73-587: North Queensferry is a historic coastal village in Fife , Scotland , situated on the Firth of Forth , 9 mi (14 km) from Edinburgh city centre. Located on the North Queensferry Peninsula, it is the southernmost settlement in Fife . The town derives its name from the ferry service established by Queen Margaret in the 11th century; the prefix North serves to distinguish it from South Queensferry , on
146-596: A sundial at first floor level. On Pierhead stands the small hexagonal Light Tower, moved from its original site on the Tower House in 1817 and now restored, marking the old ferry pier. The Waterloo Memorial in Main Street is a bell-shaped stone gable carved with an anchored ship and dated 1816. It stands in front of the Waterloo Well with its Victorian iron pump and was a watering stop for horses. There are other wells at
219-786: A volcanic plug in the east. At 522 metres (1,713 ft), the West Lomond is the highest point in Fife. The coast has fine but small harbours, from the industrial docks in Burntisland and Rosyth to the fishing villages of the East Neuk such as Anstruther and Pittenweem . The large area of flat land to the north of the Lomond Hills, through which the River Eden flows, is known as the Howe of Fife . North of
292-527: A Tuath Chas Chaolais" means "[the] Northern Side of [the] Steep Strait". The name "Cas Chaolas" (Steep Strait) is older than the English name "Queensferry" and older than the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of the English name, which is "Port na Banrighinn" (the port of the queen). "Cas Chaolas" can be applied to either North or South Queensferry, or both. The village takes its name from Saint Margaret of Scotland ,
365-570: A base is all that remains of his design. Work on the current bridge eventually began in 1883, under the supervision of Benjamin Baker and John Fowler . The construction of the bridge altered life in North Queensferry drastically. At its peak, the construction of the bridge employed over 4,000 men. The Forth Bridge was opened on 4 March 1890, by the then Duke of Rothesay (later to become King Edward VII ). North Queensferry railway station opened
438-595: A bridge to be built over the Forth. The idea of a bridge across the Forth had been debated frequently in the past, but the depth of the water and the hard whinstone rock base found underneath had discouraged any attempts. Work on a Suspension Bridge of a different design to the current bridge was started by Thomas Bouch in 1878 but was dropped when faith in Bouch dried up after the Tay Bridge Disaster . A small Lighthouse with
511-503: A group of 11 men from Fife, who became known as the Fife adventurers , to colonise the Isle of Lewis in an attempt to begin the "civilisation" and de-gaelicisation of the region. This endeavour lasted until 1609 when the colonists, having been opposed by the native population, were bought out by Kenneth Mackenzie , the clan chief of the Mackenzies . Fife became a centre of heavy industry in
584-446: A proposition that the term derives from the quasi-regal privileges of the Earl of Fife . The notion of a kingdom may derive from a misinterpretation of an extract from Wyntoun . The name is recorded as Fib in A.D. 1150 and Fif in 1165. It was often associated with Fothriff . The hill-fort of Clatchard Craig , near Newburgh , was occupied as an important Pictish stronghold between
657-555: A resident population of 371,340 in 2022, over a third of whom live in the three principal settlements, Dunfermline , Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes . On the northeast coast of Fife lies the historic town of St Andrews , home to the University of St Andrews —the most ancient university of Scotland and one of the oldest universities in the world —and the Old Course at St Andrews , considered the world's oldest golf course . Fife, bounded to
730-583: A successful cavalry charge against the Royalist Cavaliers while Oliver Cromwell was wounded. This allowed the infantry time to regroup and eliminate the Royalist battalia led by another former colleague, Lieutenant General James King , Lord Eythin. David Leslie subsequently commanded the force that besieged Carlisle, Cumbria . In 1645 Leslie was sent back to Scotland to deal with the Royalists there during
803-536: Is also an old whinstone quarry. North Queensferry has three hotels, bed and breakfast establishments and holiday homes to let. Near the station is the village primary school (a large pink sandstone category B listed Art Nouveau building dating from 1912 to 1914), a small general store and a community centre (all in Brock Street). The church, on Ferryhills Road, is twinned with Hohoe in Ghana . North Queensferry lies on
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#1732858930041876-518: Is believed that the destruction of the Chapel of St James by Cromwell's men took place at this time. In the 18th century, the chapel ground became a cemetery for members of the North Queensferry Sailors' Society. The Town Pier, the main ferry terminus for many years, was designed by John Rennie and built between 1810 and 1813. The Harbour Light Tower was erected on its current site in 1817 and
