|58 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF chap. III. 



cannot now be known, as many of them have 

 been completely razed, and the ground on which 

 they stood converted into arable land. From 

 the remains of the church, which are still extant, 

 no distinct idea of the size or elegance of the fa- 

 bric can be formed. Parts of the garden walls 

 are still standing, and a number of the fruit-trees 

 still continue to bear. These trees, from the ap- 

 pearances of decay, which they exhibit, must 

 have been long since planted ; but whether in 

 the days of the monks, or by the residing pro- 

 prietor, after the abbey was erected into a tem- 

 poral Lordship, it is impossible with certainty to 

 say. 



In addition to the ecclesiastical buildings al- 

 ready mentioned, we might take notice of the 

 abbey of Inchcolm, the priory of Pittenioeem, the 

 abbey of Balmerino, and several other religious 

 houses, the ruins of which are still to be seen. 

 But referring the curious, for a description of 

 these, to Grose's Antiquities, and Sibbald's His- 

 tory of Fife, I shall now mention the ruins of 

 some of the most remarkable secular buildings 

 in this county., 



The Palace of Falkland deserves to be taken 

 notice of in the first place. It was originally one 

 of the seats of the M c DurTs, Earls of Fife, and was 

 then called the castle of Falkland. In the reign 

 of James I. it was forfeited to the Crown. Af- 

 terwards it was greatly enlarged and ornament- 

 ed by James V. ; and from the pleasantness of 

 its situation, and the conveniency of the adja- 

 cent country for hunting, it was made a royal 

 residence. The south front is yet remarkably 

 Entire, and. partly inhabited. The east-wing 



