Why did your Ancestors settle in Carriden
Old Parish Records
OPR's began in Carriden in 1687. Carriden is Parish no 664 in the County of Linlithgow.
The Name
Carriden means 'Fort on the Hill'
The Early Years
Carriden, to the east of Bo'ness was the first site, the monks were granted a tithe by William di Vipont to mine the coal on his estate. Roads at that time were virtually non-existent, giving Bo'ness a seaport from which coal could be transported down river to Leith and onwards to ports in Europe.
During 1648 a Commission of Gentlemen from the Parish of Carriden found six women guilty of witchcraft. All were found guilty and duly executed.
The 1700 and 1800s
Carriden was a site for heavy industry and coal mining, and a major port.