Borders Family History Society

Berwickshire map

The Parish of Duns lies in central Berwickshire, being bounded on the north by the Parishes of Abbey St. Bathans and Bunkle and Preston, on the east by the Parishes of Bunkle and Preston and Edrom, on the south by the Parish of Langton and on the west by the Parish of Longformacus. Old Parish Birth Records exist from 1615 to 1854. Marriage Records from 1797 to 1854. Death records exist from exist from 1796 to 1816 and from 1822 to 1854. Death records are indexed from 1797 to 1854. Sales List; 1841 census Dunse. 1851 census Dunse. 1861 census Dunse. Full of Egotism - the Diary of the Rev. John Hastie minister Edrom 1797-1822 edited by Ronald Morrison. Dunse Barony Records 1753 -1800 transcribed by Ronald Morrison. Maps 1898 O.S Duns and Greenlaw. Duns Monumental Inscriptions Vol. 17 Berwickshire (contains Hearth Tax, Militia List, lists of Ministersof various churches, the monumental inscriptions of the parish church burial ground and memorial plaques, Christ Church (in Teindhillgreen) burial ground and war memorials, Duns War Memorial, War Memorial 1914 -1919, Roll of Honour, and indexes to the surnames in the inscriptions for both the burial grounds). See our sales list for full details and cost of postage.

Duns Parish Church

Volumes available for consultation within our Archive ;

The Street of Duns by William Renton published by the Berwickshire News.
The Macks of Ninewar 1752 to 1800 by E.O. Hooton.
Berwickshire High School - a Century Recalled 1896-1996 by William Anderson.
The Cholera Epidemic of 1832 in Duns and the Borders by Mrs. Sheila Romanes - History of the Berwickshire Naturalist's Club 1994 vol. 46.
Pre 1855 Memorial Inscriptions of Berwickshire by David Cargill.
C.D. The Churches and Churchyards of Berwickshire by James Robson 1896.
The Churches and Churchyards of Berwickshire by G.A.C. Binnie.1995.
Index to Particular Register of Sasines for Berwickshire.
Rutherford's Southern Counties Register and Directory 1867.
C.D. Slater's Directory of Berwickshire 1903.
County Directory of Scotland 1912 - Borders Towns and Villages.
Article - Historical Diary of Mr. James Watson, writer Duns 1780 to 1868 (contains a pedigree of the Watson family) by Grace A Elliot published by Berwickshire Naturalists' Club Vol. 38 1970.
Article - Castles of the Cockburns by L. H. Cleat - a history of the family's ownership of Langton Castle, Cockburn Tower, Borthwick Castle and Langton Tower published by the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club - Vol. 47 1997.

Magazine Articles;

Please note that the heading Author includes persons who have compiled or transcribed records; and that the topics indexed, and the synopses are subjective opinions.
See the Sales List to buy copies of the magazines containing articles in which you're interested.

Other Publications;

• Duns Dings A' by R. G. Johnson 1953 - available at The Hub Hawick and at Duns Library.
• Cumledge Chronicle by Jock Wilson-Smith 2004.
• Polish Soldiers in the Borders 1942 to the present time by Bridget McEwan 2006 - available at The Hub Hawick.
• The Advertiser Directory of Berwickshire 1938.
• The Road to Riot by Anne Gordon - available at the Hub Hawick.
• The History of Berwickshire's Towns and Villages - available at The Hub Hawick.
• Historic Duns - the archaeological implications by Anne Turner - available at The Hub Hawick.
• The Family of Hay of Duns Castle by Francis H Hay - available at The Hub Hawick.

Scottish Borders Archive and Local History Centre, the Hub Hawick holds the following records;

• Duns Boston Free Church School Log Book 1864-1880 ref; B/ED/2/12.
• Duns Parish School Log Books 1864-1880 ref; B/ED/2/ 12-13
• Duns Boys Evening School Log Book 1873-1877 ref; B/ED/2/14.
• School Admission registers 1889 to 1898 ref; B/ED/3/51.
• School admission registers 1879 to 1960 ref; B/ED/3/1-3.
• Millburn Evening School Log Book 1897 to 1902 ref; B/ED/2/39.
• Millburn School admission registers , log books etc 1877 to 1983 ref; B/ED/15/1-3.

