Statistical Accounts of Scotland

The first statistical account is a fascinating description of the parish of Kirkmichael in 1791 and gives a real insight into daily life in the area – from crops and livestock to the number of births. It also describes the fairs, recreation, the state of the roads and gives detailed descriptions of the stone circles and standing stones.

The second statistical account, written in 1834 continues on the same themes, some of the text almost being the same. However, changes are noted, such as schooling, a further decrease in population, and a new bridge built across the Ardle from public donation, and a distillery.

The archive does have copies of the original documents, but these were written in older English, and hard to follow. In 1971 and 1972 the Field Studies Association published these statistical accounts as part of their annual report. It is these that are presented here.