Fife (/faɪf/FYFE,Scottish English:[fɐi̯f];Scottish Gaelic:Fìobha[ˈfiːvə];Scots:Fife) is acouncil area,historic county,registration county andlieutenancy area ofScotland. It is situated between theFirth of Tay and theFirth of Forth, with inland boundaries withPerth and Kinross (i.e., the historic counties ofPerthshire andKinross-shire) andClackmannanshire. By custom it is widely held to have been one of the majorPictishkingdoms, known asFib, and is still commonly known as theKingdom of Fife within Scotland. A person from Fife is known as aFifer. In older documents the county was very occasionally known by theanglicisationFifeshire.
Fife Fìobha (Scottish Gaelic) | |
---|---|
![]() Fife shown withinScotland | |
Coordinates:56°15′00″N3°12′00″W / 56.25000°N 3.20000°W /56.25000; -3.20000 | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Country | Scotland |
Unitary authority | 1 April 1996 |
Administrative HQ | Fife House, Glenrothes |
Government | |
• Type | Council |
• Body | Fife Council |
• Control | No overall control |
• MPs | 4 MPs |
• MSPs | |
Area | |
• Total | 512 sq mi (1,325 km2) |
• Rank | 13th |
Population (2022)[2] | |
• Total | 371,340 |
• Rank | 3rd |
• Density | 700/sq mi (280/km2) |
Demonym | Fifer |
Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
ISO 3166 code | GB-FIF |
GSS code | S12000047 |
Website | fife |
Fife is Scotland's 3rd largest local authority areaby population. It had a resident population of 371,340 in 2022,[2] over a third of whom live in the three principal settlements,Dunfermline,Kirkcaldy andGlenrothes. On the northeast coast of Fife lies the historic town ofSt Andrews, home to theUniversity of St Andrews—the mostancient university of Scotland and one of theoldest universities in the world—and theOld Course at St Andrews, considered the world's oldestgolf course.
History
editFife, bounded to the north by theFirth of Tay and to the south by theFirth of Forth, is a natural peninsula whose political boundaries have changed little over the ages. ThePictish king list andDe Situ Albanie documents of thePoppleton manuscript mention the division of thePictish realm orAlbany into seven sub-kingdoms, one being Fife.[3]: 70–72 The earliest known reference to the common epithetThe Kingdom of Fife dates from only 1678, in a proposition that the term derives from the quasi-regal privileges of theEarl of Fife.[3]: 132 The notion of a kingdom may derive from a misinterpretation of an extract fromWyntoun.[3]: 133 The name is recorded asFib in A.D. 1150 andFif in 1165. It was often associated withFothriff.
The hill-fort ofClatchard Craig, nearNewburgh, was occupied as an importantPictish stronghold between the sixth and eighth centuries AD.[4][5]
Fife was an important royal and political centre from the reign of KingMalcolm III onwards, as the leaders ofScotland gradually moved southwards away from their ancient strongholds around Scone. Malcolm had his principal home inDunfermline and his wifeMargaret was the main benefactor ofDunfermline Abbey. The Abbey replacedIona as the final resting place of Scotland's royal elite, withRobert I amongst those to be buried there.[6]
The Earl of Fife was until the 15th century considered the principal peer of the Scottish realm, and reserved the right of crowning the nation's monarchs, reflecting the prestige of the area.
A new royal palace was gradually constructed atFalkland, formerly the stronghold ofClan MacDuff, and was used by successive monarchs of theHouse of Stuart, who favoured Fife for its rich hunting grounds.[7]
KingJames VI of Scotland described Fife, inMiddle Scots, as a:"beggar's mantle fringed wi gowd"[8] the golden fringe being the coast and its chain of little ports with their thriving fishing fleets and rich trading links with theLow Countries.Wool,linen,coal andsalt were all traded.Salt pans heated by local coal were historically a feature of the Fife coast. The distinctive red clay pan tiles seen on many old buildings in Fife arrived as ballast on trading boats and replaced the previously thatched roofs.
