Fife and Scotland - the offbeat perspective

Burntisland and Kinghorn

Burntisland is a coastal resort located in Southern Fife. Originally owned by monks of Dunfermline Abbey in he twelfth century, the area was sold in exchange for land, ceded from the Barony of Kinghorn and became known as the Royal Burgh of Burntisland in 1586. It is lucky to have one of the finest beaches in Fife and which is why it remains a popular holiday spot and supporting many local hotels, guest houses and even a large caravan park with its own restaurant and swimming pool.

Shipbuilding became a major industry in the town at an early stage and the wide bay became the second busiest port in the Firth of Forth.

In 1601, King James VI, chose Burntisland as an alternative venue for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and where the idea for a new translation of the Bible was discussed for the first time.

In 1633, one of the regular ferries, the ‘Blessing Of Burntisland’ sank while King Charles I was aboard. The ship was also reputed to be carrying a fortune in Royal Treasure and since that time, there have been many attempts to locate this treasure but with little success so far.

Naturally, the port supported many fishing boats and, as the industrial revolution grew, the importance of shipping coal from the nearby mines became the most important industry of the town. In 1847, a new railway line opened from Burntisland to Cupar and three years later, in 1850, the World’s first roll-on roll-off ferry was established and where cargo wagons could be transported without having to emptied or opened during their journey from Edinburgh to Dundee. Passengers used other less sophisticated ferry services. The ferry services ceased in 1890 shortly after the Forth Rail Bridge opened.

On 14th April 1914, the Edinburgh to Aberdeen train collided with a cargo train at Burntisland. One person was killed and twelve people were injured.

In the twentieth century, shipbuilding and Aluminium smelting became the major part of the town’s economic structure but the mainstream shipbuilding ceased in 1969 and the aluminium plant closed in 2002.

Today, the fishing fleet and trade ships have gone and the tourism is now the principal industry of the town and it’s a role it is well suited to. The wide sandy beach is and has been a firm favourite of Edinburgh people seeking relaxation and finding it easy to get there ever since the Forth Rail Bridge opened in 1890. It’s arguably the best beach in Fife and quite large in size. The sand extends far out into the Firth and can be seen when the tide is out.

If swimming in the sea isn’t ‘your thing’ then Burntisland has a modern swimming pool with a wave machine and flumes. It’s called the ‘Beacon’ and the tower part of the building is reminiscent of a lighthouse. Rossend Castle forms another feature of the town.

The ‘High Street’ has retained a traditional appearance and in summer, the well renowned and award winning Burntisland and District Pipes and Drums Band are a welcome sight and sound that has often vanished from many towns in Scotland.

Overlooking the wide grassy links is a number of splendidly maintained guesthouses and small hotels. In summer, the links are the site of a fun fair and carnival. Although the town has a residential population of about six thousand people; this number swells to about 30,000 in mid-season and especially when the local Highland Games takes place. Like many Fife towns, Burntisland also has a golf course.

Before leaving Burntisland, it’s worth mentioning the smaller town of Kinghorn and which shares Pettycur Bay in part and lies just a few miles eastward of Burntisland.

About mid-way between the two towns stands a roadside monument to a singular event and which ultimately led Scotland into the Wars Of Independence.

King Alexander III of Scotland had three children by his first marriage but all died young leaving no successor to the line. On November 1, 1285, he married Yolande de Dreux and she became pregnant by him. On the 19 March 1286, Yolande was residing in Kinghorn while the King had official business in Edinburgh. On concluding this business, the King insisted on travelling to meet his bride despite the fowl weather and advice that he should not. He insisted and upon arrival in Fife rode ahead of his followers before apparently disappearing. Next morning, a search found his body in Pettycur Bay and where his neck had been broken. The roadside memorial is sited where he is thought to have fallen over the muddy ridge to his death. Months later, Yolande gave birth to a stillborn son. The rightful heir thus became Alexander’s grand-daughter, Margaret, ‘the Maid of Norway’ but she died on her way to Scotland in 1290. In desperation, King Edward I of England was asked to arbitrate as regards the true heir to the throne but saw the opportunity to further his own desires by appointing John Balliol and thus beginning a tortuous route that would ultimately lead to the battlefield of the Bannockburn described elsewhere on this web site.

Aberdour Stepped Gardens

There can be few castles in which the garden was built up in steps as shown in the photograph but this is just one of the unique differences about the small village of Aberdour in South Fife. The rail station gardens won awards in the past and one shop actually promoted witchcraft, but on writing this current account, the author is uncertain whether that shop still remains.

In mid-summer the small sandy beach and harbour area is popular but vehicle access and parking is at a premium. The largest structure in the village is the castle with its stunning multi-tier gardens and dovecote.

Aberdour has a long history and originally existed as two communities on either side of the burn but is now considered as a singular entity. In the twelfth century, Aberdour estate was affluent, prosperous and owned by the de Mortimer family. It remained basically affluent for the next four hundred years with ownership passing to the Douglases in 1342.

The Earls of Morton took up residence in 1456 and built the central part of the castle in the sixteenth century. A large stable was added in the eighteenth century.

From historical resources, it seems the Aberdour estate was still prosperous circa 1650 but was in substantial decline just twenty-five years later. The Earls of Morton abandoned the building in 1790 and the eastern part of the building was fully abandoned just one year later. The building continued to fall into disrepair with much of its stonework reused to repair other local buildings. The old tower collapsed in 1844.

Although nobody was left to care for the building, it did at various times serve as a school, accommodation for soldiers and even a Masonic Hall. It was turned over to state care in 1924.

The picture shown on the left is the reverse of the one taken by the author shown above but both convey the degree of work needed to create the stepped gardens. It seems the stepped gardens may have been necessary because the original garden to the west of the main building may have proved too small and inadequate. These gardens are still maintained to a good standard whereby the stepped area has been reduced to lawns. It’s still an interesting feature though.

Neighbouring the castle is the rail station and which has won awards in the past for its horticultural efforts. Also close to the castle is St Fillans Chapel located close to the castle. It's a small and beautifully restored chapel and well worth a few moments of your time.

Parking is often at a premium in Aberdour so my advice is to leave the car in the castle car park and take a short walk to the chapel.

Credits:
Last Photograph is by Andy Hawkins; all others by Alandon.
Text by Alandon