Ceres Parish Records
- Ceres Church
The rectory of Ceres formerly belonged to the collegiate
church of St Mary and the kirk session records ministry from 1560, in the
person of Patrick Coustun. The present day parish church was erected in 1806
on the site of its predecessor. The former Ceres and Strathkinness United
Free Church was united with this charge in 1929 on the union of the United
Free Church of Scotland and the Church of Scotland. In 1983 Ceres
established a link with Springfield and the two charges later united in
1989, under the name of Ceres and Springfield. The kirk session formerly sat
within the Presbytery of Cupar and presently falls under the jurisdiction of
the Presbytery of St Andrews.
- Ceres Associate Congregation / Ceres West Church / Ceres St Andrews Road
United Presbyterian Church
Ceres Associate Congregation (an Antiburgher
congregation) was first established in 1740 and the first minister of the
congregation, William Campbell, was ordained in September 1742. It is
thought that services must have initially taken place in the open air as no
place of worship had yet been erected in 1742, however a stone within the
old church is recorded to have borne the date 1744. At some point the
congregation's name became Ceres West, probably after the start of the
Relief Church congregation at Ceres in 1798, which was Ceres East. There was
a significant reduction in the size of the congregation from the late 18th
century because of the existence of Ceres East, and because there was an
Antiburgher congregation at nearby Cupar. The congregation obtained a new
church in St Andrew's Road in 1877. By the 1870s there were moves to unite
the two Ceres congregations (both now United Presbyterian Church charges),
and this took place in 1885. At the union in 1900 of the United
Presbyterians and the Free Church of Scotland, the charge became the Ceres
St Andrew's Road, United Free Church, and in 1913 a union was established
with Ceres South, under the name of Ceres U.F. Further union followed soon
after in 1917 with Strathkinness to form the charge of Ceres and
Strathkinness U.F.
- Ceres Relief Congregation / Ceres
East Church (United Presbyterian)
The Relief Church congregation
began at Ceres in 1798 as
Ceres East. By the 1870s there were moves to unite the two Ceres congregations
(both now United Presbyterian Church charges), and this took place in 1885.
- Ceres Free Church / Ceres South United Free Church / Ceres and Strathkinness United Free Church
The congregation of Ceres Free Church was formed at the Disruption of 1843. In the beginning
public worship was held in a temporary wooden building, but a church to
house the congregation was erected soon after the establishment of the
charge. Following the union of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free
Church of Scotland in 1900, Ceres Free Church became Ceres South, United
Free Church and in 1913 a union was established with Ceres St Andrew's Road,
under the name of Ceres U.F.
Further union followed soon after in 1917 with Strathkinness to form the
charge of Ceres and Strathkinness U.F. After the union of the United Free
Church and the Church of Scotland in 1929, the designation became Ceres
Church of Scotland.
At the Special Collections Dept. of St
Andrews University Library:
- CH2/65
Ceres Kirk Session
Minutes, 1644-1697, 1700-1717, 1740-1849, 1889-1902 and 1912-1921;
Cash book, 1700-1710, 1740-1757, 1783-1801 and 1819-1851; Poor's fund
accounts, 1835-1844; Baptismal register, 1856-1861 and 1910; Proclamation
register, 1856-1953; Communion roll, 1870-1881, 1885-1896, 1906-1912 and
1920-1922; Congregation roll, 1878; Poor's committee minutes, 1843-1846;
Parochial board minutes, 1844-1857 and 1885-1904.
- CH3/54
Ceres Associate Congregation / Ceres West Church / Ceres St Andrews Road
United Presbyterian Church
Session minutes, 1738-1748 and 1781-1885; Accounts, 1738-1771; Manager's
minutes, 1885-1913; Account book, 1771-1798, 1783-1833 and 1899-1913;
Baptismal register, 1738-1806, 1808, 1836-1837 and 1858-1891; Communion
roll, 1858-1913.
- CH3/55
Ceres Free Church / Ceres South United Free Church / Ceres and Strathkinness United Free Church
Session minutes, 1844-1903 and 1913-1929; Communion roll, 1852-1867 and
1871-1903; Deacon's court minutes, 1846-1909; Congregational board minutes,
1913-1929; Account book, 1847-1876, 1880-1913 and 1918-1929; Member's
contributions, 1918-1929; Baptismal register, 1877-1894.
Included in the Old Parochial Registers on microfilm and
at the General Register Office
for Scotland, Edinburgh:
- 415/1
Ceres Kirk Session
Collections c.1626-44
At the National
Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:
- HR/386
Ceres parish heritors' records
Minutes, 1828-1930; Poor Fund accounts,1828-1839, 1843-1845; Cash book,
1845-1930; Ledger, 1911-1927; Assessments 1828-1887; Papers relating to
division of church, 1810, 1829; Correspondence, 1868-1905; List of lairs, c
1891; Valuations, 1829,1852, undated; Plans of church, 1883.
At the Fife Council Archive Centre,
Markinch:
- FCC/6/15
Ceres Parochial Board / Parish Council
Minute books, 1846-1930.
At the Special Collections Dept. of St
Andrews University Library:
- CH2/65
Ceres Parochial Board
Parochial board minutes, 1844-1857 and 1885-1904.
At the Fife Council Archive Centre,
Markinch:
- Ceres School
Log books, 1863-1870, 1873-1991; Admissions Registers, 1929-2004; School Board Minutes
1873-1919.
- Papers of John Trotter of Ceres, Schoolmaster
Diaries and notebooks, 1851-1870; his schoolmaster's certificate and
testimonials, 1844-1870; list of pupils at Ceres School, c.1867 and
programme for a reunion for former pupils in 1938.
- Craigrothie School
Log books, 1909-1964.
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.
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William McM. Owen
: Last updated:
09 July 2006
