Kingdom of Fife

Contents

Fife Towns & Parishes

Nearby places

Markinch

Towns and Villages

Places in Markinch parish, with links to online historical and modern maps.

Archives, Libraries and Museums

A separate Records Page page gives details of the records for this parish held by Scottish archives.

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 Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh
• details of historical buildings and archaeological sites held by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh (RCAHMS).

• catalogue entries for maps and plans held by the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh
• details of historical buildings and archaeological sites held by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh (RCAHMS).

Bibliography

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.

Old Markinch and Old Kennoway, Star & Windygates (Stenlake Publishing) contain many photographs and full descriptions.

Cemeteries

There are 4 cemeteries in Markinch parish:

1. Markinch Parish Churchyard, Kirk Street, Markinch (grid ref. NO 297019; GPS: 56.204482 -3.134758):

• The old Markinch churchyard was closed in 1856.
• The pre-1855 monumental inscriptions are in Mitchell & Mitchell (see below).
• Another listing of Markinch Old Churchyard inscriptions has been published by the Fife Family History Society in their Publication 18, Monumental Inscriptions.
•  An index of burials from 1853-1856 is held by Fife Council, Kirkcaldy Crematorium, Dunnikier Park, Dunnikier Way, Kirkcaldy, KY1 3PL. Tel. 01592 260277. Fax 01592 203438.
• A list of the surnames and a transcript of those appearing in the Burial Registers from 1799-1854 is available on the Records pages of the Fife Family History Society website.
• A CD with photographs of the stones and transcriptions is available from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions or from The Parish Chest.
• A transcript of the Burial Register 1799-1854 can be downloaded from the Markinch Parish Church website (click on History --> Genealogy).

2. Northall Cemetery, Northall Road, Markinch (grid ref. NO 300024; GPS: 56.209018 -3.130055):

• The pre-1855 monumental inscriptions are in Mitchell & Mitchell (see below).
• The current lair registers (dating from 1854) are administered by Fife Council, Kirkcaldy Crematorium, Dunnikier Park, Dunnikier Way, Kirkcaldy, KY1 3PL. Tel. 01592 260277. Fax 01592 203438.
• A CD with photographs of the stones and transcriptions is available from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions or from The Parish Chest.

3. St Drostan's Cemetery, Lawhead, Markinch (grid ref. NO 302013; GPS 56.199166 -3.126542):

• The current lair registers are administered by Fife Council, Kirkcaldy Crematorium, Dunnikier Park, Dunnikier Way, Kirkcaldy, KY1 3PL. Tel. 01592 260277. Fax 01592 203438.

4. Milton of Balgonie Churchyard, Milton of Balgonie (grid ref. NO 323008; GPS: 56.194979 -3.092576):

• The pre-1855 monumental inscriptions are in Mitchell & Mitchell (see below).
• Another listing of the Milton of Balgonie Churchyard stones has been published by the Fife Family History Society in their Publication 16, Monumental Inscriptions.
• A CD with photographs of the stones and transcriptions is available from Scottish Monumental Inscriptions or from The Parish Chest.

The pre-1855 monumental inscriptions are listed in "Fifeshire Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) vol. 1 South east parishes" by John Fowler Mitchell & Sheila Mitchell, published by the Scottish Genealogy Society. ISBN 0901061948

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Census

Parish / district reference number for 1841 - 1901 censuses: 447

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
Markinch	1042703	1042270	103831	103994	203529	208764

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

Further information on the main Fife page.

Church History

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

• "There are no Seceding meeting houses in the parish
• The great body of the people continue steadfastly attached to the Established Church, about one sixteenth part only having joined the different sectaries." [Given the parish population of 2790, this would amount to about 174 people.]

The New Statistical Account (written in 1840) gives this information:

• In 1836, parish population was 5328, in 1189 families.
• 159 families are Dissenters, 25 of which reside in Innerleven
• 10 Dissenter families (45 individuals)

The 1865 Ecclesiastical Directory lists the parish church, 2 other Established Churches (Milton and Thornton), United Presbyterian Churches in Markinch and Dubbyside, and the Free Church.

