Burntisland
Encyclopedia
Burntisland is a town and former royal burgh
in Fife
, Scotland
on the Firth of Forth
. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 5,940.
It is known locally for its sandy Blue Flag beach
, the 15th century Rossend Castle
, and its traditional summer fair and Highland games
day. To the north of the town a hill called The Binn is a landmark of the Fife coastline; a volcanic plug
, it rises 193 m (632 ft) above sea level.
commander Agricola
used the natural harbour and set up camp at the nearby Dunearn Hill in AD 83.
The earliest historical record of the town was in the 12th century, when the monks of Dunfermline Abbey
owned the harbour and neighbouring lands. The settlement was known as Wester Kinghorn and developed as a fishing hamlet to provide food for the inhabinants of Rossend Castle
. The harbour was then sold to James V by the abbots of Dunfermline Abbey
in exchange for a parcel of land. The land was granted royal burgh
status by James V in 1541. When the status was confirmed in 1586, the settlement gained independence from the barony of Kinghorn
and was renamed Burntisland, possibly a nickname from the burning of fishermens' huts on an islet now incorporated into the docks. The town became so well established, that a new church known as St Columba's was built in 1592. This was the first new parish church built in Scotland after the Reformation. It is a unique shape, square with a central tower upheld on pillars, and lined all round with galleries, to allow the greatest number of people to be reached by the minister's words during the service. The church contains one of the country's finest collections of 17th century and early 18th century woodwork and paintings.
Substantial remains of the original parish church
, built in the late 12th century, survive in a churchyard to the north of the old town.
Burntisland developed as a seaport, being second only to Leith
in the Firth of Forth, and shipbuilding
became an important industry in the town. In 1633 one of the barges, the Blessing of Burntisland, carrying Charles I
and his entourage's baggage from Burntisland to Leith sank with the loss of Charles' treasure. In 1601, King James VI chose the town as an alternative site for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
. This was when a new translation of the Bible
was first discussed, a project which James brought to fruition a decade later in the King James Bible.
Burntisland became an important port for the local herring
and coal
industries, and in 1847 the Edinburgh and Northern Railway
opened from Burntisland north to Lindores
and Cupar
. By 1850 the world's first roll-on/roll-off
rail ferry service was crossing the Firth of Forth between Burntisland and Granton
, enabling goods wagons to travel between Edinburgh
and Dundee
without the need for unloading and re-loading at the ferries. (Passengers however had to disembark and use separate passenger ferries). This operated until 1890 when the Forth Bridge
opened. In the late 19th century, the area experienced a short-lived boom in oil shale
mining and processing at the Binnend Works.
The Burntisland Shipbuilding Company
at Burntisland West Dock was founded in 1918 as an emergency shipyard for the First World War
, specialising in cargo ship
s. In 1929 the yard introduced the "Burntisland Economy" steamship, which was designed to maximise fuel economy. The popularity of this design helped the yard to survive the Great Depression
. In the Second World War
the yard continued to concentrate on merchant ships but also built three Loch class frigate
s: , and . By 1961 the shipyard had 1,000 workers but in 1968 the company got into financial difficulties. The shipyard closed in 1969 and was sold to Robb Caledon
of Leith
.
Robb Caledon eventually secured orders to for the yard to build modules for the North Sea oil
and natural gas industry, and formed its Burntisland Engineering Fabricators (BEF) subsidiary to manage this work. Towards the end of the 1970s orders declined, in 1978 Robb Caledon was nationalised as part of British Shipbuilders
and in 1979 Burntisland yard was closed. In 1990 under new owners Burntisland West Dock resumed the production of major offshore oil and gas fabrications. Industry related to North Sea oil remains important for the town. In 2001 a management buyout
took over the yard as Burntisland Fabrications or BiFab. BiFab describes itself as the only major fabricator continuing in production in Scotland since 2005.
A plant for the refining of alumina
was opened early in the 20th century and closed in 2002.
