What the records contain1
The Scottish Reformation saw the introduction of a new system to run church affairs: the General Assembly, synods, presbyteries, and kirk sessions. Presbyterians who later broke away from the Kirk also adopted a church court system.
The records created by church courts are very useful for family history, local history and academic research. Of most interest for genealogists and local historians are the minutes of the kirk sessions, which typically contain a detailed and often colourful record of the discipline the minister and kirk elders handed out to errant parishioners for offences such as drunkenness, swearing, breaking the Sabbath, quarrelling and sexual misdemeanours. Other records include proclamations of banns, communion rolls, seat rent books and poor relief accounts.
Deposited in the NRS in 1960, church court records are cared for by the NAS and by local archives under charge and superintendence of the Keeper of the Records of Scotland. They include the records of secession church congregations which rejoined the Church of Scotland.
The repository of the Ardchattan Kirk Sessions are
locally :
archival : New Virtual Volumes of Muckairn
http://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/details.aspx?reference=CH2%2f379
*CH2 Records of Church of Scotland synods, presbyteries and kirk sessions 1569-2006
Reference CH2/379
Title Records of Muckairn Kirk Session
Dates 1775-1925
Access status Open
Location On site
Admin history There first existed a church at Muckairn in the early 13th century. It was built by Harald, the first Bishop of Argyle, and was in ancient years referred to as Cilleasbuig Earaildd (Bishop Harald's Church). In 1618 the parish of Muckairn was united with Ardchattan and, apart from being briefly separated between 1649 and 1664, they remained united until 1846 when Muckairn was disjoined quoad sacra from Ardcahttan. The present day church of Muckairn, which was built in 1829, stands close to the ruins of the 12th century church. After the 1929 union of the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church, Muckairn parish church was united with the former United Free congregation of Muckairn West. Following the union, the Muckairn West church became the church hall and the old parish church remained in use for worship . Muckairn was later linked with Kilchrenan and Dalavich in 1980. The kirk session sat within the presbytery of Lorn until 1963 when, by Act of General Assembly, the Presbytery of Lorn and the Presbytery of Mull were united under the name of the Presbytery of Lorn and Mull.
CH2/379 Records of Muckairn Kirk Session 1775-1925 This record is Open.
CH2/379/1 Muckairn Kirk Session - Minutes 1833-1862
CH2/379/2 Muckairn Kirk Session - Minutes 1870-1923
CH2/379/3 Muckairn Kirk Session - Poors' accounts and kirk session minutes re financial matters 1829-1850
CH2/379/4 Muckairn Kirk Session - Baptisms 1795-1821
CH2/379/5 Muckairn Kirk Session - Births 1775-1826
CH2/379/6 Muckairn Kirk Session - Marriages 1886-1893
CH2/379/7 Muckairn Kirk Session - Marriages 1785-1814
CH2/379/8 Muckairn Kirk Session - Communion roll 1888-1927
CH2/379/9 Muckairn Kirk Session - Heritors' minutes 1861-1869
CH2/379/10 Muckairn Kirk Session - "School book" - account of payments and arrears 1812-1834
CH2/379/11 Muckairn Kirk Session - Merchant's ledger, various dates 1806-1827
http://www.nas.gov.uk/about/101101.asp
Local archive access in Scotland
Until now researchers in many parts of Scotland have found it difficult to travel to the archive where the records are physically held. Now for the first time the NRS and many local archives are combining to offer a service that researchers can use to get access to records from across Scotland. The service is being rolled out from November 2010, and it is hoped that more than a dozen local archives will be places where digital copies of the records can be consulted, in addition to the NRS itself.
The following archives currently offer the service in their search rooms:
Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives: Aberdeen
Ayrshire Archives: Auchincruive, Ayr
Ayrshire Archives: Burns Monument Centre, Kilmarnock,
Highland Council Archives: Archive and Registration Service, Inverness
Highland Council Archives: Lochaber Archive Centre, Fort William
Highland Council Archives: Caithness Archive Centre, Wick
Orkney Library and Archive: Kirkwall
Scottish Borders Archive and Local History Centre: Hawick
Shetland Islands Council Archives: Lerwick
Stirling Council Archives: Stirling
Please contact the relevant archive (using the links on the left side of this page) for details of opening times and access.
