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The Parish of Duns lies in central Berwickshire, being bounded on the north by the Parishes of Cranshaws and Abbey St. Bathans, the Parish of Bunkle and Preston is to the east, the Parish of Edrom is to the east and south and the Parishes of Langton and Longformacus are on the west. Old Parish Records cover the periods:
Death records from 1797 to 1854 have been indexed. |
Duns Parish Church
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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.
| Title | Synopsis | Size Description | Issue No | Author |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border Murders | This is a stroll around the Borders looking into, with some depth, the murders in the 1800s. | 2 pages or more | 32 | Norrie McLeish |
| Who am I | History of the Cockburns who all came from Duns parish. It also looks into the history of Edinshall Broch. | 1 page or more | 37 | Andrew Cockburn |
| John Duns Scotus | A mention of events to commemorate the 750th. Anniversary of the birth of John Duns Scotus, genealogy research and the seeking of a possible DNA connection. | 1 page or more | 89 | Ronald Morrison |
| Duns, Burgh on the Merse and Surrounding Villages | Review of the book Dunse Burgh on the Merse with the Surrounding Villages' by James Denham. | 1 page or more | 91 | |
| Duns Associations | A detail of different Associations and Societies in Duns with dates of incorporation. | less than 1 page | 95 | |
| Duns 700 | A summary of the origin of the 700th anniversary of the granting of a Charter to Randolph, Earl of Moray, of the lands of Duns, by his uncle King Robert the Bruce. Randolph initiated the building of Duns Castle and effectively giving rise to the town. It is acknowledged the Iron Age fort (before 1320), and the Franciscan scholar Duns Scotus pre-date this. The Duns 700 coincides with the 200th anniversary of the Town Hal (now demolished). Preston Road Monumental Inscriptions, 1821 population list, militia lists, Church of Scotland and Duns Kirk communicants, plus custody records will be available. | 1 page or more | 102 | Ronald Morrison |
| Dunse Mystery Photo | A request to identify the people in a postcard taken in Duns(e). Thought to be prior to 1882. | less than 1 page | 103 | Editor |
| Southfield House and The Knoll | Book review. Author: David McLean. Histories of 2 properties in Duns. Southfield House (now Southfield Community Centre) - Robson family, and The Knoll (now The Knoll Medical Centre) - Wilson family. Digital copies available. | less than 1 page | 106 | Ronald Morrison |
| Duns Properties and Families | Book review. Author: David McLean. Histories of 3 further properties in Duns. 1. The Hermitage on Station Road - built 1840 - previously families Stewart/Stuart and Ferguson - nursing home - and now in private hands again. 2. Duns Auction Mart - opened 1877 - main family connection - Swan. 3. Fenton Lodge (previously Kilmeny) - 1890s designed by local architect George Fortune (also known for local churches - especially new church at Cranshaws - related families Fensons and Robsons. Digital copies available. See also Issue 106. | less than 1 page | 107 | Ronald Morrison |
| Duns Title Deeds | A summary of the extensive property portfolio of the Watson family in Duns in the 18th and 19th centuries, recorded in a collection of 17 deeds, hand written, bound and indexed by solicitors in the Watson family. Adjoining proprietors are also recorded. | less than 1 page | 108 | Ronald Morrison |
| Duns Properties and Families | Book review. Author: David McLean. History of 1 further property in Duns. A description of Wellnage, a grand early 19th century house, and 2 families that resided there (the Peats, the original owners, and their successors, the Wilsons). Digital copy available. See also Issue 106 and Issue 107 for other properties. | less than 1 page | 109 | Ronald Morrison |
| Cockburns face to face | Cockburns and their likeness seems to have been the great asset of this family. From 1650 onwards this family have a interesting history. | 2 pages or more | 10 | Anne Cockburn |