In 1598, King James VI employed a group of 11 men from Fife, who became known as theFife adventurers, to colonise theIsle of Lewis in an attempt to begin the "civilisation" and de-gaelicisation of the region.[9] This endeavour lasted until 1609 when the colonists, having been opposed by the native population, were bought out byKenneth Mackenzie, theclan chief of theMackenzies.[9]
Fife became a centre of heavy industry in the 19th century. Coal had been mined in the area since at least the 12th century, but the number of pits increased ten-fold as demand for coal grew in the Victorian period. Previously rural villages such asCowdenbeath rapidly swelled into towns as thousands moved to Fife to find work in its mines. The opening of theForth andTay rail bridges linked Fife with Dundee and Edinburgh and allowed the rapid transport of goods. Modern ports were constructed atMethil,Burntisland andRosyth. Kirkcaldy became the world centre for the production oflinoleum.Postwar Fife saw the development of Scotland's secondnew town,Glenrothes. Originally to provide housing for miners at a new coal mine, the town eventually attracted a high number of modernSilicon Glen companies to the region.[10][11][12][13] Fife Council and Fife Constabulary also centre their operations in Glenrothes.
There are numerous notable historical buildings in Fife, some of which are managed by theNational Trust for Scotland orHistoric Scotland. They include Dunfermline Abbey (the last resting place of Scottish royalty), the palace in Culross, Ravenscraig Castle in Kirkcaldy, Dysart Harbour area,Balgonie Castle near Coaltown of Balgonie, Falkland Palace (hunting palace of the Scottish Kings), Kellie Castle near Pittenweem,Hill of Tarvit (a historical house), St. Andrews Castle,St. Andrews Cathedral andSt. Rule's Tower.
Administrative history
editFife was one of the ancientprovinces of Scotland, under the authority of theMormaer orEarl of Fife. The early province of Fife appears to have covered only that part of the later county lying east of a line fromNewburgh toScoonie. The western part of the later county was in the province ofFothriff, which also covered areas that would later becomeKinross-shire and part ofClackmannanshire, including the town ofClackmannan. By the early thirteenth century Fothriff had been joined to the earldom of Fife. Sometime between the reign ofDavid I (reigned 1124–1153) and the mid-thirteenth century, this part of Scotland was divided intoshires, being areas administered by asheriff. Kinross and Clackmannan were each given their own sheriffs, whilst the rest of the Fife and Fothriff area was placed under the authority of theSheriff of Fife.[14]
Over time, Scotland's shires became more significant than the old provinces, with more administrative functions being given to the sheriffs. The larger earldom of Fife, including Kinross and Clackmannan, was therefore gradually eclipsed in importance by the smaller shire of Fife. In 1667Commissioners of Supply were established for each shire, which would serve as the main administrative body for the area until the creation of county councils in 1890. Following theActs of Union in 1707, the English term "county" came to be used interchangeably with the older term "shire".[15]
Elected county councils were established in 1890 under theLocal Government (Scotland) Act 1889, taking most of the functions of the commissioners (which were eventually abolished in 1930). The twoburghs ofDunfermline andKirkcaldy were deemed capable of managing their own affairs and so were excluded from the administrative area of the county council.[16] The 1889 act also led to a review of boundaries, with severalexclaves being transferred to a county they actually bordered, and parishes which straddled more than one county being adjusted such that each parish was entirely in a single county. These changes saw some adjustments to Fife's boundaries with Kinross-shire and Perthshire, with the most significant change being that Fife gained the two parishes ofCulross andTulliallan, which had previously formed an exclave of Perthshire.[17] Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy were brought within the administrative area of the county council in 1930, but classed aslarge burghs, allowing them to continue to deliver many local government functions themselves.[18]
Fife County Council was based atCounty Buildings in Catherine Street inCupar, which had been built in 1817 as the county's sheriff court and meeting place for the commissioners of supply, replacing the town's medievaltolbooth which had performed the same functions.[19][20]
Fife County Council was abolished in 1975 under theLocal Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which replaced Scotland's counties, burghs andlandward districts with a two-tier structure of upper-tierregions and lower-tierdistricts. Fife region was created covering the same area as the county, divided into threedistricts:Dunfermline,Kirkcaldy andNorth-East Fife. In 1996 the district councils were abolished and Fife Regional Council became aunitary authority known as Fife Council. Fife is one of the six local authorities in thecity region of Edinburgh and southeast Scotland.
There was aparliamentary constituency ofFife in theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1885 and theFife constituency in theParliament of Scotland until theActs of Union 1707.
