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FIFESHIRE. 



FIFESHIRE. 



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ecclesiastical purposes it is divided into four presbyteries, namely, 

 St. Andrews, Cupar, Kirkcaldy, and Dunfermline, forming the pro- 

 vincial synod of Fife. According to the ' Census of Religious Worship 

 and Education," taken in 1851, it appears that, so far as was ascer- 

 tained, there were then in the county 219 places of worship, of which 

 77 belonged to the Established Church, 49 to the Free Church, 45 to 

 the United Presbyterian Church, 12 to Independents, 9 to Baptists, 

 7 to Episcopalians, 3 to Roman Catholics, 3 to Mormons, and 14 to 

 other bodies. The number of sittings provided in 199 of these places 

 of worship is stated to be 91,377. The number of day-schools in the 

 county for which returns were received, was 285, of which 173 were 

 public schools with 17,208 scholars, and 112 were private schools with 

 5937 scholars. Of evening schools for adults there were 19, attended 

 by 263 males and 176 females : of Sabbath schools there were 183, 

 with 14,753 scholars. Of these schools 53 belonged to the Established 

 Church, 47 to the Free Church, and 37 to the United Presbyterian 

 Church. Of literary and scientific institutions the county possessed 

 7, of which 5 were returned as having an aggregate of 483 members. 



The county town, CUPAR, and the other principal towns, DUNFERM- 

 T.IJ.-E, ST. ANDREWS, and KIRKCALDY, EAST and WEST AXSTRUTHEK, 

 BURNTISLAND, CRAJL, and DYSART, are noticed under their respective 

 titles. Besides these, the royal burghs which are also sea-ports are 

 Inverkeithing, Kilrenny, Kinghorn, and Pittenweem ; but they have 

 greatly declined from their ancient prosperity, owing partly to the 

 loss of their original exclusive privileges of trading, partly also to the 

 union with England, after which all the towns ou the coast of Fife 

 experienced more or less depression and loss of trade. AUCHTER- 

 Mft'HTV, Earlsferry, Falkland, and Newburgh are also royal burghs. 



Earliferry, population 436 in 1851, a royal burgh from time imme- 

 morial, is situated on the shore of the Frith of Forth, about 9 miles 

 S.K. from Cupar. There are a town-house and a jail, but the place is 

 generally regarded as a part of Elie. The burgh ia governed by 2 

 bailies and 7 councillors. 



/-:/:; a burgh of barony, population 732, is agreeably situated on 

 the shore of the Frith of Forth, and is resorted to in summer by the 

 inhabitants of Edinburgh for sea-bathing. 



Falkland, population of the burgh 1330, about 8 miles S.W. frdm 

 Cupar, was made a royal burgh by James II. in 1458. It is now 

 governed by 2 bailies and 10 councillors, of whom one is provost. 

 The town still possesses several old houses which were occupied by 

 the household of James VI. The palace will be noticed later in the 

 article. Two streets in the town are named Parliament-square and 

 College-close. The inhabitants are chiefly hand-loom weavers. 



Jnrerieithing, population 1852, a small market-town and sea-port 

 about 4 miles S.E. from Dunfermline, ia situated at the bottom of a 

 bay which affords an asylum for large vessels lying iu Leith Roads. 

 The town consists chiefly of one street. William the Lion granted a 

 charter to Inverkeithing aa a royal burgh. James I. resided here. 

 The burgh is governed by 2 bailies and 10 councillors, one of whom 

 is provost; and, in conjunction with Culross, Queensferry, and Stirling, 

 returns one member to the Imperial Parliament. There are exports 

 of coal and stone from the interior, and of whisky, firebricks, and 

 magnesia manufactured in the town. There is here a ferry across the 

 Forth, and steam-vessels regularly call at the port in passing up and 

 down the river. The provost of Inverkeithing was in ancient times 

 entitled to ride next after the provost of Edinburgh at the opening of 

 the Scottish Parliament. 



