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King Edward has a disused station on the Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway, part of the Great North of Scotland Railway system. Probably the best known inhabitant was William Guild (1586–1657) who was minister at the church from 1608 to 1631. Dr Guild went on to become principal at King's College, Aberdeen. Guild Street in Aberdeen is named after him. The name of the parish has nothing to do with any "King Edward", but is a corruption of an earlier Scottish Gaelic name. The first element "King", usually appears as "kin" in Scottish placenames, and derives from "Ceann" meaning a headland. The second element is less certain but may derive from "Eadar" (between) or "cathair-thalmhainn" (yarrow). There have been approximately 24 variations of the name: Kynedor (12th Century), Kynedward and Kinedart to name a few. Newbyth or New Byth (redirected here) is a small inland planned village in the southeast of King Edward parish in northern Aberdeenshire. It lies a few miles northeast of Cuminestown in Monquhitter parish. It was established in 1764 by James Urquhart, Esq. on his estate of Byth. A kirk was built in 1793 as a chapel of ease, and rebuilt in 1851. In 1867, it was raised to quoad sacra status. The two churches in New Byth are no longer used for church activities.
[edit] Local geography[Condensed from A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875], available in full on GENUKI] King Edward parish is bounded on the north partly by the River Doveran, and the parishes of Banff and Gamrie, both in Banffshire; on the east by Aberdour, Tyrie, and New Deer; on the south by Monquhitter, and Turriff; and, on the west, partly by the River Doveran and Alvah in Banffshire. The maximum breadth of the parish, south to north, measures 6½ miles, and the greatest length, east to west, is 9½ miles. The area of the parish is 18,646 acres. The highest point on the Doveran, in this parish, is about 40 feet above sea level and the tide flows up to the Rack-mill, about a mile and a-half south from the North Sea. The new church of King-Edward stands 230 feet, and the highest point on the range of hills bordering with Gamrie and Aberdour, on the east, is 710 feet above sea level. The hill of Luncarty is 338 feet, the Plaidy Railway Station is 248 feet, and Craigston Castle is about 286 feet above sea level. The surface on the eastern half of the parish is hilly, though none of the hills are of great height. The western division presents a very undulating surface, but is agreeably diversified by flat tracts along the streams, rising with easy slopes into swelling rounded knolls and hills, which are all either cultivated or covered with clumps of trees. The valley of the Doveran is skirted by steep banks rising one above the other into the hills of Corskie, Montcoffer, and the higher grounds on Eden and Luncarty, and with the graceful beds of the river winding through broad fertile haughs at the bottom of the richly wooded slopes of Eden and its old castle, the scenery is varied and beautiful--a well-wooded and highly cultivated strath appears with comfortable-looking farm steads. [edit] 19th century landowners"The mansions are, Montcoffer House, the property of the Earl of Fife, a handsome modern building, beautifully situated near his lordship's park of Duff House, Banff, which demesne is partly in this parish; Eden House and Byth House, also modern mansions, finely situated; and Craigston Castle, a venerable ancient structure, seated in grounds tastefully embellished. The village of Newbyth, which is separately described, is at the south-eastern extremity of the parish. Facility of communication is maintained by excellent roads, of which the turnpike-road from Aberdeen to Banff intersects the western portion of the parish; and by bridges over the various streams, kept in good repair." (Samuel Lewis's A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland of 1851, also available in full on GENUKI.) [edit] Population Growth
Populations 1801-1951 from A Vision of Britain through Time (http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk).
[edit] Research TipsThere was formerly a note on this page that the parish was linked to the Presbytery of Deer, Synod of Aberdeen, Scotland. It would appear that since 1975 the organization of the presbyteries and synods has been revised. Readers are reminded that the Church of Scotland is Presbyterian in nature while in England the Church of England is Episcopalian. (See Wikipedia. )
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