Borders Family History Society

Eccles

Berwickshire map

Eccles is a rural Parish in the south of Berwickshire bounded on the north by the Parish of Fogo, on the east by the Parishes of Swinton and Coldstream and by the English border, on the south by the Parishes of Sprouston and Ednam and on the west by the Parishes of Hume and Greenlaw. Old Parish Birth Records exist from 1699 to 1854. Marriage Records exist from 1697 to 1854. Death records exist from 1776 to 1854. Sales List 1841 census Eccles. 1851 census Eccles. 1861 census Eccles. Eccles, Leitholm and Birgham Memorial Inscriptions, Berwickshire Vol 5 (contains Hearth Tax and Militia Records) - edited by Elspeth Ewan. Eccles Burial Records 1786-1854 by Nigel Hardie. See our sales list for full details and cost of postage.

Eccles Parish Church

Volumes available for consultation within our Archive;

Pre 1855 Memorial inscriptions of Berwickshire by David Cargill.
The Churches and Churchyards of Berwickshire by G.A.C. Binnie.
C.D. The Churches and Churchyards of Berwickshire by James Robson 1896.
Trotter of Prentonan by George Baird Trotter.
Index to Particular Register of Sasines for Berwickshire.
Pigot's 1837 Directory of Berwickshire and Roxburghshire.
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.

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.

20 Most Common Surnames

The 20 most common surnames on gravestones recorded by us in the Eccles (with Birgham and Leitholm) monumental inscriptions volume are (number of gravestones in brackets): ROBERTSON (26), SCOTT (25), WOOD (25), WILSON (23), BELL (20), YOUNG (19), WALKER (18), BROWN (17), DICKSON (17), PURVES (16), TURNBULL (16), MCDOUGALL (16), ALLAN (14), JOHNSTON (14), JEFFREY (14), HENDERSON (14), SMITH (13), PATTERSON (13), STEWART (12), DODDS (11).

The Scottish Borders Archive and Family History Centre, The Hub Hawick hold the following records;

• Eccles School Board Minute Books ref; B/ED/1/40-42.

The Scottish National Archives Edinburgh contain the following records;

Eccles Parish Church;

• Minutes 1721 to 1753 and 1832 to 1942.
• Accounts 1721 to 1753 and 1813 to 1923 ref; CH2/910.

Eccles Free Church;

• Minutes 1845 to 1919.
• Communion Roll 1845 to 1894 ref; CH3/877.

Berwickshire Naturalists' Club has published the following articles;

• Vols. 7, 10, 16 and 36 Eccles Church.
• Vols. 10 and 15 Eccles History.
• Vol. 28 Drunfields, Dicksons, Gradens and Trotters of Eccles.
• Vols. 30, 33 and 40 - visits.
• Vol. 36 Ministers of the 17th. century.
• Vol. 41 Eccles Parish School.
• Vol. 41 Eccles, Printonan.
• Vol. 42 Dr. George Johnston (1797 to 1855) by Dr. G.A.C. Binnie.

Websites;

Genuki has published a list of maps and plans available for consultation within the National Archives of Scotland.

Some detailed history of the Parish

Birgham Community Website

First Statistical Account by the Rev. Mr. Adam Murray (click "browse scanned images" and insert Parish name).

Second Statistical Account by the Rev. James Thomson (click "browse scanned pages" and insert 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.

Place and Farm names in Census Records;

1841 census: Eccles, Womerlaw, Kingsridge, Bartlehill, Eccles Shiell, Harlaw, Hassington Mains, Belmount, Kennetsideheads, Burnhouse, Hassington, Overmains, Loanknow, Spring Well, White Bank, Pittlesheugh Plough Land, Thirlington, Stonefold, Hardacres, Cross Hall, Anns Grove, Fernyridge, Newtown, Whitridge, Sunnyside, Bankhead, Orange Lane, Purveshall, Eccles Tofts, Herdrigg, West Printonan, East Printonan, Earnslaw, Lochrigg, Boughtrigg, Kames East Mains, Kames West Mains, Mersington, Leitholm, Belville, Belvale, Belchester, Grizzlerigg, Moorsfield, Stoneridge Mains, Antonshill, Birgham, Ayton Hall, Homebank, Wester Fireburn, Birgham Haugh, Haigsfield, Cloverhall, Greenlees, Blinkbonny, Lochfield, St. Foin, Lochton, Springhill.
1851 census: Eccles, Wormerlaw, Kingsrigg, Bartlehill, Eccles Shiells, Harlaw, Hassington Mains, Belmount, Kennetsideheads, Hassington, Loanknow, Overmains, Birgham, Ayton Hall, Springhill, Lochton, Sain Foin, Blinkbonny, Greenlees, Cloverhall, Homebank, Haigsfield, Springwell, Ploughland, Whitebank, Purvishall, Thirlington, Stonefold, Brae, Hardacres, Pittleseugh, Crosshall, Ann's Grove, Newton, Ferryrigg, Whitrig, Sunnyside, Bankhead, Orange Lane, Eccles Tofts, Herdrigg, West Printonan, East Printonan, Earnslaw, Lochrigg, Kames East Mains, Boughtrigg, Lanrigg, Kames, Mersington, Leitholm Mill, Belville, Belchester, Grizzlerig, Moorsfield, Stoneridge, Antonhill, West Leitholm, Leitholm.
1861 census: Eccles, Eccles Shiells, Bartlehill, Kingsrig, Wormerlaw, Harlaw, Hassington, Belmount, Kennetsideheads, Burnhouse, Overmains, Loanknow, Belmount, Sain Foin, Lochton, Springhill, Birgham, Ayton Hall, Home Bank, Haigs Field, Wester Fire Burn Mill, Clover Hall, Greenlees, Blinkbonny, Orange Lane, Stoolfoothall, Bankhead, Sunnyside, Whitrigg, Fairney Rigg, Newtown, Cross Hall, Anns Grove, White Bank, Pittlesheugh, Hardacres, Stonefold, Brae, Thirlington, Purves Hall, Ploughland, Springwells, Mersington, Ecclestofts, Herdrigg, West Printonan, East Printonan, Earnslaw, Lochrigg, Kames, Boughtrigg, Longrigg, Kames, Mersington, Leitholm, Belville, Belchester, Grizzlerig, Moorsfield, Stoneridge Mains, Anton' s Hill, Bridgend.

Population:

The population has been recorded as follows; 1755 - 1489, 1801 -1682, 1811 -1820, 1821 -1900, 1831-1885, 1841 - 1946, 1851 - 1892, 1861 - 1861.