The town is also home to the eleventh oldest golf club in the world, Burntisland Golf Club (The 'Old Club', as it is known among its members). Although it is not a course owning club, its competitions are held over the local course now run by Burntisland Golf House Club.
in nearby Kirkcaldy
.
lies the 9-span Viaduct forming a significant feature in the harbour area of the town. Built in 1888 to carry the main railway line from Edinburgh to Dundee, it is now a Category C Listed structure, being a rare example of a surviving Town truss.
The Beacon leisure centre has a 25m swimming pool with a wave machine as well as water flumes and a small children's pool with a variety of pool toys.
The Burntisland and District Pipe Band compete in Grade 4 A and the drummers of the band achieved fourth place in the 2010 British Championships.
Burntisland also benefits from having a lower than average crime rate.
serves the town and provides direct links with, amongst other stops, Kirkcaldy to the north and Edinburgh and to the south.
A regular bus service is operated by Stagecoach in Fife
which covers most areas of the town.
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
on the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
. According to an estimate taken in 2008, the town has a population of 5,940.
It is known locally for its sandy Blue Flag beach
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
, the 15th century Rossend Castle
Rossend Castle
Rossend Castle is a historic building in Burntisland, a town on the south coast of Fife, Scotland.A keep, known as the Tower of Kingorne Wester, was in existence on the site from 1119. It was later referred to as Burntisland Castle, and by 1382 was called Abbot's Hall, as it was the home of the...
, and its traditional summer fair and Highland games
Highland games
Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &Highland games are events held throughout the &(-è_çà in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain...
day. To the north of the town a hill called The Binn is a landmark of the Fife coastline; a volcanic plug
Volcanic plug
A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
, it rises 193 m (632 ft) above sea level.
History
Early evidence of human activity in this area has been found in rock carvings on The Binn, thought to be about 4,000 years old. The RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
commander Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola
Gnaeus Julius Agricola was a Roman general responsible for much of the Roman conquest of Britain. His biography, the De vita et moribus Iulii Agricolae, was the first published work of his son-in-law, the historian Tacitus, and is the source for most of what is known about him.Born to a noted...
used the natural harbour and set up camp at the nearby Dunearn Hill in AD 83.
The earliest historical record of the town was in the 12th century, when the monks of Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is as a Church of Scotland Parish Church located in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. In 2002 the congregation had 806 members. The minister is the Reverend Alastair Jessamine...
owned the harbour and neighbouring lands. The settlement was known as Wester Kinghorn and developed as a fishing hamlet to provide food for the inhabinants of Rossend Castle
Rossend Castle
Rossend Castle is a historic building in Burntisland, a town on the south coast of Fife, Scotland.A keep, known as the Tower of Kingorne Wester, was in existence on the site from 1119. It was later referred to as Burntisland Castle, and by 1382 was called Abbot's Hall, as it was the home of the...
. The harbour was then sold to James V by the abbots of Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is as a Church of Scotland Parish Church located in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. In 2002 the congregation had 806 members. The minister is the Reverend Alastair Jessamine...
in exchange for a parcel of land. The land was granted royal burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
status by James V in 1541. When the status was confirmed in 1586, the settlement gained independence from the barony of Kinghorn
Kinghorn
Kinghorn is a town in Fife, Scotland. A seaside resort with two beaches, Kinghorn Beach and Pettycur Bay, plus a fishing port, it stands on the north shore of the Firth of Forth opposite Edinburgh...
and was renamed Burntisland, possibly a nickname from the burning of fishermens' huts on an islet now incorporated into the docks. The town became so well established, that a new church known as St Columba's was built in 1592. This was the first new parish church built in Scotland after the Reformation. It is a unique shape, square with a central tower upheld on pillars, and lined all round with galleries, to allow the greatest number of people to be reached by the minister's words during the service. The church contains one of the country's finest collections of 17th century and early 18th century woodwork and paintings.
Substantial remains of the original parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
, built in the late 12th century, survive in a churchyard to the north of the old town.
