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Currie

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"The parish of Currie lies about 6 miles W of Edinburgh. It includes a tract of country from 5 to 6 miles in every direction, but its greatest extent is from E to W where it advances even to 9 miles in length. It may be considered as classic ground, being situated in the neighbourhood of that little romantic dale that formed the scene of the Gentle Shepherd, the favourite pastoral of the Scotch nation. From its name, (anciently Koria or Coria) it seems to have been one of those districts that still retain its ancient Roman appellation. The name of this parish also has probably given rise to the surname of Corrie or Currie, for anciently it was the practice of men of property to take their surnames from the lands they possessed, of which there are numerous examples in Scotland.

The situation of this parish is very elevated. At Ravelrig, about the middle of it (but by no means the highest point) it is according to a late very accurate measurement, not less than 800ft above the level of the sea. This extreme height, and its vicnity to the range of the Pentland Hills, renders it cold and damp. Rheumatism seems the chief disorder to which its inhabitants are subject."

(From the Statistical Account of Scotland 1791-1799 Vol II)

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Church Records

The parish church has records for birth dating from 1638, for marriages from 1649 and for deaths from 1662. These are held in the General Register Office for Scotland in Edinburgh and copies on microfilm may be comsulted in the Edinburgh Room, Central Library, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh and also in the LDS Family History Centres around the world.

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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Currie which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for Currie from the National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference NT159655 (Lat/Lon: 55.875598, -3.344975), Currie which are provided by:

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Statistics

For a social and economic record of the parishes of Mid Lothian together with considerable statistical material, see Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland, which was compiled in the 1790s. Follow-up works to this were the New Statistical Account (also known as the Second Statistical Account) which was prepared in the 1830s and 1840s; and more recently the Third Statistical Account which has been prepared since the Second World War.

Thanks to a joint venture between the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh the First and Second Statistical Accounts can now be accessed on-line at The Statistical Accounts of Scotland, 1791-1799 and 1845.