A list of past ministers of the Parish Church is available on the Markinch Parish Church website (click on History).

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

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 at the ScotlandsPeople Centre. 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: 447

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

Markinch OPR	Births / baptisms	Proclamations / marriages	Deaths / burials / mortcloths
447/1	1635-1777	1697-1777	1635-1723
447/2	1780-1819	1779-1805
447/3		1649-1686	1649-1819
447/4			1799-1819
447/5	1820-1854
447/6		1834-1854	1820-1854
447/7			1820-1854

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.  and D.  entered in parallel cols. of the same Record till 1647. At pp. 22 - 25 are four cols. of entries of Deaths which bear to be 'Ane roll off thois quho wer killed at Tibbermure 1 Septemb. 1644, and at Kilsyth 15 August 1645'.
B.  blank July 1642 - Sept. 1697, July 1702 - Jan. 1712, Oct. 1777 - Oct. 1780. Mothers' names seldom recorded in entries of B. till 1701. [In vol. 447/1, pages 336 and 337 (B. 1762) have been placed at the end of the Burial entries for 1723.]
M.  blank June 1686 - May 1697, Nov. 1701 - April 1712, Aug. 1777 - March 1779, and March 1805 - 1834.
D.  Deaths prior to 1647. Blank May 1647 - April 1649, after which Mortcloth Dues, exc. 1713 - 1723, when Deaths and Burials are recorded. Blank June 1695 - April 1713, and June 1723 - Aug. 1796.
[Subsequent to publication of the Detailed List, Death records 1799 - 1819, and 1820 - 1854  were added to the OPR series (vols. 447/4 and 447/7.]

A transcript of the Burial Register 1799-1854 can be downloaded from the Markinch Parish Church website (click on History --> Genealogy).

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:

1040178	Baptisms 1635-1642, 1697-1702, 1712-1819; Marriages 1670-1701,717-1805; Burials 1634- 1647, 1713-1723; Baptisms 1761-1762; Session book (includes Marriage proclamations 1670- 1686, and Mortcloth dues [burial records] 1649- 1695, 1796-1819)
1040179	Burials 1799-1854; Baptisms 1820-1854; Marriages 1834-1855; Mortcloth dues 1820-1852

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 at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh. Some Kirk Session material for the parish church is also to be found in the OPR records (447/3 and 447/6). Details of records here.

Heritors' Records (HR59) are at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh. Details of records here.

Other Churches :

Kirk Session and similar records for the following churches are held by the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh:

Markich St Drostan's	CH2/258
Markinch Brunton (Free Church)	CH3/386
Balbirnie (United Secession, United Presbyterian)	CH3/387
Innerleven & Methil - Dubbieside (Antiburgher)	CH3/174
Windygates (Free Church)	-

Details of church records here.

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

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

Court Records

Markinch Burgh Court Records (from 1950) are held by Fife Council Archives.

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Description & Travel

Surrounding parishes: Wemyss, Dysart, Kinglassie, Leslie, Falkland, Kettle, Kennoway, Scoonie.

Directories

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.

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Gazetteers

There is a list of places in Markinch parish, with links to online historical and modern maps.

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.
• 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 descriptions").
• Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland(1892-6) on Electric Scotland

Historical Geography

The parish of Markinch had a detached portion situated at Dubbieside (or Innerleven). On 15th May 1891 it was transferred from the parish of Markinch to the parish of Wemyss. It comprised Innerleven, Innerleven Acres and Haugh Lands, and a large number of small properties, chiefly urban, in the police burgh of Buckhaven Methil and Innerleven.

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

History

• The Markinch Heritage Group has a very informative website.
• The Fife Council Archive Centre holds estate papers and accounts of the Rothes family from the 1640s to the 1900s concerning their estate in Leslie and Markinch parishes, including:
  • wage books & other records of miners employed at Cadham, Strathore & Cluny mines c.1680-1750
  • household accounts for Leslie House, including records of payments to the family's household and farm servants
  For an overview of the papers, see Introduction to the Rothes Papers, W G Rowntree Bodie, in Proc. Soc. Antiq. Scot., 110, 1978-80, 404-431. There is an index to them on the Fife Council website (select  A in the A-Z list, then  Archives).