| Hunters of Duns | Detailed article on the history of the Hunter family of Duns and their involvement in the American War of Independence. | 3 pages or more | 94 | David J Wesley |
| Edrom and Preston Road, Duns burials | Report of a donation to the Society of copy records relating to burials at Edrom Churchyard and Preston Road, Duns Churchyard. | less than 1 page | 96 | |
| The Soldiers Remember | Report on launch of the book 'The Soldiers Remember' being of memories recorded by wounded soldiers during WW1 as they recovered at Southfield Military Hospital, Duns. | less than 1 page | 97 | |
| Murder Most Foul | The story of a murderer John Newbigging (born Duns 1871) who married Margaret White from Eyemouth. He killed his wife and 4 children in Lanark Lodge in Duns assessed as due to 'homicidal mania'. | 1 page or more | 103 | Ronald Morrison |
| The Berwickshire Leitchs Part 1 | Research into the ancestors of the author's husband David Leitch. Two groups of the Leitch families were revealed - 1 from Glasgow and Argyll area and a group from the Borders, with the family original home in Hume in the 1700s. Duns, Stichill, Makerstoun, Clockmill, Haddington, Greenlaw and Gavinton have all emerged as places where the Leitch family has lived. | 3 pages or more | 105 | Diana Leitch |
| Longformacus | A cautionary tale from 1871 and some extracts from the school log book, | 2 pages or more | 73 | |
| Bradshaw's Railway Guide | A note on Bradshaw's Railway Guide and what might be available - some snippets from the entry for Duns. | less than 1 page | 78 | Ronald Morrison |
| Cadwallader Colden | Some notes on the life of Cawallader Colden, born in Duns who went on to become the last Colonial Governor of New York State and whose image was burnt in effigy by the mob. | 1 page or more | 78 | Ronald Morrison |
| Soup Kitchen at Dunse 1832 | An account of the outbreak of cholera in 1832 and minutes of the Dunse Committee of Health setting up soup kitchens with names of those to whom vouchers were issued. | 3 pages or more | 87 | Ronald Morrison |
| Berwickshire Postal History | A look at Berwickshire postal history and postmarks and also at various letters of historical significance. | 3 pages or more | 95 | Keith Robertson |
| The Ainslies--Some notes | The name Ainslie, from 1066 onwards, a full and detailed family history. | 1 page or more | 8 | Violet Jardine |
| Glass Slides | Some information on a large collection of glass slides containing images taken in the 1940s to 1960s by Leslie Chappell photographer Duns, mostly relating to the town | 1 page or more | 75 | Ronald Morrison |
| St.Boswells to Berwick Railway via Duns | Some paragraphs on a book 'St Boswells to Berwick via Duns' which traces the history of this railway line. | less than 1 page | 83 | |
| Extracts from Dunse Barony Records | Extracts from the author's book, Dunse Barony Records, in the 1760s. | 2 pages or more | 68 | Ronald Morrison |
| Duns Auxiliary Unit | Further information on the Duns Auxiliary Unit. | 1 page or more | 88 |
Map of Duns from UK Great Britain, Ordnance Survey one-inch to the mile (1:63,360), 'Hills' edition, 1885-1903
by kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Use the control at the top left of the map to zoom in or out and drag the map left, right, up, or down as you wish.
Map of Duns from UK Ordnance Survey Historical Maps from 1919-1947
by kind permission of the National Library of Scotland.
Use the control at the top left of the map to zoom in or out and drag the map left, right, up, or down as you wish.
The 20 most common surnames on gravestones recorded by us in the Duns Preston Road Cemetery monumental inscriptions volume are (number of gravestones in brackets): ROBERTSON (36), WILSON (29), JOHNSTON (27), GRAY (25), FORREST (25), AITCHISON (25), KERR (24), RENTON (23), SMITH (23), THOMSON (23), PATTERSON (23), BROWN (22), ANDERSON (20), YOUNG (20), COCKBURN (20), FORTUNE (19), SCOTT (18), COWE (18), PURVES (17), MURRAY (16).
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.
The RCHAMS website Scotland's Places contains details of;
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.
The population has been recorded as follows;