949-417: Is designated on account of its exceptional plant life. The rare dropwort , field gentian and bloody cranesbill are all found here, along with some notable species of millipede and centipede. The reserve is also of interest because of its geology and is a good place to observe sea birds; fulmars nest on the old quarry cliffs at the north side of the reserve. Killer whales or orcas have been known to come up
1022-659: Is held by the Scottish Liberal Democrats : North East Fife . Fife Council 's administrative headquarters and Police Scotland 's P Division (formerly Fife Constabulary ) are based in Glenrothes . The Council meetings take place in Fife 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
1095-522: Is one of the towns along the Fife Pilgrim Way established in 2019. Fife Fife ( / f aɪ f / FYFE , Scottish English : [fɐi̯f] ; Scottish Gaelic : Fìobha [ˈfiːvə] ; Scots : Fife ) is a council area , historic county , registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland . It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth , with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i.e.,
1168-840: Is questionable and it is likely that they were summoned home to support Alexander Leslie's Army of the Covenant , then participating in the Bishops' Wars against Charles I . Both these officers were rewarded with a severance deal which included 200 muskets and 200 suits of armour each. Leslie also received a valuable gold chain as an indication of his loyal service to the Swedish Crown. The Stuart ambassador in Hamburg, Sir Thomas Roe , informed London of Leslie's departure with Colonel Lumsden and 24 other Scottish officers from that city. They arrived in Scotland after
1241-578: Is the world's smallest working lighthouse. North Queensferry is bounded by two sites of special scientific interest ( SSSIs ): The entire shoreline of the Firth of Forth and the Carlingnose Point Nature Reserve. The Forth shoreline is an SSSI both on account of its geology and its biological habitats, such as its mudflats which support numerous species of sea birds, many of which are to be seen and heard in and around North Queensferry. Carlingnose
1314-456: Is whinstone, or quartz dolerite, an extremely hard igneous rock found here as a geological sill . Dates vary, but the quarry has been worked at least since the 1820s. The quarry has been non-operational since 2009, although Planning Permission was granted by Fife Council in 2012 for further working. The stone from the sill was crushed down to various sizes, most valuably the 10 to 14 mm size used for road surfacing. In earlier times stone from
1387-614: The Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651. After his capture he was sent to the Tower of London . Released from captivity on the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, Leslie was granted the title Lord Newark . David Leslie, 1st Lord Newark, died in 1682. David Leslie married Jane Yorke, a daughter of John Yorke of Goulthwaite Hall . His son David was the 2nd Lord Newark. His daughter Jean Leslie (d. 1740) styled herself as 3rd "Lady Newark" i.e.
1460-633: The Cowdenbeath constituency which falls within the Mid Scotland and Fife electoral region. As of 2022, the constituency is represented by Annabelle Ewing of the Scottish National Party . North Queensferry has an active Community Council. One of North Queensferry's biggest attractions, other than the extensive views it offers of the three bridges crossing the Forth, is Deep Sea World , and aquarium opened in 1993. The oldest inhabited house in
1533-625: The Fife Coastal Path , and was the southern terminus for the route until it was extended west to Kincardine in 2011. The path follows the B981, continues past the Waterloo Memorial at the foot of the Brae and heads along the coast to Inverkeithing via Carlingnose Point, and then Port Laing, a cove with a sandy beach and steep wooded slopes. Due to North Queensferry's importance for medieval pilgrims, it
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#17328589300411606-755: The Forth Road Bridge (public transport and cyclists only) and Queensferry Crossing , west on the Kincardine Bridge or north-east via the Tay Road Bridge , the exception being traffic headed north on the M90 . Tolls were abolished on the Tay Road Bridge and Forth Road Bridge on 11 February 2008. There are extinct volcanic features, such as the Lomond Hills which rise above rolling farmland, and Largo Law ,
1679-733: The House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1885 and the Fife constituency in the Parliament of Scotland until the Acts of Union 1707 . Fife is represented by five constituency members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and four members of the United Kingdom parliament (MPs) who are sent to Holyrood and the British Parliament respectively. Following the 2015 general election , all four of
1752-672: The National Trust for Scotland or Historic 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 and St. Rule's Tower . Fife
1825-469: The Scottish Civil War . He routed the main Royalist force under James Graham, Marquis of Montrose at the Battle of Philiphaugh (September 1645) and was rewarded by the committee of estates with a present of 50,000 merks and a gold chain; but his victory was marred by the butchery of the captured Irish—men, women and children—to whom quarter had been given. He was then declared lieutenant-general of