Land & Property

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.

Maps

This British Library webpage uses small examples of historical maps of London to show the differences between maps at various scales.

• On-line maps:
  • For 17th, 18th and early 19th century maps, see the National Library of Scotland map collection.
  • Ordnance Survey 6-inch, 1st edition (1855) Fife shees 17, 24, 25, 32 at the National Library of Scotland (for the best images), or at old-maps.co.uk or British History online.
  • Ordnance Survey 6-inch editions of 1895, 1920 and 1938 at old-maps.co.uk.
  • Small images of Ordnance Survey 25-inch editions of 1895 and 1914 at old-maps.co.uk.
  • There is a list of places in Markinch parish, with links to online historical and modern maps.
  • A Vision of Britain has the Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 1st edition (1850s) and the Ordnance Survey 1-inch, Popular edition (1920s) - both showing parish boundaries; Land Utilisation mapping (1930s); and more.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 1st edition (1867) sheet 40; 2nd edition (1899) sheet 40; and 3rd edition (1906) sheet 40 at the National Library of Scotland.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, Popular edition (1927-1928) sheets 64 and 68 at the National Library of Scotland.
    
    Map from One-inch to the mile, Popular edition, Scotland, 1920-1930; by kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 7th series (1950s-1960s) sheet 56 at the National Library of Scotland.
• Paper maps:
  • The National Library of Scotland sells paper and digital copies of their maps (select "Enquiries & copies").
  • The Caledonian Maps Victorian Ordnance Survey Map Series sheet 40 (reprint of the 1899 1-inch map).
  • Old-maps.co.uk sell paper copies of all their on-line maps.
  • Ordnance Survey 1-inch, 7th series (1950s-1960s) sheet 56
  • The best collection of large scale local and estatemaps and plans is held by the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh. The RCAHMS also has some plans. They are catalogued on the ScotlandsPlaces website. N.B. Only a few maps and plans are available as digital images.

• On-line maps:
  • Streetmap
  • Ordnance Survey maps
  • both Google maps and Bing Maps provide detailed maps and aerial photographs
  • Google based mapping showing just the parish names for this and the surrounding parishes.
  • Google based mapping showing places in this parish only recorded in the GENUKI gazetteer.
  • Google based mapping showing places in this parish and nearby recorded in the GENUKI gazetteer.
  • There is a list of places in Markinch parish, with links to online historical and modern maps.
• Paper maps:
  • Ordnance Survey Landranger (scale 1:50000 -  about 1 inch to 1 mile) sheet 59 - St Andrews
  • Ordnance Survey Explorer (larger scale 1:25000 -  about 2 and a half inches to 1 mile) sheets 367 - Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy & Glenrothes south; 370 - Glenrothes north, Falkland & Lomond Hills

Military History

Levenmouth at War, by Lillian King, 2005, ISBN 0953983986, is packed with reminiscences of the Windygates area in the Second World War.

Names, Geographical

There is an index to the Ordnance Survey Object Name Books for this parish here.

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Obituaries

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, 28.

Occupations

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.

There is a series of articles about many Fife family businesses in Fife Family History Society's Journal, New Series 11.

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.

Peter Higginbotham's website has a lot of information about Dysart combination poorhouse (which, despite the name, was in Thornton, in Markinch parish).

Population

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

Prior to 1824, wills, testaments & inventories of residents of Markinch may be found in either the St Andrews Commissariot (CC20) or the Edinburgh Commissariot (CC8) records. From 1824 to 1960, commissary business was conducted by the Sheriff Court of Fife at Cupar (SC20). From 1960, it has been conducted at Kirkcaldy (SC23) Sheriff Court.

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

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

Schools

School Board records and / or 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:

Statistics

"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 Google Books.
• The 'New' Statistical Account is also online at Google Books.

Taxation

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

Town Records

The archives of the former Burgh of Markinch are held by Fife Council Archives. They include Council Minutes from 1890, Accounts and Valuation Rolls. Details of records here.

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Page maintained by William McM. Owen : last updated 25 October, 2012