That time of year again. Various venues across Fife were opening up to the public and offering a glimpse behind the scenes. My mum and I decided to start in Kirkcaldy before driving along the coast to Burntisland. Kirkcaldy Town House was first on the agenda and a tour was getting ready to depart just as we arrived. The B-listed building was completed in 1956 and initially serves as the headquarters for Kirkcaldy Town Council. When this administration was dissolved in 1975 and larger local government units formed across the country, the provost's lamps (pictured below) from the surrounding burghs were stationed outside the Town House as Kirkcaldy District Council was created. I must have walked past the lamps a thousand times without knowing what they represented.
Heading up the grand staircase (of course), I gazed at the mural depicting the trades of Kirkcaldy and scenes from daily life. The first room we entered had a portrait of King Charles flanked the Saltire and Union Jack. This suite is used to perform British citizenship ceremonies, where I presume the attendees have to swear an oath to the monarch. Out in the corridor, a wooden board listed all the Kirkcaldy Provosts sworn in between 1800 and 1972. A few even came back for a second go! Town and regional government structures may alter from time to time, but the one constant here is the County of Fife, a historic territory defined for many centuries. An interesting display was the Kirkcaldy town bell - rescued from a scrapyard in 1966. It was cast in 1882 and had formerly been housed within the original town house on the High Street (demolished in 1935). Construction of the new facility began in 1939 but was immediately halted by the outbreak of WW2, leaving just the steel skeleton in place. Another wall display showed the names of nine famous Kirkcaldy folk. The two most recognisable were Adam Smith and Michael Nairn. Smith is widely regarded as the founding father of modern economics theory and Nairn launched the linoleum industry that led to the Lang Toun becoming a global player in the trade. Interestingly, the only female included is child prodigy Marjorie Fleming. A writer and poet, she died just short of her ninth birthday from meningitis. We strolled through various reception rooms. The town house hosts wedding ceremonies and a recent development is the teaching of English to refugees. Kirkcaldy District Council was scrapped in 1996 and Fife became a unitary authority. The town house now functions as the headquarters of a local area committee. Housing applications are processed here, for example. There is an opulent air about the interior and - as Mum pointed out - no matter the stories about cutbacks and belt tightening, the main council offices tend to be plush. It was an interesting tour and we continued our exploration in Burntisland, stopping for lunch at a small café in the town centre. I wanted to check out the latest exhibition in the Heritage Trust building on Kirkgate, dealing with the changing face of the High Street using "then and now" photographs. Another open day was taking place upstairs in the old council chambers, enabling us to kill two birds with one stone. The heritage centre displays can be viewed any weekend but extra volunteers were on hand for Doors Open Day. Mum recognised one elderly lady. She turned out to be Dr Gordon who had practised alongside our family GP, Dr Wright, and had sometimes deputised for him. A painting showed the long-gone sugar house (built circa 1765) by the harbour, with Rossend Castle in the background, which survives today as a private residence. Sugar was refined in Burntisland until the mid-1790s. After a period of dereliction, the building was acquired in 1876 and enlarged to form a linseed oil mill. The town attained Royal Burgh status in 1540. There had been little development, apart from around the harbour area. Therefore some planning was involved in the layout of streets, rather than the settlement simply growing organically. Even as late as the 1980s, buildings were lopped off the bottom of the High Street to create a car park. Burntisland has long been in a state of flux.
