Borders Family History Society

Hobkirk is an upland Parish in south east Roxburghshire the Parishes of Kirkton and Cavers lie to the west, the Parishes of Bedrule and Jedburgh are to the north, whilst on the east lies the Parishe of Southdean & Abbotrule, whilst on the south lies the Parish of Castleton. The principle village is Bonchester Bridge.

Hobkirk and Southdean are now linked with the Parish of Ruberslaw (a combination of the former Parishes of Bedrule and Minto).

Old Parish Records cover the periods:

Births: 1726 to 1854.
Marriages: 1726 to 1733, 1808 to 1854.
Deaths: 1754 to 1755, 1800 to 1837.

Hobkirk Parish Church

Sales List

1841 census Hobkirk.
1851 census Hobkirk.
1861 census Hobkirk.

(See our sales list for full details and cost of postage.)

Volumes available for consultation within our Archive

Ruleswater and its People by George Tancred - reprint 1992.
The Churches and Graveyards of Roxburghshire by Dr. G.A.C. Binnie 2001.
Rutherford's Southern Counties Register and Directory 1867.
County Directory of Scotland 1912 - Borders Towns and Villages.
CD-ROM Pigot's 1837 Directory of Berwickshire and Roxburghshire.
CD-ROM Land Ownership Commission Report 1872 -1873.

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.

Title	Synopsis	Size Description	Issue No	Author
A quest for Scottish Roots in the Middle Marches	This article was first printed in the Laidlaw Family Journal of October 1995 and has been reprinted in this issue.	3 pages or more	31	Kenneth Laidlaw

Map of Hobkirk from Quarter-inch to the mile, Scotland, 1921-1923 or One-inch to the mile, Popular edition, Scotland, 1920-1930
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.

Other Sources

Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843 to 1900 by the. Rev. William Ewing
contains details of the Free Church of Scotland Wolflee Congregation which served the Parishes of Southdean and Hobkirk.
The History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire and adjacent Districts by Alexander Jeffrey 1864.
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791-99 vol.3 p.311: Hobkirk, County of Roxburgh (click "browse scanned pages" and insert Parish name)
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1834-45 vol.3 p.208: Hobkirk, County of Roxburgh (click "browse scanned pages" and insert Parish name)
Two Centuries of Borders Church Life by J Tait Kelso 1891.

Scottish Borders Archives, The Hub Hawick

School Board Minute Books 1873 to 1919 (Ref - R/ED/1/36-37).

The National Archives of Scotland

Maps

1919: Abbotrule Estate - printed booklet describing land for sale; Scale 1:7500 (Map Ref - NT6012, NAS Ref - RHP.4412/2 + RHP.4412/1)
1923: Wolfelee Estate - printed booklet describing land for sale; Scale 1:10,560 (Map Ref - NT0958. NAS Ref - RHP.4406/2 + RHP.4406/1)

Hawick Archaeological Society

1874 Hobkirk Kirk and Churchyard.
1882 Ruleswater and its Associates.
1884 Hopekirk in the times of Riccaltoun.
1903 Turnbulls of Ruleswater.
1903 Hospital at Ruleswater.
1904 Roman capitals from Hopekirk.
1906 The Roules of Rouleswater.
1910 Water Mills of Ruleswater.
1946 Roll of Parish Ministry in Hawick 1183 to 1929.
1978 Abbotsrule Church.
1986 Education in Hobkirk in the 18th century.

Berwickshire Naturalists' Club

Vol. 12 Bonchester, Rule Water by W Deans.
Vol. 25 Hobkirk Parish by W Deans.
Vol. 36 Three stories by Miss R Donaldson-Hudson.
Vol 36 Fulton and Stonedge - derivation of names.

Websites

Hobkirk Coat of Arms.
Hobkirk Church Website contains a history of the Parish.
Hobkirk Family Website.
A paper by Walter Deans on the History of the Parish.
Stobie's Map of Roxburghshire of 1770.
A description of carved stones in Hobkirk Churchyard.
The RCAHMS website Scotland's Places contains details of;

Farm Horse Tax 1797-1798.
Medical Officer's of Health Reports 1891.

Place and Farm names in Census Records

1841 census: Kirk Style, Hobkirk, Kirknow, Killnknow, Yethouse, Highend, Africa, Howahill, Stonedge, Pleaknowe, Longburnshiels, Lurgisleugh, Harwood, Swanshiel, Unthank, Hawclay, Wigg, Templehall, Wauchope, Tytehouse, Forkins, Blackcleugh, Lanfhaugh Walls, Blackcleugh, Wolflee, Broadhaugh, Hartshaugh, Hoddleswoody, Sclenty Hall, Weens, Hallrule, Billerwell, Westlees, Wells, Doveshaugh, Town 0' Rule, Weensmoor, Harthornside, Greenriver, Bonchester Bridge, Langraw, Scar Nook, Woodside, Gatehousecote, Fodderlee, New Fodderlee.

1851 census: Opens, Weens, Hallrule Mill, Gatehousecote, Billerwell, Old Fodderlee, East Fodderlee, Wells, Hallrule, Langraw, Kirkstyle, Bonchester Bridge, Greenriver, Hawthornside, Africa, Highend, Swanshiel,Hardwood, Langhaughwalls, Forkins, Blackley, Wolfelee, Broadhaugh, Woodside, Yethouse, Kilnknow, Kirkknow, Hartshaugh Mill, Howahill, Stonedge, Harwood, Lurgiescleugh, Common, Templehall, Wauchop Tythhouse, Dykeheads, Wigg, Longburn Shiels, Blea Now.

1861 census: Howahill, Stonedge, Harwood, Lurgiescleugh, Longburnshiels, Pleakknowe, Wauchope, Dykeheads, Wigg, Thythehouse, Longhaughwalls, Bonchester Bridge, Braidhaugh, Wolflee, Cleughhead, Blacklee, Forkins, Harwod Mill, Swanshiel, Yethouse, Hartshaugh Mill, Kirknow, Kirkstyle, Langraw, Hawthornside, Greenriver, Opens, Town O' Rule, Hallrule, Billerwell, Westlees, Easter Fodderlee, Old Fodderlee, Weens House, Gatehosecote, Wells House.

Population

The population has been recorded as follows:

1755 - 550
1801 - 760
1811 - 709
1821 - 652
1831 - 676
1841 - 776
1861 - 771

Roxburghshire map