Parish Almshouses in Scotland
After 1845, poor relief in Scotland continued to be administered at the parish level. As well as providing out-relief, parishes, or 'combinations' of parishes, with a population of at least five thousand, could operate a 'statutory' poorhouse under rules prescribed by the central Board of Supervision. These establishments are listed on a separate page.
Many parishes, particularly in the east of Scotland, instead (or sometimes additionally) operated smaller and more informal poorhouse establishments variously known as almshouses, parish homes, parochial houses, or parish lodging houses. In 1861, the Board of Supervision identified two classes of parish poorhouses: those being used for the purposes of statutory poorhouses, and those that were merely dwellings for those receiving outdoor relief. Although a few of the larger institutions such as that at Peterhead were comparable in scale to statutory poorhouses, most were very modest establishments. Rather than the dormitories that characterised poorhouses, parish accommodation was more likely to be arranged as small apartments or cottages. The inmates ('persons of good character') could live with as much freedom as in their own homes, often with their own furniture, and buying and cooking their own food.
A list (by no means exhaustive) of parish almshouses/poorhouses is given below. In some cases, a link is provided to a page giving more details.
- Aberdeenshire
- Aboyne, Alford, Birse, Chapel of Garioch, Clatt, Cruden, Culsalmond, New Deer, Old Deer, Ellon, Forgue, Foveran, Fyvie, Gartly, Huntly, Insch, Inverurie, Keig, Kinellar, Kinnethmont, Kintore, Leochel Cushnie, Leslie, Lonmay, New Machar, Old Meldrum, Oyne, Peterhead, Premnay, Rathen, Rhynie, St Fergus, Strichen, Tarves, Tough, Tyrie, Turriff, Udny
- Angus (Forfarshire)
- Brechin, Kirriemuir, Montrose
- Argyllshire
- Ardnamurchan, Kilarrow, Lochgoilhead, Morven
- Ayrshire
- Auchinleck, Kilmaurs, Ochiltree
- Banffshire
- Cabrach, Cullen, Deskford, Gamrie and Macduff, Grange, Kirkmichael, Marnoch
- Berwickshire
- Ayton, Bunkle & Preston, Chirnside, Coldingham, Duns, Earlston, Stichill
- Caithness
- Dunnet, Halkirk
- Clackmannanshire
- Clackmannan
- Dumfries-shire
- Canonbie, Hoddom
- Dunbartonshire
- Kirkintilloch
- East Lothian (Haddingtonshire)
- Haddington
- Elgin
- (See Morayshire)
- Fife
- Ceres, St Andrews
- Forfarshire
- (See Angus)
- Haddingtonshire
- (See East Lothian)
- Inverness-shire
- Abernethy, Alvie, Boleskine and Abertarff, Dores, Duthil, Glenmoriston, Kilmallie, Kilmonivaig, Kilmorack, Kiltarlity, Kingussie, Kirkhill, Laggan, Portree
- Kincardineshire
- Banchory-Ternan, St Cyrus, Strachan
- Kinross-shire
- Kinross
- Lanarkshire
- Lesmahagow
- Morayshire (Elgin)
- Cromdale, Knockando
- Orkney
- Cross and Burness, Lady, Orphir, Stenness
- Perth
- Alyth, Blairgowrie, Coupar Angus, Kenmore
- Ross and Cromarty
- Alness, Applecross, Dingwall, Gairloch, Lochs, Glenshiel, Kintail, Lochcarron, Lochalsh, Urquhart
- Shetland (Zetland)
- Dunrossness, Unst
- Stirlingshire
- Logie
- Sutherland
- Assynt, Clyne, Durness, Eddrachillis, Kildonan, Rogart, Tongue
- Wigtownshire
- Kirkcolm, Penninghame
- Zetland
- (See Shetland)
For US readers 
Unless otherwise indicated, this page () is copyright Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.