Governance
editFife is represented by five constituency members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and four members of the United Kingdom parliament (MPs) who are sent toHolyrood and theBritish Parliament respectively. Following the2015 general election, all four of the MPs constituencies were held by theScottish National Party.[21] In the2017 general election,Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath was regained byLabour.[22] At the same election, the seat ofNorth East Fife became the closest seat in the country with the SNP holding a majority of 2 over theLiberal Democrats.[23] Three of the Scottish Parliament constituencies are held by theScottish National Party:Cowdenbeath,Dunfermline andMid Fife and Glenrothes. One is held by theScottish Liberal Democrats:North East Fife.[24]
Fife Council's administrative headquarters andPolice Scotland's P Division (formerlyFife Constabulary) are based inGlenrothes. The Council meetings take place inFife House in the town centre. The west wing of the building was built by the Glenrothes Development Corporation (GDC) as their offices in 1969, which was later used as the headquarters of Fife Regional Council from shortly after its creation in 1975.[25][26]
Geography
editFife is apeninsula in eastern Scotland bordered on the north by theFirth of Tay, on the east by theNorth Sea and by theFirth of Forth to the south. The route to the west is partially blocked by the mass of theOchil Hills. Almost all road traffic into and out of Fife has to pass over one of four bridges, south on theForth Road Bridge (public transport and cyclists only) andQueensferry Crossing, west on theKincardine Bridge or north-east via theTay Road Bridge, the exception being traffic headed north on theM90. Tolls were abolished on the Tay Road Bridge and Forth Road Bridge on 11 February 2008.
There are extinctvolcanic features, such as theLomond Hills which rise above rolling farmland, andLargo Law, avolcanic plug in the east. At 522 metres (1,713 ft), theWest Lomond is the highest point in Fife. The coast has fine but small harbours, from the industrial docks inBurntisland andRosyth to the fishing villages of theEast Neuk such asAnstruther andPittenweem. The large area of flat land to the north of the Lomond Hills, through which theRiver Eden flows, is known as theHowe of Fife.
North of the Lomond Hills can be found villages and small towns in a primarily agricultural landscape. The areas in the south and west of Fife, including the towns ofDunfermline,Glenrothes,Kirkcaldy and theLevenmouth region are lightly industrial and more densely populated. The only areas which could claim to be heavily industrial areRosyth, around the naval dockyard and perhaps the Mossmorran Natural Gas Liquids fractionation plant on the outskirts of Cowdenbeath.
The east corner of Fife, along the string of villages betweenEarlsferry andKingsbarns, and along with their hinterland, is known as the East Neuk (corner, or projecting point of land) of Fife;[28] small settlements around sheltered harbours, with distinctive vernacular "Dutch" orcorbie (crow) stepped gabled and stone-built architecture. The area has amongst the highest concentration of second homes and holiday lets in Scotland.[29][30][31][32] Thefishing industry, on which the coastal East Neuk settlements were built, has declined in recent years with the main fishing fleet now operating from Pittenweem and the harbour in Anstruther being used as a marina for pleasure craft.
There are several islands located off the coast of Fife, such as theIsle of May,Inchkeith andInchcolm. The formerPreston Island south ofValleyfield is no longer an island following land reclamation work.
Demography
editEthnic Group | 2001[33] | 2011[33][34] | 2022[35] | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
White: Total | 345,003 | 98.73% | 356,550 | 97.63% | 356,885 | 95.99% |
White:Scottish | 308,380 | 88.25% | 312,957 | 85.70% | 302,087 | 81.25% |
White:Other British | 29,827 | 8.54% | 31,464 | 8.62% | 36,025 | 9.69% |
White:Irish | 2,147 | 0.61% | 2,260 | 0.62% | 2,658 | 0.71% |
White:Gypsy/Traveller[note 1] | – | – | 316 | – | 277 | – |
White:Polish[note 1] | – | – | 3,058 | 0.84% | 5,491 | 1.48% |
White:Other | 4,649 | 1.33% | 6,495 | 1.78% | 10,347 | 2.78% |
Asian,Asian Scottish orAsian British: Total | 2,734 | 0.78% | 5,748 | 1.57% | 8,014 | 2.16% |
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British:Indian | 514 | 0.15% | 1,066 | 0.29% | 1,732 | 0.47% |
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British:Pakistani | 1,199 | 0.34% | 1,902 | 0.52% | 2,599 | 0.70% |
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British:Bangladeshi | 72 | 0.02% | 118 | – | 212 | 0.06% |
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British:Chinese | 750 | 0.21% | 1,735 | 0.48% | 1,878 | 0.51% |
Asian, Asian Scottish or Asian British:Asian Other | 199 | 0.06% | 927 | 0.25% | 1,596 | 0.43% |
Black,Black Scottish orBlack British[note 2] | 93 | – | – | – | – | – |
African: Total | 286 | 0.08% | 704 | 0.19% | 1,355 | 0.36% |
African:African,African Scottish orAfrican British | – | – | 684 | 0.19% | 175 | – |
African:Other African | – | – | 20 | – | 1,179 | 0.39% |
Caribbean orBlack: Total | – | – | 422 | 0.12% | 316 | 0.08% |
Caribbean | 113 | – | 234 | 0.06% | 125 | – |
Black | – | – | 141 | – | 28 | – |
Caribbean or Black:Other | – | – | 47 | – | 164 | – |
Mixed or multiple ethnic groups: Total | 757 | 0.22% | 1,257 | 0.34% | 3,312 | 0.89% |
Other: Total | 443 | 0.13% | 517 | 0.14% | 1,899 | 0.51% |
Other:Arab[note 1] | – | – | 299 | 0.08% | 653 | 0.18% |
Other: Any other ethnic group | – | – | 218 | 0.06% | 1,236 | 0.33% |
Total: | 349,429 | 100.00% | 365,198 | 100.00% | 371,781 | 100.00% |
Settlements
editCupar took over ascounty town fromCrail in the early 13th century.Glenrothes is now the administrative centre, after the decision to locate the headquarters of the newly established Fife Regional Council there in 1975. Fife's three major towns areKirkcaldy,Dunfermline (awardedcity status in 2022) and Glenrothes. According to the 2012 estimate, Dunfermline is the largest settlement by population,[36] followed byKirkcaldy then Glenrothes. The next most sizeable towns by population areSt Andrews,Cowdenbeath,Rosyth,Methil andDalgety Bay.
