Parish Almshouses in Scotland
After 1845, poor relief in Scotland continued to be administered at the parish level, under the general superintendance of the central Board of Supervision. As well as providing out-relief, parishes, or groups of parishes, with a population of at least five thousand, could operate a 'statutory' poorhouse under rules prescribed by the Board of Supervision. These establishments are listed on a separate page.
Many Scottish parishes also operated smaller and more informal poorhouse establisments known as almshouses, parish homes, parochial houses, or parish lodging houses. Although a few large almshouses such as Peterhead were comparable to poorhouses, most were very modest establishments. Rather than the dormitories that characterised poorhouses, almshouse 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.
The list below gives the location of each almshouse and, where known, the number of inmates it accommodated and the staff employed — in most cases these figures relate to around the year 1908.
| County/Parish | Capacity | Staff |
Aberdeenshire | ||
| Aboyne | 22 | Matron |
| Alford | 12 | Nil |
| Birse | 15 | Nurse |
| Chapel of Garioch | 36 | Nil |
| Clatt | (3 rooms) | Inmate |
| Cruden | 6 | Matron |
| Culsalmond | 6 | Matron |
| New Deer | 10 | Matron |
| Old Deer | 22 | 4 attendants |
| Ellon | 22 | Matron and Assistant |
| Forgue | (5 Houses) | Nil |
| Foveran | 4 | Inmates |
| Fyvie | (24 apartments) | Attendant |
| Gartly | 6 | Matron |
| Huntly | 14 | Nurse |
| Insch | 2 | Nil |
| Kinnellar | 9 | Nil |
| Kinnethmont | (4 rooms) | Nil |
| Leslie | 4 | Nil |
| Lonmay | 8 | Attendant |
| New Machar | 10 | Attendant |
| Meldrum | 23 | Matron |
| Oyne | 18 | Nil |
| Peterhead | 40 | Governor and Matron |
| Rhynie | 12 | Matron |
| St Fergus | 10 | Matron |
| Strichen | 10 | Matron |
| Tarves | 26 | Nil |
| Tyrie | 28 | Matron |
| Turriff | ? | Matron |
| Udny | 9 | Matron |
Angus (Forfarshire) | ||
| Brechin | 76 | Matron and 3 servants |
| Kirriemuir | 36 | Matron and servant |
| Montrose | 39 | Matron and servant |
Argyllshire | ||
| Ardnamurchan | 8 | Nurse |
| Kilarrow | 4 | Attendant |
| Lochgoilhead | 16 | Nurse |
| Morven | 8 | Attendant |
Ayrshire | ||
| Kilmaurs | 10 | Attendant |
Banffshire | ||
| Cabrach | 6 | Matron |
| Cullen | 5 | Attendant |
| Gamrie and Macduff | ? | Matron |
| Kirkmichael | 7 | Attendant |
| Marnoch | 14 | Matron |
Berwickshire | ||
| Chirnside | 32 | Matron |
| Coldingham | 18 | Matron |
| Duns | 15 | Matron and servant |
Caithness | ||
| Halkirk | 4 | Nil |
Clackmannanshire | ||
| Clackmannan | 2 | Nil |
East Lothian (Haddingtonshire) | ||
| Haddington | 20 | Nil |
Elgin (See Morayshire) | ||
Fife | ||
| Ceres | 3 | Matron |
| St Andrews | 17 | Matron |
Forfarshire (See Angus) | ||
Haddingtonshire (See East Lothian | ||
Inverness-shire | ||
| Abernethy | 20 | Matron |
| Alvie | 10 | Attendant |
| Boleskine and Abertaff | (12 rooms) | Matron |
| Dores | (4 rooms) | Caretaker |
| Duthil | 11 | Nil |
| Glenmoriston | ||
| Kilmallie | 16 | Nurse |
| Kilmonivaig | 12 | Nurse |
| Kingussie | 7 | Nurse |
| Kirkhill | 6 | Attendants |
| Laggan | (8 rooms) | Nil |
| Portree | 24 | Nil |
Kinross-shire | ||
| Kinross | 8 | Matron |
Lanarkshire | ||
| Leshmahagow | 19 | Matron |
Morayshire (Elgin) | ||
| Cromdale | 18 | Matron and attendants |
Orkney | ||
| Cross and Burness | 12 | Nil |
| Lady | 6 | Nil |
| Orphir | 4 | Nil |
| Sunnis | 8 | Attendant |
Perth | ||
| Alyth | 17 | Matron and servant |
| Blairgowrie | 9 | Matron and servant |
| Coupar Angus | 16 | Matron |
| Kenmore | 7 | Housekeeper |
Ross and Cromarty | ||
| Alness | 6 | Nil |
| Applecross | 12 | Inmates |
| Dingwall | 14 | Nurse |
| Gairloch | ||
| Glenshiel | 6 | Nil |
| Kintail | 8 | Nil |
| Lochalsh | 16 | Nil |
| Urquhart | 9 | Matron |
Shetland (Zetland) | ||
| Unst | 7 | Matron |
Stirlingshire | ||
| Logie | 6 | Matron |
Sutherland | ||
| Assynt | 7 | Nurse |
| Durness | 8 | Nil |
| Eddrachillis | 16 | Inmates |
| Kildonan | 30 | Nil |
| Rogart | 14 | Inmates |
| Tongue | 8 | Nil |
Wigtownshire | ||
| Kirkcolm | 12 | Nil |
| Penninghame | 10 | Matron |
Zetland (See Shetland) |
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