1898-535: The isthmus between the North Queensferry peninsula and Inverkeithing and Rosyth . The battle gave Cromwell control of Fife and the Firth of Forth. Troops of the New Model Army under Major-General John Lambert crossed the Forth from Leith over several days. They landed at Cruickness, the point to the south of Inverkeithing Inner Bay, and took up position on the Ferry Hills. On 20 July as they moved north across
1971-501: 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 as Cowdenbeath rapidly swelled into towns as thousands moved to Fife to find work in its mines. The opening of the Forth and Tay rail bridges linked Fife with Dundee and Edinburgh and allowed
2044-708: The Bishops' Wars had effectively ended. After the parliaments of Scotland and England agreed the Solemn League and Covenant in 1643, David Leslie became a Major General under Alexander Leslie (now Earl of Leven) in the Army of the Solemn League and Covenant which was sent to fight alongside the forces of the English Parliament in 1644. He played an important role at the critical Battle of Marston Moor , west of York by leading
2117-557: The Committee of Estates and Kirk instructing Leslie gave Cromwell the opportunity to inflict a decisive defeat on the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar on 3 September 1650. Leslie escaped with a tiny remnant of his army which then joined Charles II's Royalist forces in the Stirling area. Leslie led the Royalist army on another invasion of England in 1651, where he was again defeated by Cromwell, at
2190-499: The English expedition of the " engagers ", the enterprise not having the sanction of the Kirk. Leslie then laid siege to the Royalist garrison at Kincardine Castle . The Castle was being held by "Smooth John" Macnab, Chief of Clan MacNab . When MacNab found that it would not be possible to maintain defence, he led the defenders, sword in hand at the head of 300 men, who cut their way through
2263-445: The Firth of Forth as far as Queensferry and have been observed from the coastal path which passes through the reserve. While transport and especially the railways and ferries have been North Queensferry's most obvious industries, one local industry that pre-dated the arrival of the railway is quarrying. In the north east of the peninsula on which North Queensferry stands there is a vast quarry, Cruicks Quarry, owned by Tarmac . The stone
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2336-688: The King. When the Parliamentarian army under Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland in July 1650 Leslie commanded the Scottish forces. By refusing battle, Leslie withstood Cromwell's attempts to attack Edinburgh and when the English were forced to retreat in August 1650 he pursued them down the east coast, eventually trapping 11,000 English soldiers south of Dunbar . Although the Scottish army had twice as many men, divisions within
2409-570: 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 of Dunfermline , Glenrothes , Kirkcaldy and the Levenmouth region are lightly industrial and more densely populated. The only areas which could claim to be heavily industrial are Rosyth , around the naval dockyard and perhaps the Mossmorran Natural Gas Liquids fractionation plant on
2482-619: The MPs constituencies were held by the Scottish National Party . In the 2017 general election , Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath was regained by Labour . At the same election, the seat of North East Fife became the closest seat in the country with the SNP holding a majority of 2 over the Liberal Democrats . Three of the Scottish Parliament constituencies are held by the Scottish National Party : Cowdenbeath , Dunfermline and Mid Fife and Glenrothes . One
2555-616: The Scottish army besieging Newark. While he was in command of that army Charles I travelled from Oxford and surrendered to him on 5 May 1646. Newark surrendered the next day. On his return to Scotland he reduced several of the Highland clans that supported the cause of the king. In 1647 Leslie besieged Dunaverty Castle which was a Clan MacDonald stronghold. The MacDonalds surrendered and then perhaps 300 of them were killed (the Dunaverty Massacre ). In 1648 he refused to take part in
2628-488: The Swedish army in 1634 where he served as a colonel and thereafter Field Marshal Johan Banér 's adjutant-general with whom he participated in the Battle of Wittstock in 1636. Leslie petitioned to leave Swedish service in August 1640 after being wounded in battle. The Swedish Riksråd (Royal Council) records show that he and Colonel James Lumsden asked to return to Scotland at the same time. The seriousness of Leslie's wounds
2701-441: The administrative area of the county council. The 1889 act also led to a review of boundaries, with several exclaves 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
2774-460: The authority of the Sheriff of Fife . 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 1667 Commissioners of Supply were established for each shire, which would serve as
