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Falkland

Map showing the location of the parish

"Falkland parish contains the Royal Burgh of Falkland and the villages of Newton of Falkland and Freuchie. It is bounded by Kinross-shire, Strathmiglo, Auchtermuchty, Kettle, Markinch and Leslie. It measures about 6 miles by 4 miles. There is a considerable tract of flat land between the northern boundary of the parish and the burgh and this was once part of the royal chase. Nothing now remains of the ancient forest of Falkland in which our Kings enjoyed the pleasures of the chase, except for a small portion of natural wood at Drumdreel in the parish of Strathmiglo. The forest was destroyed by Cromwell who cut down the timber to take to Dundee for the construction of a fort there. The town of Falkland consists of one main street with some cross lanes. It was at one time regularly afflicted with malaria from the neighbouring marshes, but drainage has resulted in a remarkably healthy town. The chief object of attraction is the Royal Palace, favourite home of James VI. In addition to the parish church, there are both an Independent Chapel and a Free Church in Falkland, and a UP Church in Freuchie." edited from Westwood's Directory for the counties of Fife & Kinross published 1862.

Towns and Villages

Falkland
Freuchie
Newton of Falkland


Please read the main Fife pages if you have not already done so.

Cemeteries

There are 3 cemeteries in Falkland parish:

1. Kilgour Ancient Burying Ground, Kilgour Farm, Falkland (grid ref. NO 222079; GPS 56.257749, -3.256478):

2. Falkland Old Churchyard, High Street, Falkland (grid ref. NO 252074; GPS 56.253199, -3.208831):

3. Falkland Cemetery & extensions, Newton Road, Falkland (grid ref. NO 259074; GPS 56.253308, -3.197536):

Census

Parish / district reference number for 1841 - 1901 censuses: 428

The 1841 return can be searched on the FreeCEN website.

Further information on the main Fife page.

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Church History

In addition to the parish church in Falkland, there were also a Burgher Congregation (later United Presbyterian) at Freuchie; a Free Church in Falkland (Falkland East); a United Free Church (Scott Memorial) at Freuchie; and a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Freuchie.

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

The New Statistical Account (written in 1845) gives this information:

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

Details of church history here.

Church Records

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 General Register Office for Scotland in Edinburgh, and they can all be consulted there.

Parish reference number: 428

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

Falkland OPR Births / baptisms Proclamations / marriages Deaths / burials / mortcloths
428/1 1669-1674 1661-1706 1670-1706
428/2 1702-1819 1702-1819 1737-1819
428/3 1820-1854 1820-1854 1820-1855
Register of Neglected Entries 1826-1852    
Data supplied by General Register Office for 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.  blank July 1674 - Feb. 1702; Jan. 1746 - June 1748. Defective March 1755 - July 1758. Blank (exc. four entries) May 1759 - March 1767. From 1772 - July 1780, the entries are made alphabetically, according to the baptismal names of the children, in the form of an index. Six pp. of irregular entries 1789 - 1817 recorded in 1817.
M.  Chiefly Proclamations, intermixed with other matters, prior to 1669, and from 1687 - 1705. No entries Nov. 1688 - Oct. 1691, nor (exc. entries of Pledges) May 1703 - Jan. 1705, after which the Record is pure. Blank May 1746 - May 1748, Dec. 1755 - April 1772, and April 1780 - April 1786. The fact of Marriage is rarely recorded after 1687.
D.  Blank Sept. 1706 - March 1737, April 1780 - Oct. 1784, and June 1795 - Jan. 1817.

The baptisms / births and proclamations / marriages (but not deaths / burials) indexes can be searched at Scotland's People - the online database of Scottish Birth, Marriage, Death & Census records at the General Register Office. Copies of the register entries may be purchased.

Copies of the registers on microfilm may be consulted in some local libraries and at LDS Family History 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:
1041475 Baptisms, 1669-1674; Marriages, 1661-1706; Burials, 1670-1706.
1040111 Items 2-4 Baptisms, 1669-1674, 1702-1855; Marriages, 1669- 1682, 1702-1755, 1772-1849; Mortcloth dues (burials records), 1666-1683, 1737-1758; Burials, 1777-1795, 1817-1819; Session book (includes Marriage Proclamations, Mortcloth dues), 1661- 1667, 1682-1706.
1040337 Item 1 Marriages, 1849-1855; Burials, 1820-1853; Neglected entries (baptisms), 1826-1852
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. Some Kirk Session material is to be found in the OPR records (428/1). Details of church records here.

Heritors' Records (HR416) are at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh. Details of records here.

Other Churches:

Some records are held at the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library. Details of church records here.

A few are available on microfilm at LDS Family History Centres around the world. Details here.

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Civil Registration

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 district number start date end date
Falkland burgh 428/1 1855 1855
Falkland landward 428/2 1855 1855
Falkland 428 1856 1967
Auchtermuchty 406 1968 1971
Auchtermuchty 418 1972 2002
Fife 418 2003  

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

Court Records

On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is an index to Falkland Burgh Register of Deeds (1783-1798).

Description & Travel

Falkland town centre Ordnance Survey Grid Reference GPS Post code Lat. 56°15'12"N
NO 253076 56.255011
-3.207274
KY15 7BZ Lon. 3°16'4"W

Surrounding parishes: Strathmiglo, Auchtermuchty (not adjoining, but very close), Kettle, Markinch, Leslie, Portmoak (Kinross-shire).

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Directories

On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is a transcription of Westwood's 1861 Parochial Directory of Fife.

Historical Geography

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

Land & Property

The Burgh Register of Sasines and Valuation Rolls are held at the National Archives of Scotland. Details of records here.

Maps

Historic maps: Present-day maps:

Names, Geographical

The Ordnance Survey [Place] Name Books 1850-1854 are held at the Fife Council Archive Centre. There is an index to the entries for this parish on the Fife Council website (select  A in the A-Z list, then  Archives).

Obituaries

Andrew Campbell has produced Fife Deaths from Newspapers 1822-1854 - a compilation of deaths recorded in local newspapers. Copies of this index are held by the Fife libraries and the Family History Societies.

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 re-published it in their Publications Series, 28.

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Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc.

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. Details of records here.

Population

Year Population
1755 1795
1801 2211
1851 3102
1901 2231
1951 2379

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

Probate Records

Prior to 1824, wills, testaments & inventories of residents of Falkland may be found in either the St Andrews Commissariot (CC20) 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, Cupar Sheriff Court and Falkland Burgh Register of Deeds.

Schools

School Board records and school logbooks are held at the Fife Council Archive Centre. Details of records here.

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

School Board School Accommodation for scholars Average attendance
Falkland Falkland 272 201
Freuchie 299 154

Town Records

Falkland was a Royal Burgh, founded in 1458.

The archives of the former Burgh of Falkland are held at the Special Collections Dept. of St Andrews University Library, the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh and the Fife Council Archive Centre. Details of records here.

On the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website there is an index to Falkland Burgh Register of Deeds (1783-1798).

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William McM. Owen    last updated 12 August 2007