Quoad sacra parish

A quoad sacra parish is a type of parish in Scotland which is used for ecclesiastical purposes only. Quoad sacra translates from Latin as 'concerning sacred matters'. This type of parish can be distinguished from the 'parish proper', a parish combining both civil and eccesiastical functions.

Ordinary civil parishes were designated as parishes quoad omnia (concerning all matters) being parishes quoad civilia et sacra (concerning civil matters and sacred matters). Typically, a number of quoad sacra parishes could exist within a single civil parish, each often maintaining its own parish church.

Role
The distinction between eccesiastical and civil parishes was often blurred. Civil parishes had the duty of setting church rates in addition to their civil roles in the provision of education, sanitation and the poor law.

Legislation
Particular Acts of Parliament which created quoad sacra parishes in Scotland are the New Parishes (Scotland) Act 1844, the United Parishes (Scotland) Act 1868 and the United Parishes (Scotland) Act 1876.