2847-522: The besieging force. All made it through apart from the MacNab chief himself and one other man who were captured and sent to Edinburgh as prisoners of war. The chief was sentenced to death but he escaped, rejoined King Charles and continued to fight. MacNab was later killed at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. In 1650, after Montrose had made another attempt at a Royalist uprising, he was captured by Neil Macleod of Assynt. Macleod, who had fought with Montrose at
2920-479: 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 the Isle of May , Inchkeith and Inchcolm . The former Preston Island south of Valleyfield is no longer an island following land reclamation work. Cupar took over as county town from Crail in
2993-412: The county's sheriff court and meeting place for the commissioners of supply, replacing the town's medieval tolbooth which had performed the same functions. Fife County Council was abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 , which replaced Scotland's counties, burghs and landward districts with a two-tier structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts . Fife region
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3066-420: The crossing became known as the Queen's Ferry . Margaret died in 1093 and made her final journey by ferry to Dunfermline Abbey , where she remains buried. Her son, David I of Scotland , awarded the ferry rights to the abbey . A settlement was likely around the present site of the village long before Margaret's time. The site of the village, on the narrowest part of the Firth of Forth, with added advantage of
3139-865: 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 are Kirkcaldy , Dunfermline (awarded city status in 2022) and Glenrothes. According to the 2012 estimate, Dunfermline is the largest settlement by population, followed by Kirkcaldy then Glenrothes. The next most sizeable towns by population are St Andrews , Cowdenbeath , Rosyth , Methil and Dalgety Bay . Largest settlements by population: 54,990 50,370 38,360 18,410 13,570 12,030 10,890 9,710 9,420 8,960 7,300 6,760 6,630 5,940 5,190 4,820 4,570 4,210 4,050 3,950 3,750 3,160 3,010 David Leslie, Lord Newark David Leslie, 1st Lord Newark ( c. 1600 – c. 1682 )
3212-447: The evening of 3 September 1964, and docked at North Queensferry shortly after. The very next day, Elizabeth II opened the new Forth Road Bridge , and 800 years' continual use of the Queen's Ferry were brought to a close. North Queensferry forms part of the Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy Westminster constituency, currently held by Melanie Ward MP for the Scottish Labour Party . For the Scottish Parliament North Queensferry forms part of
3285-459: The forces, and, in addition to his pay as colonel, had a pension settled on him. One of those captured at Philiphaugh was his old commanding officer, Alexander Leslie of Auchintoul, for whom he intervened personally to save from execution. Auchintoul was banished for life, leading to his return to Russia. Leslie returned to England and was present at the siege of Newark . When Earl of Leven left for Newcastle upon Tyne Leslie took over command of
3358-463: The golden fringe being the coast and its chain of little ports with their thriving fishing fleets and rich trading links with the Low Countries . Wool , linen , coal and salt 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
3431-415: The headquarters of Fife Regional Council from shortly after its creation in 1975. Fife is a peninsula in eastern Scotland bordered on the north by the Firth of Tay , on the east by the North Sea and by the Firth of Forth to the south. The route to the west is partially blocked by the mass of the Ochil Hills . Almost all road traffic into and out of Fife has to pass over one of four bridges, south on
3504-462: The historic counties of Perthshire and Kinross-shire ) and Clackmannanshire . By custom it is widely held to have been one of the major Pictish kingdoms , known as Fib , and is still commonly known as the Kingdom of Fife within Scotland. A person from Fife is known as a Fifer . In older documents the county was very occasionally known by the anglicisation Fifeshire . Fife is Scotland's 3rd largest local authority area by population . It had
3577-415: The island of Inchgarvie in between, suggests that it was the natural point of crossing and a vital link to the north of Scotland for centuries before the Queen's Ferry was established. North Queensferry over the centuries remained a small community, with a population of probably no more than 600, and it never achieved the status of burgh like many of the nearby settlements. Yet the numbers passing through
3650-437: The isthmus they were attacked by the royalist forces under David Leslie . Fighting spread as far as Pitreavie on the far side of Inverkeithing and was said to have been particularly bloody: reputedly the Pinkerton Burn ran red with blood for days and the heaps of the dead resembled stooks in a harvest field. Lambert was victorious and claimed his men had killed 2000 and taken 1,400 prisoners, although these may be exaggerations. It
3723-535: The main administrative body for the area until the creation of county councils in 1890. Following the Acts of Union in 1707, the English term "county" came to be used interchangeably with the older term "shire". Elected county councils were established in 1890 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 , taking most of the functions of the commissioners (which were eventually abolished in 1930). The two burghs of Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy were deemed capable of managing their own affairs and so were excluded from
