The parish of West Linton is situated in the north-west of the county of Peebles.
The parish of Newlands is on the east and Kirkurd to the south. On the west the parish of West Linton borders on Lanarkshire.
The village of Carlops which lies on the northern boundary is included in the parish. The village war memorial is in front of the church.
The Church of Scotland congregations of Broughton, Carlops, Kirkurd & Newlands, Skirling, St Andrews West Linton and Tweedsmuir are linked together as the West Tweeddale Parish Churches.
Old Parish Records cover the periods:
Monumental Inscriptions for West Linton churchyard and cemetery have been recorded and photographed by BordersFHS volunteers and are available for consultation. Both churchyard and the cemetery, which is on the Bogsbank Road out of the village, are managed by Scottish Borders Council.
| Title | Author | Issue Number | Article Size | Synopsis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The History of Mountain Cross Church | Editor | 103 | 3 pages or more | An account of the history of Mountain Cross Church from the secession in the 1700s in Scotland, and the impact on the West Linton parish and the adjacent Newlands parish. The ministers are listed and the transition of Mountain Cross to the Relief Church, United Presbyterian Church, United Free Church in the early 1900s, until the church passed into lay hands by sale in 1919. |
| Adam moves to the Borders | Helen M. Booth | 34 | 2 pages or more | Adam Brown bought a small plot of land in West Linton in 1839 after which he emigrated to Australia with seven of his nine children-this story covers their history. |
Historical maps © National Library of Scotland, CC BY 3.0, served via MapTiler.
• The Buildings of Scotland - Borders, Cruft, Dunbar & Fawcett, Yale University Press, London 2006
• A History of Peeblesshire (3 Vol) - Buchan & Paton, Jackson, Wylie and Co, Glasgow 1925-7
• West Linton Evening Continuation School Log Book 1895-1939 - ref: P/ED/2/37
• Minutes 1657-1661, 1696-1716, 1721-1728, 1730-1741, 1743-1755, 1767-1807 - with gaps
• Register of Testimonials 1709-1716
• Collections 1716-1738, 1742
• Disbursements 1716-1727
History - In 1846 a preaching station was established in the village and the congregation built a church in February 1851.
• Minutes 1848 – 1889, 1890 – 1924
• Communion Roll 1846 – 1935
History - In 1737 about 70 residents of the parish of West Linton left the Established Church and petitioned the Associate Presbytery for supply of minister, which was granted. They built their church in 1784.
• Baptisms and Marriages 1748-1795, 1808-1810
• Session Minutes 1748-1795, 1808-1810, 1811-1852
• Accounts 1748-1795
• List of Members 1812, 1830
• Deaths for 1812-1816, 1816-1817
• Baptisms 1812-1816, 1817-1832
• Marriages 1812-1829
• Session Minutes 1852-1873
• Congregational Minutes 1791-1852
• Accounts 1812-1816
• Births and Baptisms 1867-1959
• Communion Roll 1848-1901
• Congregational and Managers' Minutes 1852-1928
• Total Abstinence Society Minutes 1853-1913
• Roll Book 1853-1912
• Pre 1855 Monumental Inscriptions of Peeblesshire by S.A. Scott published by Scottish Genealogical Society 1971.
• Parish of West Linton Mortcloth Records 1696 – 1835 by Nigel Hardie
• The Book of Linton Church, Peeblesshire. : A.D. 1160-1912 by Dr C B Gunn
• Parish Register of West Linton Assoc Congregation by G & E Maxwell
• The Book of Remembrance for Tweeddale: Landward Parishes IV & V by Dr C B Gunn
• Rutherford's Southern Counties Register and Directory 1867.
• County Directory of Scotland 1912 - Borders Towns and Villages.
West Tweeddale churches website
St Mungos Episcopal Church website
Peeblesshire Archaeological Society website
1841 census: West Linton, Robinsland, Broomlee, Rutherford Castle, Cocketslane, South Mains, Jennysbrae, Carlops, Rogersrig, Kittly Bridge, Kittly Knowe, Luggy, Turtle Bank, Lonley Beild, Newhall, Steel, Harlaw Muir, Dypesidehead, Upper Whitfield, Coalyburn, Whitfield, Fairslacks, Westmains, Hartside, Farley Hope, Carlops, Stoneypath, Cairnmuir, Hareshaw, Baddingsgill, Wakefield, North Slipperfield, Bridgehouse Knowehead, Bridge House, Lynedale, Mendick, South Slipperfield, Hardgatehead, Ingraston, Fairneyhaugh, Garvald, Ingraston, Kippet, Blyth Moor, Blackford, Felton, Medwin, Ingraston, Medwin Mains, Hyndfordwell, Tarfthaugh, Broom Lee, Wauk Mill, Spittlehaugh, Paulswell, Charleston, Blyth Bank, Blyth Bridge, Bogs Bank, Castle Law.
1851 census: West Linton, Broomlee Mains, Robinsland, Deanfoot, Whitfield, Upper Whitfield, Cleaves, Collyburn, Deepskyehead, Harlawmuir, Steele, Monks Haugh, Turtlebank, Harbour Craig, Lonely Bield, Kittleybridge, Rogers Rigg, Blashead, Carper, Jennys Brae, South Mains, Cockitslane, Rutherford, Carlops, Carlop Mill, Fauirleyhope, North Esk, Westmains, Snabhead, Gairslacks, Waterloo March, Stoneypath, Hareshaw, Baddingsgill, Medwyn, Bridgehouse Mill, Lynedale, North Slipperfield, Medwynhead, Farnahaugh, West Water, Bogsbank, Tarfthaugh, Gradenholm, Medwin Loch, Hyndfordwell, Medwin Mains, Felton, Blyth Muir, Water Side, Kippet Farm, Ingraston, Garvald, South Slipperfield, Bogsbank, Blyth, Blyth Bridge, Gallaw Bank, Charleston, Pauls Well, Spittlehaugh, Broomlee, Castlelaw.
1861 census: West Linton, Hay's Arms, Howison's Hall, Broomlee Mains, Robinsland, Deanfoot, Whitfield, Upper Whitfield, Cleaves, Coalyburn, Deepsykehead, Harlawmuir Toll, Harlawmuir, Steele, Lonely Bield, Turtlebank, Harbour Craig, Kittly Know, Kittly Bridge, Braehead, Carpet, Jenny's Brae, South Mains, Cockits Lane, Rutherford, Carlops, Rogersrigg, Fairleyhope, Reservoir, Carlophill, Hartside, Shade Meadow, West Mains, Fairslacks, Linton, Stoneypath, Cairnmuir, Hareshaw, Badinsgill, Wakefield, Medwyn, Bridgehouse Mill, North Slipperfield, West Water, Tarfthaugh, Hyndfordwell, Felton Blackford, Waterside, Kippit, Ingraston, Garvald, Fairneyhaugh, South Slipperfield, Mendick, Graden Holm, Castlelaw, Bogsbank, Waulkmill, Spittlehaugh, Paulswell, Charleston, Blythe, Blythe Bridge, Blythebank, Gallowbank, Broomlee.
The population has been recorded as follows;
1755 - 831, 1791 - 928, 1801 - 1064, 1811 - 1186, 1821 - 1194, 1831 - 1577, 1861 - 1534