Largest settlements by population:
Settlement | Population (2022)[37] |
---|---|
Dunfermline | 54,990 |
Kirkcaldy | 50,370 |
Glenrothes | 38,360 |
St Andrews | 18,410 |
Rosyth | 13,570 |
Cowdenbeath | 12,030 |
Methil | 10,890 |
Dalgety Bay | 9,710 |
Leven | 9,420 |
Cupar | 8,960 |
Lochgelly | 7,300 |
Kelty | 6,760[a] |
Burntisland | 6,630 |
Ballingry | 5,940 |
Cardenden | 5,190 |
Inverkeithing | 4,820 |
Kennoway | 4,570 |
Newport-on-Tay | 4,210 |
Buckhaven | 4,050 |
Anstruther | 3,950 |
Tayport | 3,750 |
Leuchars | 3,160 |
Leslie | 3,010 |
Kincardine | 2,940 |
Kinghorn | 2,940 |
- ^Part ofKelty is located inPerth and Kinross.
Historic parishes
editThe county was formerly divided into parishes, often but not always based on a town or village:
- Abbotshall
- Abdie
- Aberdour
- Anstruther Easter
- Anstruther Wester
- Arngask (toPerthshire in 1891)
- Auchterderran
- Auchtermuchty
- Auchtertool
- Ballingry
- Balmerino
- Beath
- Buckhaven
- Burntisland
- Cameron
- Carnbee
- Carnock
- Cellardyke
- Ceres
- Collessie
- Cowdenbeath
- Crail
- Creich
- Crossgates
- Culross (to Fife from Perthshire, 1891)
- Cults
- Cupar
- Dairsie
- Dalgety
- Dunbog
- Dunfermline
- Dunino
- Dysart
- Elie
- Falkland
- Ferry Port on Craig[38]
- Flisk
- Forgan
- Freuchie
- Glenrothes
- Inverkeithing
- Kelty
- Kemback
- Kennoway
- Kilconquhar
- Kilmany
- Kilrenny
- Kinghorn
- Kinglassie
- Kingsbarns
- Kingskettle
- Kirkcaldy
- Ladybank
- Largo
- Leslie
- Leuchars
- Leven
- Lochgelly
- Logie
- Lumphinnans
- Markinch
- Methil
- Monimail
- Moonzie
- Newburgh
- Newburn
- Pitlessie
- Pittenweem
- Rosyth
- Saline
- Scoonie
- St Andrews & St Leonards
- St Monance (and Abercrombie)
- Strathmiglo
- Thornton
- Torryburn
- Wellwood
- Wemyss
- Wormit
Communities
editFife is divided into 105community council areas, 85 of which havecommunity councils as at 2023.[39]
Culture
editFife contains 4,961listed buildings and 48conservation areas.[40] Domestic sites of importance includeFalkland Palace,Kellie Castle,Dunfermline Palace,St Andrews Castle,Culross Palace and Kirkcaldy'sRavenscraig Castle. Fife also has a number ofecclesiastical sites of historical interest.St Andrews Cathedral was home to the powerfulArchbishopric of St Andrews, and later became a centre of theScottish Reformation, whileDunfermline Abbey was the last resting place of a number of Scottish kings.Balmerino andCulross abbeys were both founded in the 13th century by theCistercians, while a century beforeLindores Abbey was founded by theTironensians outsideNewburgh; all were highly important sites.