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#17328589300413796-441: The north by the Firth of Tay and to the south by the Firth of Forth , is a natural peninsula whose political boundaries have changed little over the ages. The Pictish king list and De Situ Albanie documents of the Poppleton manuscript mention the division of the Pictish realm or Albany into seven sub-kingdoms, one being Fife. The earliest known reference to the common epithet The Kingdom of Fife dates from only 1678, in
3869-622: The opposite shore of the Forth. The Forth Rail Bridge (1890), the Forth Road Bridge (1964) and the Queensferry Crossing (2017) all meet the Fife coast at North Queensferry. Today, the village is a tourist destination, home to 43 listed buildings by Historic Scotland . The village has a population of 1,076 (2011), with a significant share working in nearby Edinburgh. Notable present and former residents include Prime Minister Gordon Brown and author Ian Banks . North Queensferry lies on Fife Pilgrim Way and Fife Coastal Path , one of Scotland's Great Trails . The Scottish Gaelic name "Taobh
3942-506: The outskirts of Cowdenbeath. The east corner of Fife, along the string of villages between Earlsferry and Kingsbarns , and along with their hinterland, is known as the East Neuk (corner, or projecting point of land) of Fife; small settlements around sheltered harbours, with distinctive vernacular "Dutch" or corbie (crow) stepped gabled and stone-built architecture. The area has amongst the highest concentration of second homes and holiday lets in Scotland. The fishing industry , on which
4015-438: The quarry was used to build the docks at Leith and Liverpool as well as many of the pavements of London . Ferryhills Road, which leads out of the village towards Inverkeithing, skirts the edge of this huge quarry. A viewing platform on the west is now overgrown, but the quarry can be seen by turning right at Jamestown into Cruickness Road, then following the road round to the old weighbridge. The pool occupied by Deep Sea World
4088-576: The rapid transport of goods. Modern ports were constructed at Methil , Burntisland and Rosyth . Kirkcaldy became the world centre for the production of linoleum . Postwar Fife saw the development of Scotland's second new town , Glenrothes . Originally to provide housing for miners at a new coal mine, the town eventually attracted a high number of modern Silicon Glen companies to the region. 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
4161-427: The same year. The ferry crossing continued, and with the coming of the motor vehicle in the 20th century, its importance was restored. By 1960, the Queen's Ferry was handling over two million passengers a year and over 600,000 motor vehicles. This number increased till another bridge was required. The last commercial ferry of the Queen's Ferry was the ship ' Robert the Bruce ' and it left Hawes Pier, South Queensferry on
4234-406: The side of Main Street by West Sands and on The Brae. Also on The Brae are pantiled cottages with forestairs, and the Old Schoolhouse, built in 1827. At the station, a large mosaic mural completed in 1990 by local people including children from the nearby primary school marks the centenary of the opening of the rail bridge. The Harbour Light Tower, built in 1817, standing at 23 feet (7.0 m) tall
4307-517: The siege of Inverness , delivered him up to the Covenanters (see Battle of Carbisdale ). General Leslie, who was then at Tain , sent Major General James Holborne with a troop of horse to fetch Montrose to meet his judges. Whilst Montrose was being led to his death Leslie dispatched five troops of horse, including some from Holborne's and the John Gordon, 14th Earl of Sutherland 's regiments to Dunbeath Castle . The defenders refused to yield, holding out valiantly for some days until their water supply
4380-509: The sixth and eighth centuries AD. Fife was an important royal and political centre from the reign of King Malcolm III onwards, as the leaders of Scotland gradually moved southwards away from their ancient strongholds around Scone. Malcolm had his principal home in Dunfermline and his wife Margaret was the main benefactor of Dunfermline Abbey . The Abbey replaced Iona as the final resting place of Scotland's royal elite, with Robert I amongst those to be buried there. The Earl of Fife
4453-412: The town of Clackmannan . By the early thirteenth century Fothriff had been joined to the earldom of Fife. Sometime between the reign of David I (reigned 1124–1153) and the mid-thirteenth century, this part of Scotland was divided into shires , being areas administered by a sheriff . Kinross and Clackmannan were each given their own sheriffs, whilst the rest of the Fife and Fothriff area was placed under