The Scottish National Archives, Scotland hold the following records;

Boston Free Church;

• Minutes 1843 to 1863.
• Communion Roll 1843 to 1855 ref; CH3/.

Records of the Duns Branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland 1871 -1931 - ref GD342.

Also the following MAPS;

• 1825 Windshield Oatlee, Cleuch and Cockburn - ref RPH 1760.
• 1849 Cockburn - ref RPH 2587.

Dunse History Society holds the following MAPS;

Plan of Langton Estate - prepared for public roup 1924?
Plan of Dunse by J Wood 1824 from survey by Mr. Blackadder 1821.
O.S. 1898 - Greenlaw.
Working Drawings for spire Duns Town Hall 25th. March 1816.
Detail of WW2 Bombs dropped in Berwickshire.
Air Ministry Map of 'The Border' War Office 1942.
O.S. 1907 Lammermuir Hills - Cockburn Mill.
O.S. 1908 Earlston - Yarlside.
O.S. 1906 Berwickshire - Georgefield.
O.S .1906 Earlston Fans.
O.S. 1898 Duns Station.
Oxendean House Duns -plans for central heating 1935.
O.S. 1908 Berwickshire - Cumledge.
Berwickshire Agricultural Society - plan of showground.
O.S. 1908 Mellerstain.
Oxendean Bridge Restoration 1921 (2 plans plus letter).
Plan of Kidsheil and Kidsheil Haugh by John Blackadder 1821.
Berwickshire - Duns Wood.
Index Plan Northumberland c 1860.
Duns and Environment by George King 1864.
Plan of Knockhill 1846?
Plans (four) relative to the building of Berwickshire High School 1953.
Bound volume of Ordnance Survey Plans of Dunse and Chirnside 1858.
Map of Jedburgh 1898. showing Allars Mill.
O.S. Survey Map 1862 of Borthwick Castle with drawing of 1839 and notes.

Berwickshire Naturalists' Club has published the following articles;

• Vol 14 Duns by J Ferguson.
• Vol 8 Charter by James 1V.
• Vol. 14 Duns Tolbooth.
• Vol. 14 Notable men.
• Vol. 16. Ministers.
• Vol. 16 Shoemakers' regulations.
• Vol. 16 Game of Ball. (available in Society Archive)
• Vol. 16 Old View of Castle.
• Vol. 19 Duns - its owners.
• Vol. 26 1544 Raid and Burning.
• Vol. 29 Covenanters at Duns Law.
• Vols. 29 and 34 Duns Scotus.
• Vol. 31 Christ Church Bell.
• Vol. 31 Extract of Records by G.A. Falconer.
• Vols. 33 and 38 Charter.
• Vol. 33 Extract from Records of Skinners and Glovers by R.G. Johnson. (available in Society Archive)
• Vol. 35 Raecleugh visited.
• Vol. 36 Ministers of the 17th. century.
• Vol. 37 Feuars of Duns.
• Vol. 37 Gourlay's Wynd.
• Vol. 37 Duns Trade Records.
• Vol. 38 Borthwick Peel visited.
• Vol. 38 Historical Diary of James Watson by Miss G.A. Elliot.
• Vol. 38 Wedderburn Burial Aisle.
• Vol. 38 Wellnage Garden.
• Vol. 39 Duns Spa.
• Vol. 40 Parish School.
• Vol. 41 Linen Bleach Fields and the sale of linen.
• Vol. 46 A History of the Churches in the Presbytery of Duns. (available in Society Archive)
• Vol 47 Dr. John Brown 1735 to 1787 by Dr. Brian Sproule (available in Society Archive).

The Southern Annual has published the following articles;

• 1961 The Hiring Fair by Rachel Weir - available in Society Archive.