TheStanza Poetry Festival,East Neuk Festival, and Pittenweem Arts Festival are events of national cultural importance. Smaller festivals like theCupar Arts Festival and Largo Arts Week also take place. TheByre Theatre in St Andrews and Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy are both highly regarded as touring venues, the latter also being the base of thegrand operacompanyFife Opera. The Byre has re-opened in Autumn, 2014[41] following its going intoadministration in 2012.[42] The Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline and Rothes Halls in Glenrothes are also popular venues for touring musicians, theatre companies, comedians and local musical theatre groups to perform.
Dunfermline Children's Gala is an annual event, held in June and is the largest gala in Fife.[citation needed] Primary school pupils parade through the centre of the city to Pittencrieff Park. It began in 1902 and is now organised by a charity and funded entirely by donations.[43]
Places of interest
edit- Aberdour Castle
- Balbirnie Stone Circle
- Balfarg
- Balgonie Castle
- Balmerino Abbey
- Bunnet Stane
- Cambo Estate
- Caves of Caiplie
- Church of St Mary on the Rock
- Craigtoun Country Park
- Culross Abbey
- Deep Sea World
- Dunfermline Abbey
- Dunfermline Palace
- Falkland Palace
- Fife Coastal Path
- Fife Folk Museum
- Fife Heritage Railway
- Fife Pilgrim Way
- Forth Bridge
- Inchcolm Abbey
- Isle of May
- Kellie Castle
- Kingsbarns Distillery and Visitor Centre
- Kirkcaldy Galleries
- Lindores Abbey
- Lindores Abbey distillery
- Links Market
- Lochore Meadows
- Lomond Hills Regional Park
- Lundin Links standing stones
- MacDuff's Cross
- Museum of the University of St Andrews
- Newark Castle
- Norman's Law
- Ochil Hills
- Old Course at St Andrews
- Pittencrieff Park
- Ravenscraig Castle
- Reaper (sailing vessel)
- Riverside Park, Glenrothes
- Rosyth Castle
- Scotland's Secret Bunker
- Scottish Deer Centre
- Scottish Fisheries Museum
- Seafield Tower
- St Andrews Aquarium
- St Andrews Castle
- St Andrews Cathedral
- St Andrews Museum
- Swilcan Bridge
- Tay Rail Bridge
- Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve
- R&A World Golf Museum
Notable Fifers
edit- Robert Adam, architect
- Stuart Adamson, musician (Big Country,the Skids)
- Robert Hope Moncrieff Aitken,Lieutenant in the 13th,Bengal Native Infantry, awarded theVictoria Cross
- William Allan, classicist at the University of Oxford
- Ian Anderson, musician, frontman ofJethro Tull
- Iain Banks, writer
- Lady Anne Barnard, travel writer, artist and socialite of the period
- Andrew Whyte Barclay, physician,Lumleian lecturer, andHarveian orator
- Jim Baxter, footballer
- David Bethune, Archbishop of St Andrews
- George Bethune, MSP for Kilrenny
- James Bethune, Archbishop of St Andrews
- James Bethune, Archbishop of Glasgow
- Janet Bethune, noblewoman
- Mary Bethune, attendant ofMary, Queen of Scots
- Elizabeth Bethune, mistress of KingJames V of Scotland
- Guy Berryman, bassist from the bandColdplay
- Sir James Black, pharmacologist and nobel prize winner
- SirErnley Blackwell, lawyer and civil servant
- Edith Bowman, BBC Radio 1/6 DJ
- Caroline Brazier, librarian
- Gordon Brown, former British Prime Minister andChancellor of the Exchequer and former MP forKirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
- Scott Brown,Scotland andCeltic F.C. footballer
- Gregory Burke, playwright
- Kenn Burke, ballet dancer
- Andrew Carnegie, industrialist and philanthropist
- Henry Chisholm, steel industry executive
- Jim Clark, two-times Formula One World Drivers' Champion
- James Clephan, Lieutenant on boardHMSSpartiate during theBattle of Trafalgar
- Archibald Constable, publisher, bookseller and stationer
- Kenneth Cranham, actor
- King Creosote, musician
- Lawrence Daly, General Secretary of the NUM
- David Danskin, principal founding member ofArsenal FC
- James Dewar, judge
- Barbara Dickson, singer and actress
- Thomas Millie Dow, artist, a member of theGlasgow School
- Peter Dumbreck, racing driver and1998 Macau Grand Prix winner
- Philip Charles Durham, sailor and captain ofHMSDefiance atTrafalgar
- Marjorie Fleming, child writer and poet
- Sir Sandford Fleming, engineer, who proposed worldwide standardtime zones, engineered on theIntercolonial Railway and theCanadian Pacific Railway
