: part of Dunfermline to Cleish (Kinross-shire); part of Portmoak to Kinglassie (Fife). Parishes straddling border with Perthshire: Arngask Forgandenny to Perth; Fossoway to Kinross-shire.
- Kirkcudbright. No changes.
- Lanarkshire. Parishes straddling the border with Dumfries-shire: Kirkpatrick-Juxta and Moffat to Dumfries-shire. Parishes straddling border with Lanarkshire: Culter moved wholly to Lanarkshire. Parishes straddling border with Renfrew: Cathcart moved wholly to Renfrewshire, and part to East Kilbride (Lanarkshire); Govan moved wholly to Lanarkshire, with parts to Renfrew and Eastwood.
- Linlithgowshire. Cramond moved wholly to Edinburghshire, and its Linlithgowshire portion moved to Dalmeny (Linlithgowshire).
- Nairnshire. Parishes straddling boundary with Elgin: Dyke and Moy to Elgin; detached parts of Ardclach to Nairn. Parishes straddling boundary with Inverness-shire: Cawdor to Nairn; Davity and Dunlichty to Inverness-shire Moy and Dalrossie moved to Inverness-shire; Nairnshire portion to Cawdor Croy and Dalcross equally divided. Detached part of Ferintosh (Nairn) moved to Ross and Cromarty.
- Orkney. No changes.
- Peebles-shire. Internal changes. Parishes straddling Selkirk: Innerleithen and Peebles were transferred to Peebles-shire; Lyne and Megget divided to form Lyne and Yarrow. Parishes straddling boundary with Lanark: Culter divided to form Culter (Lanark) and Broughton, Kilbucho, and Glenholm (Peebles).
- Perthshire. Considerable internal alterations. Parishes straddling boundary with Fife: Abernethy and Arngask to Perthshire; Culross and Tulliallan to Fife. Parishes straddling boundary with Forfarshire: Alyth, Coupar-Angus, and Kettins to Perthshire; Liff, FowlisEaster and detached portions of Caputh to Forfarshire. Parishes straddling boundary with Kinross-shire: Arngask and Forgandenny to Perthshire, Fossaway and Tullibole to Kinross shire. Parishes straddling border with Stirlingshire: Leproft to Perthshire; Kippen, Logie and part of Alloa to Stirlingshire.
- Renfrewshire. Internal alternations. Whole of extended City of Glasgow defined as within Lanarkshire. Parishes straddling boundary with Lanarkshire: Kinning Park (Police Burgh) and East Kilbride to Lanarkshire, Cathcart to Renfrewshire. Parish of Beith and Dunlop was transferred to Ayrshire.
- Ross and Cromarty. Parishes straddling Inverness-shire: Urray to Ross and Cromarty; Inverness-shire portion to Kilmorack. Detached part of Ferintosh (parishes of Urquhart and Logie-Wester) moved from Nairnshire to Ross and Cromarty.
- Roxburghshire. Internal alterations. Parishes straddling border with Selkirk: Ashkirk, Galashiels, and Selkirk placed within Selkirk portion of Melrose in Selkirkshire to Galashiels. Roberton to Roxburghshire. Parishes straddling border with Berwickshire: Earlston, Mertoun, and a detached part of Lauder transferred to Roxburghshire.
- Selkirkshire. Parishes straddling border with Peebles-shire: Innerleithen, Peebles and detached part of Yarrow to Peebles-shire; Lyne and Megget divided between Lyne and Yarrow. Parishes straddling boundary with Roxburghshire: Selkirk, Ashkirk, and Galashiels to Selkirkshire; portion of Melrose in Selkirkshire to Galashiels. Selkirkshire portion of the parish of Stow (straddling boundary with Edinburgh) formed new parish of Caddonfoot.