Kilrenny, population 1862, situated a short distance E. from 

 Amtruther, was at one time a royal burgh, sending a representative 

 to Parliament, but since 1672 it has been a burgh of regality. By 

 the Act 15 & 16 Viet. cap. 82, the burgh is placed under the govern- 

 ment of 2 bailies and 7 councillors, one of whom is provost. About 

 100 fishing-boats, of from 10 to 20 tons burden, belong to the harbour. 

 Kilrenny unites with St. Andrews, the two Anstruthers, Crail, 

 Cupar, and Pittenweem in returning a member to the Imperial 

 Parliament. 



Kinyhorn, population 1568, a royal and parliamentary burgh, is 

 situated on the shore of the Frith of Forth, opposite Leith. The 

 burgh is governed by 2 bailies and 7 councillors, of whom one is 

 provost ; and unites with Kirkcaldy, Burutisland, and Dysart in 

 returning one member to the Imperial Parliament. The harbour is 

 small. Some fishing-boats belong to the place, and steam-vessels and 

 coasters call when the tide permits. The town-house and the burgh 

 school are handsome buildings. Besides the parish church there are 

 a Free church and a chapel for United Presbyterians. There are 

 here extensive flax-spinning mills. The houses are well-built, and 

 the streets are clean and well-paved. Near the town is a precipitous 

 rock, over which Alexander III. was thrown from his horse and 

 killed. 



Ntwbwrgh, population of the burgh 2638, a royal burgh and market- 

 town, is situated on the northern shore of the county, near the 

 junction of the rivers Tay and Earn, which form the Frith of Tay. 

 The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the weaving of dowlas sheet- 

 ings. The corn-market is well attended. Several vessels engaged in 

 the coal-trade belong to the port. The harbour is formed by several 

 piers running into the Tay. The town is well-built, and it is lighted 

 with gaa. The church and the town-house are handsome structures. 

 There are two chapels for United Presbyterians. The town was made 



a royal burgh by Charles I. Near the town are fragments of an ancient 

 cross in honour of St. Magridin. 



Pathhead, population 3977, a burgh of barony, forms part of the 

 parliamentary burgh of DYSART. 



Pittenweem, population 1450, a royal burgh and port on the north 

 shore of the Frith of Forth, adjoins Anstruther, from which it is 

 about a mile westward. It is a member of the St. Andrews district of 

 parliamentary burghs, and is governed by 2 bailies and 10 councillors, 

 of whom one is provost. The town consists of two principal streets 

 and several cross streets. The parish church is an ancient structure. 

 The town is clean, and the houses are neat and substantial. Fishing 

 and fish-curing are the chief occupations of the inhabitants. 



The following villages and small towns may here be briefly noticed : 

 Abbotshall, population of the town 4342, forms part of the parlia- 

 mentary burgh of KIRKCALDY. Abdie, population of the parish 1486, 

 is situated near an inland lake called the Loch of Liudores. A stream 

 from the loch is used to drive saw-mills, bone-mills, and other mills. Near 

 the village is a hill called Norman's Law, 850 feet in height, which has 

 on its top a curious fortification of three concentric circles of stoue. The 

 stone-circles have been attributed to the Danes. A berdour, population 

 1945, a short distance W. from Burntisland, possesses a small harbour. 