- Valentine Fleming, member of parliament and father of the authorIan Fleming
- John Forbes, named the city ofPittsburgh
- Chris Fusaro, rugby player
- William Gear, artist
- Thomas Lomar Gray, engineer noted for his pioneering work in seismology
- Martin Grehan, footballer
- Samuel Greig, Russian admiral and "Father of the Russian Navy"
- Thomas Hardy, minister of religion,Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and Professor of Ecclesiastical History atEdinburgh University
- Alexander Henderson, theologian, and an important ecclesiastical statesman
- Shirley Henderson, actress
- Peter Horne, rugby player
- Bob Howie andDave Howie, rugby players
- Ninian Imrie, army officer and geologist
- Richard Jobson, filmmaker, television presenter, musician,the Skids
- Peter Johnstone, Celtic FC footballer
- Henrietta Keddie, novelist who wrote under the pseudonymSarah Tytler
- Deborah Knox, Olympic gold medallist in curling
- Craig Levein, Scottish former professional footballer and manager
- Jackie Leven, singer-songwriter
- Wallace Lindsay, classical scholar, palaeographer, Professor of Humanity at St Andrews University
- Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie, 16th-century writer
- Anne Macaulay musicologist, archaeologist, author and lecturer
- Douglas Mackinnon, director
- Val McDermid, writer
- Ken McNaught, footballer, Aston Villa F.C. centre back, 1982 European Cup Winner
- Willie McNaught, footballer, Raith Rovers F.C. defender
- Old Tom Morris,greenskeeperSt Andrews Links and 4 times champion ofThe Open Championship
- Tom Nairn, political theorist of nationalism
- Rab Noakes, singer, songwriter, record producer
- Aileen Paterson, author/illustrator
- John Philip, missionary inSouth Africa
- David Pitcairn, physician
- John Pitcairn, BritishMarine officer killed at theBattle of Bunker Hill
- William Pitcairn, physician
- Ian Rankin, writer
- Craig and Charlie Reid, singer-songwriters ofthe Proclaimers
- David Rollo, rugby player
- Craig Russell (British author), writer
- Dougray Scott, actor
- John Scrimgeour of Myres,Master of Work for royal buildings for James V and Mary, Queen of Scots
- Alexander Selkirk, seafarer and inspiration forRobinson Crusoe
- Jimmy Shand, accordion player
- Daniel Sloss, comedian
- Adam Smith, philosopher and economist
- Jordan Smith, actor
- Mary Fairfax Somerville, science writer and polymath
- Catherine Steele, plant biochemist
- David Steel, formerPresiding Officer of theScottish Parliament and leader of theLiberal party andMSP forLothian andMP forTweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale
- Ian Stewart, co-founder of theRolling Stones
- Lawrence Storione, miner and anarchist organiser
- Sir John Struthers, firstRegius Professor ofAnatomy at theUniversity of Aberdeen
- John McDouall Stuart, explorer of Australia's interior
- Michaela Tabb, first female snooker referee to appear at the Crucible
- William Tennant, scholar and poet
- John Thomson,Celtic andScotland goalkeeper
- KT Tunstall, musician
- Jack Vettriano, artist
- William Montgomery Watt, historian, Emeritus Professor in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Edinburgh
- Andrew G. L. Whitelaw, neonatologist, researcher, and medical academic
- Sir David Wilkie, painter
- Alexander Wilson, surgeon, type-founder, astronomer, mathematician and meteorologist
- James Wilson, signer of US Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, appointed byGeorge Washington to firstSupreme Court
- Jocky Wilson, darts player
- James Yorkston, musician
- Douglas Young, poet, scholar, translator, and leader of theScottish National Party
Sports
editSt Andrews in Fife is the home ofgolf, and the headquarters ofThe R&A, the governing body of the sport throughout the world, aside from the United States and Mexico.The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, from which it was devolved in 2004, is the world's oldest golf club. Golfers from all over the world visit Fife to play the many famous Links courses, from the seven courses available to play in St Andrews alone to Scotscraig, Kingsbarns, Crail (two courses), Elie, Dumbarnie Links, Lundin Links, Leven Links and Kinghorn as well as the many parkland, heathland and clifftop courses scattered across the region.