Websites;

Dunse History Society - includes detailed articles on the history of Duns and also a detail of the Society Archive

Town Website - contains a wide range of local information including a general history of the Town.

First Statistical Account by the Rev. Robert Bowmaker. (click 'browse scanned pages' and enter Parish name.)

Second Statistical Account by the Rev. George Cunninghame. (click 'browse scanned pages' and enter Parish name.)

RCHAMS website Scotland's Places contains details of;

Farm Horse tax 1797-1798.
Medical Officer's of Health Reports 1891.
Land Ownership Commission Report 1872 -1873 (available on C.D. in Society Archives).

Place and Farm names in Census Records;

1841 census: Duns, Chapel, Cockburn Mill, Cumledge Waulk Mill, Cumledge, Ladywell, Johnsfield, Kays Muir, Dunse Law, Castle Mains, Gateside, Oxendean, Knock, Kidshiel, Kidshiel Haugh, Burnhouses, Easter Windshiel, Oatiecleugh, Elba, Eastfield, Cockburn, Millburn, Sunnyside, Grueldykes, Dunse Mill, Wester Grueldykes, Bankhead, Clockmill, Borthwick, Todlaw, Gas House, Cheeklaw, Puttonmill, Cairneyhill, Wedderburn, Crumstane, Turtleton, Brieryhill, Manderston, Buxly, Broomhill, Trinity, Berrywell, Chalkielaw, Elfhole, Rulemains, Ninewar, Pilrig, Pinkie, Wellfield, Tiendhill, Clouds, Langton Gate, Welnage, Haymount, Maryfield.
1851 census: Duns, Tiendhillgreen, Clouds, Langtongate, Bridgend, Haymount, Wallnage, Todlaw, Southfield, Cheeklaw, Pilrig, Berrywell, Cairnbank, Trinity, Wellfield, Clockmill, Sunnyside, Under Wellrig, Bankhead, Langton Mill, Grueldykes, Dunse Mill, Putton Mill, Cairnhill, Wedderburn, Turtleton, Brieryhill, Manderston, Crumstane, Pinkie, Chalkielaw, Elfhole, Buxley, Manderston Mill, Broomhill, Ninewar, Ladywell, Johnsfield, Kaysmuir, Edenbank, Cumledge, Cumledge Mill, Redhouses, Rules Mains, Castle Mains, Gateside, Chapel, Millburn, Knock, Kidshiel, Kidshielhaugh, Commonside, Rigfoot, Upper Windshiel Oatletcleugh, Burnhouses, Cockburn, Elba, Oxendean, Commonhaugh, Dunse Law.
1861 census: Duns, Tiendhillgreen, Clouds, Langtongate, Wellfield, Bridgend, Haymount, Todlaw, Southfield, Cheeklaw, Pilrig, Berrywell, Cairnbank, Trinity, Clockmill, Sunnyside, Under Wellrig, Bankhead, Langton Mill, Wester Grueldykes, Grueldykes, Dunse Mill, Putton Mill, Cairnhill, Wedderburn, Turtleton, Brieryhill, Manderston, Crumstane, Pinkie, Chalkielaw, Elfhole, Buxley, Broomhill, Ninewar, Ladywell, Johnsfield, Kaymuir, Edenbank, Cumledge, Cumledge Mill, Redhouses, Rules Mains, Castle Mains, Chapel, Millburn, Knock, Kidshiel, Kidshielhaugh, Commonside, Rigfoot. Upper Windshiel, Little Windshiel, Oatleycleugh, Burnhouses, Cockburn, Elba, Cockburn Mill, Oxendean, Commonhaugh, Dunse Law.

Population;

The population has been recorded as follows; 1700 - 1200, 1755 - 2593, 1788 - 3324, 1801 - 3157, 1811 - 3082, 1821 - 3773, 1831 - 3469, 1841 - 3162, 1851 - 3593, 1861 - 3595, 1871 - 2618, 1881 - 2437, 1891 - 2198, 1901 - 2206, 1911 - 3042, 1921 - 2818.