Burntisland developed as a seaport, being second only to Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
in the Firth of Forth, and shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
became an important industry in the town. In 1633 one of the barges, the Blessing of Burntisland, carrying Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and his entourage's baggage from Burntisland to Leith sank with the loss of Charles' treasure. In 1601, King James VI chose the town as an alternative site for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. This was when a new translation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
was first discussed, a project which James brought to fruition a decade later in the King James Bible.
Burntisland became an important port for the local herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
industries, and in 1847 the Edinburgh and Northern Railway
Edinburgh and Northern Railway
The Edinburgh and Northern Railway was a Scottish railway company. It was authorised by Act of Parliament in 1845. It operated services between Burntisland, on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth, Perth and Tayport, with a junction at Ladybank...
opened from Burntisland north to Lindores
Lindores
Lindores is a small village in Fife, Scotland, about 2 miles south-east of Newburgh. It is situated on the north-east shore of Lindores Loch, a 44 ha freshwater loch. A possible derivation of the name Lindores is 'church by the water'...
and Cupar
Cupar
Cupar is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland. The town is situated between Dundee and the New Town of Glenrothes.According to a recent population estimate , Cupar had a population around 8,980 making the town the ninth largest settlement in Fife.-History:The town is believed to have...
. By 1850 the world's first roll-on/roll-off
RORO
Roll-on/roll-off ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers or railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels...
rail ferry service was crossing the Firth of Forth between Burntisland and Granton
Granton, Edinburgh
Granton is a district in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland. Granton forms part of Edinburgh's waterfront along the Firth of Forth and is, historically, an industrial area having a large harbour. Granton is part of Edinburgh's large scale waterfront regeneration programme.-Name:Granton first appears...
, enabling goods wagons to travel between Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
without the need for unloading and re-loading at the ferries. (Passengers however had to disembark and use separate passenger ferries). This operated until 1890 when the Forth Bridge
Forth Bridge (railway)
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, to the east of the Forth Road Bridge, and 14 kilometres west of central Edinburgh. It was opened on 4 March 1890, and spans a total length of...
opened. In the late 19th century, the area experienced a short-lived boom in oil shale
Oil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
mining and processing at the Binnend Works.
The Burntisland Shipbuilding Company
Burntisland Shipbuilding Company
The Burntisland Shipbuilding Company was a shibuilder and repairer in Burntisland, Fife, Scotland that traded from 1918 until 1969.-Founding and early years:...
at Burntisland West Dock was founded in 1918 as an emergency shipyard for the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, specialising in cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
s. In 1929 the yard introduced the "Burntisland Economy" steamship, which was designed to maximise fuel economy. The popularity of this design helped the yard to survive the Great Depression
Great Depression in the United Kingdom
The Great Depression in the United Kingdom, also known as the Great Slump, was a period of national economic downturn in the 1930s, which had its origins in the global Great Depression...
. In the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the yard continued to concentrate on merchant ships but also built three Loch class frigate
Loch class frigate
The Loch class was a class of anti-submarine frigate built for the Royal Navy and her allies during World War II. They were an innovative design based on the experience of 3 years of fighting in the Battle of the Atlantic and attendant technological advances.-Design:The Lochs were based upon the...
s: , and . By 1961 the shipyard had 1,000 workers but in 1968 the company got into financial difficulties. The shipyard closed in 1969 and was sold to Robb Caledon
Henry Robb
Henry Robb, Limited, known colloquially as Robbs, was a British shipbuilding company based in Leith Docks on the east coast of Scotland. Robbs was notable for building small-to-medium sized vessels, particularly tugs and dredgers.-History:...
of Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
.