Fife has fourfootball clubs that play in theScottish Professional Football League:Dunfermline Athletic,East Fife (based in Methil),Kelty Hearts, andRaith Rovers (based in Kirkcaldy);Cowdenbeath played at this level between 1905 and 2022 but are now members of theLowland Football League. Fifteen clubs compete in theEast of Scotland League while one plays in theSJFA East Region. There are also many amateur clubs in Fife playing in various amateur leagues across the region.
Fife Flyers (based in Kirkcaldy) are the UK's oldestice hockey club and play in Britain's top flight, theElite Ice Hockey League.
Fife is also home to eightrugby union clubs.Howe of Fife (based in Cupar), andKirkcaldy play inScottish Rugby's national leagues whileDunfermline, Rosyth Sharks,Glenrothes,Madras, Waid Academy (based in Anstruther) compete in theCaledonia regional leagues.University of St Andrews – the oldest rugby club in Fife – play in theBritish Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) system.
Cricket clubs based in Fife include Falkland, Glenrothes, Largo, Dunnikier (based in Kirkcaldy), Dunfermline and Carnegie, Broomhall (based in Charleston) and Ship Inn Cricket Club (based in Elie) who play their matches on Elie Beach.Freuchie Cricket Club famously won the UK nationalVillage Cup at Lords in 1985 and to date are the only Scottish team to have done so.
Kingdom Kangaroos are Fife's onlyAustralian Rules Football team, with training held inRosyth andKirkcaldy.
Aberdour Shinty Club have two men's teams, two women's teams and multiple youth squads.
Fife also has two competitivebasketball teams;Dunfermline Reign, who play out ofSt Columba's High School in Dunfermline and compete across a number of nationalSBC competitions, andFife Steel, a Kirkcaldy-based team, operating a number of age groups, with a Senior men's and an under 19's team currently playing in Division 3 of theLothian Men's Basketball League.
Fife is the location of several of the nation'smotorsport venues:Knockhill Racing Circuit, Scotland's national motorsport venue and the onlyFIA-graded venue in the country; Cowdenbeath Racewall, a stock car oval racing venue; Lochgelly Raceway, a venue containing theDriftland drifting course and a 1/4 mile oval; and Crail Raceway, a venue located on a former militaryaerodrome containing a 1/4 mile drag strip and a karting circuit, operated by the East of Scotland Kart Club.
Media
editLocally published newspapers include theFife Free Press inKirkcaldy; theDunfermline Press inDunfermline; theGlenrothes Gazette inGlenrothes, theEast Fife Mail inLeven, theFife Herald inCupar / Howe of Fife and theSt Andrews Citizen inSt Andrews.DC Thomson publishes Fife and West Fife editions of theDundee Courier & Advertiser,[44] and the Counties Edition of theEvening Telegraph is sold in Fife.
The only Fife-based radio station isKingdom FM. There is also a community radio station that broadcasts each evening and is run solely by youths, called Fife Youth Radio. Other local radio stations,Tay FM,Greatest Hits Radio Tayside & Fife and Edinburgh'sForth 1 andGreatest Hits Radio Edinburgh, Lothians & Fife, broadcast to the northern and southern parts of the region respectively.
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^"Council & Democracy".Fife Council. Retrieved15 September 2024.
- ^abc"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022".Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved3 May 2024.
- ^abcTaylor, Simon; Gilbert Márkus (2012).The Place-Names of Fife, Volume 5. Donington, Lincs.: Shaun Tyas.ISBN 9781907730085.
- ^"The site record for Clatchard Craig at RCAHMS". Canmore.rcahms.gov.uk.
- ^"Excavation Summary by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland"(PDF).
- ^"Dunfermline Abbey (SM90116)".portal.historicenvironment.scot.
Dunfermline has high significance as the chosen burial place of the Canmore dynasty of Scottish kings. It took on the role of Royal Mausoleum after the loss of Iona to the kingdom of Norway. Kings and Queens believed to lie buried beneath the abbey church include Queen Margaret and King Malcolm III, David I, and Robert I. The site is unparalleled in Scotland as a royal burial place, serving this role for over 250 years. After 1371, the Stewart dynasty chose to be buried elsewhere.
- ^"FALKLAND PALACE (GDL00176)".portal.historicenvironment.scot.
Falkland Palace was used as a home where the Stuarts could relax, play tennis, practise archery and hunt deer, wild boar, and ride out hawking in the Forest of Falkland.
- ^Crofton, Ian (5 November 2012).A Dictionary of Scottish Phrase and Fable. Birlinn.ISBN 9780857906373.
