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Belhelvie

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"BELHELVIE, a parish, in the district and county of Aberdeen, 8 miles (N. by E.) from Aberdeen; containing 1594 inhabitants. The name of this place is derived from a word in the Gaelic language, signifying the "mouths of the rivulets", the locality being marked by the course of several small streams into the sea. Here were several Druidical temples, which have now disappeared before the operations of husbandry. . . The parish is bounded on the east by the German Ocean, and the number of acres within its limits is 19,000, of which 5000 were recovered not long since from moorland, and 5000 still consist of sea-beech, peatbog, and wood. About 4000 acres of the cultivated land are in grain crop, and 10,000 in turnip, potatoes, hay, pasture, grass, &c. The coast consists of a fine sandy beach; but the general character of the surface, from the sea to the western extremity, is hilly and broken. . . . A salmon-fishery is carried on along the coast, in which stakenets are employed, and the profits arising from it are very considerable. Fairs are held for the sale of cattle, in spring, summer, and autumn. Ecclesiastically the parish is subject to the presbytery and synod of Aberdeen, and is in the patronage of the Crown: the minister's stipend is £179. 13., and there is a good manse, with a glebe of five acres. The church, which is in due repair, contains 519 sittings. There are places of worship for the Free Church and United Presbyterian Synod. . . More"
[From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland (1851) - copyright Mel Lockie 2016]

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Cemeteries

A book of monumental inscriptions for this parish is available from the Aberdeen & NE Scotland FHS.

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Church Records

Presbytery of Aberdeen - Synod of Aberdeen.

Here are details of the Birth, Marriage and Death records for this parish, available on the OPR films.

FilmBirthsMarriagesDeaths
174/11624-17151624-17151698-1715
174/21716-621716-631716-63
174/31763-18191763-18191764-1819
174/41820-541820-541820-54
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Description & Travel

Here is a detailed description of the parish, written in 1875.

You can see pictures of Belhelvie which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Maps

This parish appears on sheet 38 of the OS Landranger Series, and on sheet 230 of the OS Pathfinder Series.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference NJ954181 (Lat/Lon: 57.253315, -2.078256), Belhelvie which are provided by:

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Names, Geographical

Here is a list of place names in the parish.

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Taxation

A booklet containing extracts from the 1696 Poll Book for this parish is available from the Aberdeen & NE Scotland FHS.