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#17328589300414526-434: The two parishes of Culross and Tulliallan , which had previously formed an exclave of Perthshire. Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy were brought within the administrative area of the county council in 1930, but classed as large burghs , allowing them to continue to deliver many local government functions themselves. Fife County Council was based at County Buildings in Catherine Street in Cupar , which had been built in 1817 as
4599-450: The village daily were huge. From noblemen to commoners, from Kings to cattle , all had to use the Queen's Ferry to cross the Forth. It is recorded that Mary, Queen of Scots , used the ferry on the day she was transported to Lochleven Castle where she was imprisoned in 1565. In 1651, during Oliver Cromwell 's campaign against Scottish royalist forces, the decisive engagement known as the Battle of Inverkeithing took place on and around
4672-757: The village, at one time the Black Cat Inn, is in Main Street opposite the late Georgian Albert Hotel. In the early 20th century a tunnel was found beneath the floorboards leading towards the sea. The oldest building in the village is the nearby early 14th century Chapel of St James ("the Greater" – patron saint of pilgrims) founded by Robert the Bruce around 1320–23, abandoned after the Reformation and believed to have been destroyed by Parliamentarian troops in 1651. Very little remains standing. The graveyard walls carry an inscription: THIS IS DONE BY THE SAILERS IN NORTH FERRIE 1752. Houses in Main Street and Post Office Lane are dated 1693 and 1776; Brae House and White House, also in Main Street, are dated 1771 and 1778 and have
4745-424: The wife of King Malcolm III of Scotland , who is said to have established the village to ensure regular ferry crossings across the Firth of Forth for the benefit of pilgrims travelling to St Andrews . Margaret is said to have made her arrival in Scotland here in 1068, and to have regularly used the ferry crossing when travelling between the then capital Dunfermline, and Edinburgh Castle . From around this time,
4818-470: Was a Scottish military officer and peer. During the Thirty Years' War , he joined in the Swedish Army in 1630 and served under Alexander Leslie . Returning to Scotland in the final days of the Bishops' War , Leslie fought in the English Civil War and Scottish Civil Wars on the side of the Covenanters and Royalists . After the Stuart Restoration , Leslie was raised to the peerage of Scotland as Lord Newark by Charles II of Scotland . David Leslie
4891-409: Was created covering the same area as the county, divided into three districts : Dunfermline , Kirkcaldy and North-East Fife . In 1996 the district councils were abolished and Fife Regional Council became a unitary authority known as Fife Council. Fife is one of the six local authorities in the city region of Edinburgh and southeast Scotland. There was a parliamentary constituency of Fife in
4964-449: Was cut off, forcing them to surrender. They were finally marched under escort to Edinburgh, where Montrose was executed. By 1650, the Scottish Covenanter government had grown disillusioned with the English Parliament, and instead backed Charles II in the hope that, in return for their support against his English enemies, he would impose their political and religious agenda on Great Britain. Leslie accordingly now found himself fighting for
5037-424: Was designed by Robert Stevenson - a notable Lighthouse engineer. Until this point a Signal House was used by boats as an aid to navigation. Ferries berthed both at the Town Pier and at the Battery Pier (now beneath the Forth Bridge). To accommodate the deeper draughts of the new, larger steam-powered ferries, Thomas Telford extended Town Pier in 1828 to its present length. The Railway Pier, on the far side of West Bay,
5110-419: Was one of the ancient provinces of Scotland , under the authority of the Mormaer or Earl of Fife . The early province of Fife appears to have covered only that part of the later county lying east of a line from Newburgh to Scoonie . The western part of the later county was in the province of Fothriff , which also covered areas that would later become Kinross-shire and part of Clackmannanshire , including
5183-416: Was the fifth son of Sir Patrick Leslie, 1st Lord Lindores , and Jean, daughter of Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney . David Leslie was one of the Scots who transferred from Swedish to Russian service under Alexander Leslie of Auchintoul (not to be confused with Leven) in 1632 to participate in the Smolensk War and was mentioned by name in Leslie of Auchintoul's testimonial. David Leslie re-appeared in
5256-415: Was the terminus of the new Dunfermline-North Queensferry Railway which opened in 1877. The Railway Pier was used as one of the northern ferry terminals from 1877 to 1890, and in 1920 it replaced the old Town Pier. The ferry's importance diminished during the 19th century, with an alternative ferry crossing operating for a while between Burntisland and Granton . By the 1870s there was an increasing call for
5329-552: 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 at Falkland , formerly the stronghold of Clan MacDuff , and was used by successive monarchs of the House of Stuart , who favoured Fife for its rich hunting grounds. King James VI of Scotland described Fife, in Middle Scots , as a: "beggar's mantle fringed wi gowd"
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