- ^abKeay, John & Julia (1994).Collins Encyclopedia of Scotland. HarperCollins. p. 370.ISBN 978-0-00-255082-6.
- ^"Glenrothes And Markinch Visitor Guide - Accommodation, Things To Do & More".www.visitscotland.com.
- ^Brown, Kate (17 May 2022)."Rothes Colliery: When the ill-fated Glenrothes coal mine was blasted into rubble".
- ^"Glenrothes at 70 - scandal, art and royalty".www.fifetoday.co.uk. 5 July 2018.
- ^The Professional Engineer in Society. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 1989.ISBN 9781853025013.
- ^Chalmers, George (1894).Caledonia (Volume 7). Paisley: Alexander Gardner. pp. 112–119. Retrieved22 April 2023.
- ^Brown, Keith."Act of the convention of estates of the kingdom of Scotland etc. for a new and voluntary offer to his majesty of £72,000 monthly for the space of twelve months, 23 January 1667".Records of the Parliament of Scotland. University of St Andrews. Retrieved25 February 2023.
- ^Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, c. 50
- ^Shennan, Hay (1892).Boundaries of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. Edinburgh: W. Green. p. 249. Retrieved22 April 2023.
- ^"Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929",legislation.gov.uk,The National Archives, 1929 c. 25, retrieved22 April 2023
- ^Historic Environment Scotland."County Buildings and former Court House, excluding 4-storey offices and police station adjoining to rear and single storey block to east, St Catherine Street, Cupar (LB24160)". Retrieved18 July 2021.
- ^"Cupar, Tolbooth".Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved22 April 2023.
- ^"MPs of Fife".Parliament UK. Retrieved1 August 2015.
- ^"Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath parliamentary constituency – Election 2017".BBC News.
- ^"Fife North East parliamentary constituency – Election 2017".BBC News.
- ^"Scotland Election 2016".BBC News.
- ^"Briefly".Aberdeen Press and Journal. 26 November 1975. p. 15. Retrieved22 April 2023.
...at the last meeting of Fife Regional Council to take place in County Hall, Cupar, before they move to Fife House, Glenrothes...
- ^FergusonA History of Glenrothes p.91.
- ^"The Imperial gazetteer of Scotland; or, Dictionary of Scottish topography". 21 July 2010. Retrieved14 April 2020.
- ^"Fife Place-name Data :: The East Neuk". Fife-placenames.glasgow.ac.uk. Retrieved16 April 2020.
- ^Evans, Anna; Graham, Eddy; Rae, Alasdair; Robertson, Douglas; Serpa, Regina (October 2019)."Research into the impact of short-term lets on communities across Scotland"(PDF).Scottish Government. The Indigo House Group in association with IBP Strategy and Research.
- ^"Why the East Neuk has lasting appeal | Bricks & Mortar".The Times. 5 May 2017. Retrieved14 April 2020.
- ^"Visitors stay away but second home owners remain in East Neuk villages". 13 April 2020.
- ^"Empty and second homes causing housing crisis". The Scotsman. 6 June 2018. Retrieved14 April 2020.
- ^abCensus Dissemination Unit, Mimas (5 May 2011)."InFuse".infuse2011gf.ukdataservice.ac.uk. Retrieved24 June 2022.
- ^"Scotland's Census 2011 – Table KS201SC". scotlandscensus.gov.uk.Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved3 November 2015.
- ^"Scotland's Census 2022 - Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion - Chart data".Scotland's Census.National Records of Scotland. 21 May 2024. Retrieved21 May 2024.Alternative URL 'Search data by location' > 'Local Authority (CA2019)' > 'Fife' > 'Ethnic group, national identity, language and religion' > 'Ethnic Group'
- ^"Mid 2012 population estimates of settlements"(PDF). Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 27 October 2014.
- ^"Population estimates for settlements and localities in Scotland: mid-2020".National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved31 March 2022.
- ^"Fife Place-name Data :: Parish: Ferry-Port-on-Craig".fife-placenames.glasgow.ac.uk.
- ^"Community Councils".Fife Council. 8 March 2021. Retrieved22 April 2023.
- ^"Fife's listed buildings". Historic Scotland. Retrieved25 August 2009.
- ^"Byre Theatre to reopen after University of St Andrews agree rescue package".Herald Scotland. 19 August 2014.
- ^"Byre Theatre in St Andrews board 'deeply regrets' closure".BBC News. 26 January 2013. Retrieved21 October 2013.
- ^"History of the Gala – Dunfermline Children's Gala".
- ^Foundry, The Theme (25 October 2013)."The Courier | British Newspapers Online".