Robb Caledon eventually secured orders to for the yard to build modules for the North Sea oil
North Sea oil
North Sea oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising liquid oil and natural gas, produced from oil reservoirs beneath the North Sea.In the oil industry, the term "North Sea" often includes areas such as the Norwegian Sea and the area known as "West of Shetland", "the Atlantic Frontier" or "the...
and natural gas industry, and formed its Burntisland Engineering Fabricators (BEF) subsidiary to manage this work. Towards the end of the 1970s orders declined, in 1978 Robb Caledon was nationalised as part of British Shipbuilders
British Shipbuilders
British Shipbuilders Corporation was a public corporation that owned and managed the shipbuilding industry in England and Scotland from 1977 and through the 1980s...
and in 1979 Burntisland yard was closed. In 1990 under new owners Burntisland West Dock resumed the production of major offshore oil and gas fabrications. Industry related to North Sea oil remains important for the town. In 2001 a management buyout
Management buyout
A management buyout is a form of acquisition where a company's existing managers acquire a large part or all of the company.- Overview :Management buyouts are similar in all major legal aspects to any other acquisition of a company...
took over the yard as Burntisland Fabrications or BiFab. BiFab describes itself as the only major fabricator continuing in production in Scotland since 2005.
A plant for the refining of alumina
Aluminium oxide
Aluminium oxide is an amphoteric oxide with the chemical formula 23. It is commonly referred to as alumina, or corundum in its crystalline form, as well as many other names, reflecting its widespread occurrence in nature and industry...
was opened early in the 20th century and closed in 2002.
The town is also home to the eleventh oldest golf club in the world, Burntisland Golf Club (The 'Old Club', as it is known among its members). Although it is not a course owning club, its competitions are held over the local course now run by Burntisland Golf House Club.
Highland games
Burntisland is home to the second oldest highland games in the world starting in 1652. The Games take place on the third Monday of July, the start of the Fife/Glasgow fair fortnight, and a local market and summer fairground takes place on the same day.Education
The town currently has only one school, Burntisland Primary School. The school first opened in 1876 and is spread across five separate buildings on Ferguson Place. The school roll is around 570 pupils with 20 pupils in the adjacent nursery. A review of site options and a cross-serving working group have identified East Toll Park as a preferred option for a replacement Burntisland Primary School. The majority of secondary school pupils attend Balwearie High SchoolBalwearie High School
Balwearie High School is a non-denominational comprehensive secondary school at the west end of Kirkcaldy in Scotland. Balwearie serves around 1750 pupils aged from 12 to 18 and includes a Department of Additional Support for children with Additional Support Needs.-Rector:The school opened in 1964...
in nearby Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
.
Burntisland Viaduct
Immediately to the west of Burntisland railway stationBurntisland railway station
Burntisland railway station is a railway station in the town of Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Fife Circle Line.- External links :...
lies the 9-span Viaduct forming a significant feature in the harbour area of the town. Built in 1888 to carry the main railway line from Edinburgh to Dundee, it is now a Category C Listed structure, being a rare example of a surviving Town truss.
Attractions
In the summer months the annual fair comes to town and there is also the second oldest highland games in the world held on the third monday every July.The Beacon leisure centre has a 25m swimming pool with a wave machine as well as water flumes and a small children's pool with a variety of pool toys.
The Burntisland and District Pipe Band compete in Grade 4 A and the drummers of the band achieved fourth place in the 2010 British Championships.
Retailing
A major part of Burntisland's economy is retailing. There are a number of shops, stores and cafe's in the town with many being privately operated businesses owned by residents. In recent years the town's High Street has seen significant redevelopment to attract retailers to properties and encourage visitors through convenient car parking.Burntisland also benefits from having a lower than average crime rate.
Transport
Burntisland railway stationBurntisland railway station
Burntisland railway station is a railway station in the town of Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and is on the Fife Circle Line.- External links :...
serves the town and provides direct links with, amongst other stops, Kirkcaldy to the north and Edinburgh and to the south.
A regular bus service is operated by Stagecoach in Fife
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
which covers most areas of the town.
External links
- Burntisland Online
- Burntisland on FifeDirect
- Burntisland Highland Games
- The Burntisland Pages
- Burntisland history
- Burntisland fairground
See also
- Craigkelly transmitting station
- List of places in Fife