KINGDOM OF FIFE
AND KINROSS

Culross Town House.

  ROYAL BURGH OF CULROSS 

One of Fife's gems.

Retains the appearance of an unspoiled 17th century Scottish Burgh. Indeed, the 17th century was the golden age of Culross, which has links going back to David and Roman times.

In the 17th century it was a flourishing sea port and coal mines, salt pains, girdle making, handloom weaving and cruive fishing affording employment to several thousand people. With the industrial revolution and the development of damask and linen factories in Dunfermline, there was a decline in the prosperity of Culross and the population gradually dwindled, until a century ago it was less than 1500.

But what will fascinate the traveller is the unspoiled appearance of the mediaeval burgh. The National Trust for Scotland has taken a leading part in preserving the distinctive architecture of Culross. The Trust restored the charming Sandhaven Houses and Bishop Leyton's Study, going back to 1500.

The Abbey, the Mercat Cross and the Palace are all worthy of detailed study and even the most hurried visitor could not fail to be impressed by the winding streets and their causey road surfaces, and the dignified houses clustered on the hillside overlooking the Firth of Forth.

North Queensferry 

North Queensferry is found lying between the two bridges. For 800 years Queensferry, as the name indicates, provided a ferry service between Fife and the Lothians. The Queen in the name comes from Margaret, wife of Malcolm Canmore. The earliest record of the ferry is to be found in documents relating to the life and death of Queen Margaret in the 11th century. It was her son, David the first, who in 1129 instituted a regular ferry service for the Forth at this point. At first it was operated by the church and the rights were based in the Abbot and Convent of Dunfermline. As time went on the ferries became too big an undertaking for the Abbot and Convent and in 1275 the Church let the ferry to local seaman who carried passengers and animals over the water in their own boats.

Eventually the water passage was divided into sixteen shares and feuded to various people on both sides of the Forth. In 1474 the charges for the crossing the ferry were fixed by Act of Parliament, one penny Scots for a man and twopence for his horse.
North Queensferry Website:- 

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/queensferry/northqueensferry/index.html

William Denny & Bros
Lessees of the Queensferry crossing from 1934 until the opening of the Forth Road Bridge 30 years later, the well-known Dumbarton shipbuilders latterly operated four diesel-electric paddle car ferries.

Before the Forth Road Bridge was built, ferries travelled between hear and South Queensferry on the Lothian side of the Forth. In 1964 there were four boats in operation, 

                                  "Queen Margaret, (1934)" "Robert The Bruce, (1934)" 
                          "Mary Queen of Scots (1949)" and "Sir William Wallace (1956)" 

www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_a/0_around_edinburgh_-_firth_of_forth_-_ferry_boats_queensferry.htm

In the year ending February 1964 well over 2,000,000 passengers and 896.000 vehicles were carried over the water passage.  When the Forth Road Bridge  was opened by the Queen on 4 September 1964 the ferries ceased. They had an intriguing history during nearly 800 years of operation. A visitor will now find 'Deep Sea World'. 

KIRKCALDY

       "The Lang Toon o' Fife"

Take a walk from end to end and you'll soon find out why it's called the "Lang Toon". At one time a visitor would know when they had arrived in Kirkcaldy, the smell. The town was the worlds Linoleum capital. The smell would be of linseed oil. 

Kirkcaldy has played an important part in the life of Fife for centuries and it was with a wry sense of humour that the rthymster wrote:-                                                                          
                                                                                                                                 "Some say the deil's deid
                                                                                                                                   And  buried in Kirkcaldy."

The Patron Saint of the Burgh is Saint Bryce who is depicted in wrought iron on the Town House in the act of blessing the people in fair weather or in foul.

An important event every year is the "Links Market", reputed to be the longest street fair in Britain, the market takes over the Esplanade. In  2004 was
"The 700th Anniversary".

St. Monans Harbour

A little fishing centre with its narrow streets, its grey stone dwellings with their crow's stepped gables and their red tiled roofs, St. Monans provides a sight which would
delight any lover of beauty.

Lying to the south of the burgh is the Old Kirk of St. Monance. It has been occupied as a place of worship by the people in St. Monans for over 600 years.

Now like all of Fife St. Monans is a interesting place for a holiday and a good base in which to explore other areas of the East Neuk of Fife.

"The Royal Burgh of Kilrenny, Anstruther Easter
and Anstruther Wester".

The burgh with the longest name in Scotland.  For the sake of brevity the united burghs are known as:-

"Anstruther".

Anstruther Harbour

Until the 1940's Anstruther had the distinction of being the capital of the herring fishing in Scotland during the winter months. Rich shoals of these fish arrived in the waters of the Forth annually and the fishing boats from many parts of Scotland based themselves at Anstruther in January and remained until March. Herring of the Forth were eagerly bought by fish buyers from many countries of the continent of Europe. In these days Anstruther was a busy port and many colourful characters spent the winter in the burgh.

http://www.scotfishmuseum.org/index.html

www.anstruther.org.uk/

Today a popular holiday resort, it's stone-built houses, with their red weathered tiles, delight the eye and give distinction to the modest architecture of the dwelling-houses. A street of these old dwellings cling to the footpaths skirting the steep roadway down to the harbour. There the scene is one which cannot fail to delight. Small motor fishing boats are moored in the sheltered harbour, the precincts of which are piled high with the lobster creels made for generations by the fisher folk of Crail.