Archccokyjy, dt'c, of Uic May Island. Ill 



vaders. Soon afterwards the monks took up their principal 

 residence at Pittenweem, on the adjoining coast of Fife, and in 

 deeds belonging to the period the Priory of May is styled the 

 " Priory of Pittenweem, otherwise Isle of May," or the "Priory 

 of May and Pittenweem." 



On December 21, 1551, the May was acquired by Andrew 

 Balfour of Mountquhanie ; and on May 12, 1558, by John 

 Forret, It subsequently passed into the possession of Allan 

 Lamont, and afterwards of Alexander Cunningham of Barns. 

 This proprietor will long be remembered as being the first to 

 erect, by permission of King Charles L, a lighthouse on the 

 island in the year 1635, This lighthouse was the first to be 

 built on the east coast of Scotland, and it consisted of a square 

 tower about 40 feet high, provided with a flat roof, on which, 

 about the beginning of the present century, upwards of 380 

 tons of coal were annually consumed. This primitive light- 

 house still exists, and stands to the east of the modern build- 

 ing. The May next fell into the possession of the Balcomie 

 family, from whom it was purchased in 1816 by the Com- 

 missioners of the Northern Lights, who erected a beacon at a 

 height of 240 feet above sea-level. At first a system of oil- 

 lamps and reflectors was used in this modern lighthouse, but 

 in 1843 these were exchanged for the argand lamp and dioptric 

 system of Sir David Brewster. During 1843-1844 a second 

 and smaller lighthouse was erected, for the purpose of afford- 

 ing mariners a convenient landmark to enable them to avoid 

 the Carr Eock. 



The ruins of an old chapel, the only other stone erection on 

 the island, may be seen to the south of the larger lighthouse. 

 This chapel has been dedicated to St Adrian ; it is rectangular 

 in shape, being about 32 feet in length by 16 feet wide, and 

 its windows are indicative of thirteenth century architecture. 

 Its walls have been recently pointed under the careful super- 

 vision of the authorities of Her Majesty's Office of Works. 



The island is composed of dolerite, which on its western 

 side rises vertically from the sea to a height of 150 feet. 

 Its eastern margin, though in a few places capable of accom- 

 modating boats, is in several localities rugged and uneven, pre- 

 senting in its many indentions rich crops of various species 

 of Algce. Although the development of a columnar structure 

 in this dolerite is less marked than in some parts of the main- 