 The inhabitants are chiefly epgaged in haudloom-weaving. The village 

 is resorted to in summer for sea-bathing. JBalgonie, population 

 returned with Markinch parish, is noticeable for its ancient castle, 

 to which reference is made elsewhere. The inhabitants are chiefly 

 employed in the extensive flax-spinning mills in the neighbour- 

 hood. Balmerino, population of the parish 945, is believed to have 

 been a seat of the Culdees, who were succeeded by a body of Cister- 

 cians. Of the Cistercian abbey, which was an extensive building, a 

 few ruins still remain. Some of the inhabitants are engaged iu weaving 

 for Dundee manufacturers and others in salmon-fishing. Buckhaven, 

 population 1769, situated on the shore of the Frith of Forth, about 8 

 miles N.E. from Kirkcaldy, is inhabited chiefly by fishermen. For the 

 improvement of tho pier and harbour, constructed originally by their 

 own contributions, the fishermen have collected among themselves 

 about 3000/. an effort which the Board of Fisheries rewarded by 

 making a grant of public money in aid of the work. There is here 

 a chapel for United Presbyterians. Charlestown, or Charleston, 

 population included in Dunfermline parish, is situated on the shore of 

 the Frith of Forth, and has a small harbour, at which the produce of 

 the neighbouring limeworks is shipped. Numerous fossils have been 

 found in the limestone. Colinsburgh, population returned in Kil- 

 conquhar parish, situated about 3 miles N. from Elie, possesses a 

 weekly market well attended by the neighbouring farmers, and two 

 annual fairs for cattle. There is a large establishment for currying 

 leather. Dairsie, population of the parish 708, contains the ruins, 

 which are still well preserved, of Dairsie Castle, where a parliament 

 was held in 1335. The parish church was built by Archbishop 

 Spottiswoode in 1615. The inhabitants are chiefly occupied in flax-spin- 

 ning. Dalgety, population of the parish 1513, contains extensive coal- 

 mines and salt-works. The old village of Dalgety has been removed, 

 and the site included within the inclosures of the Earl of Moray. The 

 produce of the mines is shipped at St. David's, which is within the 

 parish. Donibristle Castle, the scene of the murder by the Earl of 

 Huntly of the Earl of Moi'ay, son-in-law of the Regent Murray, is in 

 the parish of Dalgety. David's, St., a convenient harbour, situated a 

 mile and ahalf N. by W. from North Queensferry, with 17 feet depth of 

 water, admits vessels of 500 tons. Coal is shipped in great quantities, 

 the collieries in the neighbourhood being very extensive. There are 

 also large salt-works. Ferry-yorl-on-Craiy, population 2051, is a neatly- 

 built village on the south shore of the Frith of Tay. The inhabitants 

 are chiefly engaged in handloom-weaving for Dundee manufacturers. 

 It contains a Free church and a chapel for United Presbyterians. 

 Gallatown, or Gallmetown, population 1436, is a village situated about 

 2 miles N.W. from Dysart, and forming a part of Dysart pariah. 

 Largo, pjpulation of the parish 2800, is situated in Largo Bay, and is 

 much frequented for sea-bathing. There are flax-works and a salmon- 

 fishing station. The steamers of the river call here, and there are 

 a few small trading vessels belonging to the village. It contains 

 several partly-endowed schools, the parish church, chapels of the Free 

 Church and the United Presbyterian Church, a small hospital, a savings 

 bank, and a library. Leslie, population 1342, situated about 11 miles 

 S.W. from Cupar, is inhabited chiefly by weavers and persons employed 

 in agriculture. Besides the parish church there are two chapels for 

 United Presbyterians, and a Free church. Leven, a burgh of barony 

 and port, situated at the mouth of the river Leven, at the western 

 extremity of Largo Bay, consists of two parallel streets and several 

 lanes: population of the village 2083, chiefly employed in linen- 

 weaving. The harbour is a natural one, but is being gradually 

 improved. It admits at high tide vessels of between 300 and 400 

 tons. One or two vessels in the American trade aud several coasters 

 belong to it. The town is cleaned and lighted by the police board : 

 the parish contains a foundry, and several flax and other mills. Lime- 

 kilns, population included in the parish of Duufermline, is a small 

 port from which the produce of the neighbouring lime-quarries ia 

 exported in considerable quantities. Several vessels belong to the 

 port. The United Presbyterians have a chapel here. Markinch: 

 population of the parish, 5843. Besides the village of Markinch tho 