- Stirlingshire. Internal alternations. Parishes straddling border with Clackmannanshire: Stirling and part of Logie parish were transferred to Stirlingshire; Alva parish to Clackmannan. Parishes straddling the border with Perthshire: Kippen to Stirlingshire; Lecroft to Perthshire. New or East Kilpatrick, straddling boundary with Dumbartonshire was transferred to Dumbartonshire.
- Sutherland. Only changes were for parishes of Farr, Reay, Dornoch, and Rogart, but none of these affected the county boundaries.
- Shetland. Changes to parishes of Fetlar, Yell, Lerwick, and Bressay.
- Wigtown. No alterations.
2.4 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929
This brought about a wide-reaching local government reform, aiming to increase simplicity and efficiency of administration by unifying administrative and financial control of major services under a single authority in each area. The Commissioners of Supply, Standing Joint Committees, District Committees, Parish Councils, Education Authorities, District Boards of Control, and Distress Committees where all abolished, and local government was organised through the following bodies:
- County Councils. By the 1929 Local Government Act the County of Kinross was united with the County of Perth, and the County of Nairn was united with Moray, therefore bringing the total number of Scottish counties from 33 to 31.
- Town Councils of large burghs (with a population of over 20,000)
- Town Councils of small burghs (with a population of less than 20,000). (This distinction between large and small burghs was only shown on OS special administrative maps)
- District Councils. District Council areas were set up by County Councils to divide the "landward areas" of a county (ie. the portion of a county not included in a burgh). They took over many functions previously carried out at parish level such as the administration of the Poor Law, lunacy, vaccination, and allotments. The local government role of the civil parish was therefore abolished, but they were still used for the rating valuation roll for the landward areas of counties and for the registration of births, marriages, and deaths in these areas.
The old classification of burghs was replaced by two new classes (large burghs and small burghs), differentiated by the extent of their powers and the size of population over which they administered. The following burghs were united:
- The burghs of Kilrenny, Anstruther Easter, and Anstruther Wester
- The burghs Elie, Liberty and Williamsburgh and the burghs of Earlsferry
- The burghs of Bonnyrigg and Lasswade
- The burghs of Blairgowrie and Rattray
For further details see:
- Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 legislation.
- Whyte, W.E. The Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1929. (Edinburgh: William Hodge & Co., 1929)
2.5 Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1947
The main aim of the Act was to consolidate the various enactments relating to local government over the previous 120 years, clarifying the role, constitution, officers, and accounts of local government bodies. However, Part VI dealt specifically with name changes and boundary changes of jurisdictions, setting in place the administrative machinery for changing the names of areas, and for altering boundaries. In this latter context, provisions were made for altering the boundaries of burghs which fell into more than one county (such as Dumfries). The following name changes of counties were also officially sanctioned (regularising the existing situation):
- for the county of Edinburgh to become the county of Midlothian
- for the county of Elgin or Elgin and Forres to become the county of Moray
- for the county of Forfar to become the county of Angus
For further details see:
- Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 legislation.
- Hutton, William. The Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1947. (Edinburgh: William Hodge & Co., 1949)
2.6 Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973
This entirely remodelled the whole range of local government in Scotland and simplified the system, abolishing the previous local government bodies and replacing them with 9 Regions, 53 Districts, and 3 Island Areas. Civil parishes were stripped of any last vestiges of local government authority, although their boundaries were often used for the formation of electoral division boundaries. The boundaries of the new local government units were operational from 16 May 1975.
The Scottish Office Consultation Paper The Structure of Local Government in Scotland (June 1991) , discusses the arguments for and against a transition to a unitary local government authority structure, and contains some useful information on the contemporary state of local government in Scotland, maps of regions and districts, and the population, area and population density of regions and districts in 1981.
For further details see:
- Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 legislation.
2.7 Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1994
This abolished the previous two-tier region and district model on the mainland and replaced it by 29 unitary authorities; the three islands authorities remained. Although not affecting parishes, the new authority boundaries in some areas take the position of pre-1974 counties and parishes. The new authorities were elected in April 1995 and the boundaries of the new local government units were operational from April 1996.