In 1954, several dwellings were converted into a new police station (plus five houses for officers) but the facility now lies empty. Big changes took place on the High Street in the 1950s when 18th-century housing was replaced with modern flats. It may well have been the case that costs were prohibitive in order to bring the old properties up to the required standard. A Georgian house made way for the new Crown Post Office. This too is now vacant - a sign of the times. Prior to the internet, it would have been unthinkable that a place the size of Burntisland would not have any postal facilities. The building we stood in dates from 1845 and at one time housed the post office on the ground floor. The burgh chambers were in use until 1975, when all administrative units of this type across Scotland were dissolved. Fife-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie gifted £3500 to finance the public library, opened by the man himself in 1907. After early cinema ventures closed in the 1930s, the Palace took over as the town's movie theatre and - quite incredibly - offered seating for 1040 patrons. It was converted to an amusement arcade in the early 70s and destroyed by arson in 1985. After many years of decay, the building was finally demolished in 2008 and the site awaits redevelopment. Across the road from the Heritage Trust stands the cavernous Museum of Communications. Well worth a visit, it was formerly the ex-servicemen's club but the building is relatively new. The exhibition also featured the various shops run by the Co-op, a common arrangement in small towns. The gasworks were owned by the local council until nationalisation in 1949. Town gas was made locally by heating coal until the discovery of natural gas under the North Sea in the 1960s changed the country's energy network. The common ground to the east of the town is known as the Links. Previously used for grazing clothes bleaching and drying, the grassy space is now a popular recreational area. It was fascinating to see the old images of Burntisland and the staff were most helpful.
To reach the burgh chambers upstairs, we had to exit the heritage centre and use another door around the corner. Straight away we were greeted by the sight of another large town bell. Originally made in 1585, it began working life in Berwick, before being purchased by Burntisland Town Council in 1619 for £36.50. Installed in the old tolbooth (pictured above), the bell was in service until the building's demolition in 1843. The modern Burgh Chambers were completed a few years later. We proceeded upstairs to view the room where Burntisland Town Council conducted its business until 1975 (pictured right). Once again, a well-appointed meeting space. The facility is now used by Burntisland Community Council - an organisation affiliated to the local authority (Fife Council). Although devoid of any real political clout, community councils across Scotland act as a conduit of public opinion and are always consulted about planning applications. Community Councils also monitor local infrastructure such as footpaths, public parks and play areas. Due to safety concerns, the steeple was removed from the Burgh Chambers building in 2013, leaving just a stump. Restoration is planned and the required stone has been purchased, but is languishing in storage until funds can be raised to finance the job. We also toured the old magistrate's room where petty offences could be swiftly processed by the Burgh Court. There's no magic formula for local government and justice procedures. Devolving down to town level brings accountability, but every layer ultimately adds complexity and impacts upon the public purse. On our way to the final venue on the list, we passed Hanselled Books - a second-hand outlet that should have been open, but wasn't. A pity, as Mum and I both like a good rummage in these places. Burntisland Parish Church is one of earliest Scottish post-Reformation churches still in use today. Occupying higher ground to the south of the High Street, the place of worship (built in 1592) overlooks the harbour. The building is square in plan, with the nave surrounded by four aisles. Each wall has a gallery, giving the church a large capacity. The main structure is supported by four thick stone columns, one at each corner. The minister is able to preach from a central position, thus providing an inclusive atmosphere. An enthusiastic guide gave us a comprehensive tour of the interior.
The building takes its place in history for hosting the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1601, a gathering that eventually led to the inception of the King James Bible (or Authorised Version). At the time, plague was rife in Edinburgh and the event was rescheduled for St Andrews. However, the King injured himself in a hunting accident while staying at Rossend Castle and - as Burntisland had a clean bill of health - the assembly was invited to gather in the town kirk. During the course of the business, the Presbyters proposed a new English translation of the Bible, in order to make the Scriptures more accessible to the people. His majesty heartily agreed and the Assembly unanimously approved the motion. When Queen Elizabeth of England died in 1603, King James VI of Scotland took the vacant throne as King James I of England. Work began on the new Bible in 1607 and it was published in 1611. Another fascinating slice of heritage practically on our doorstep. This concluded our Doors Open tour and many new facts had been learned. Burntisland today is somewhat bucking the trend of declining town centres. The High Street thrives and several independent traders offer their wares. Perhaps the population size has helped here. Always too small for the chain stores to set up shop, no massive empty retail units were left behind without a purpose in the modern world. Whatever the reasons, it's good to hear about a Fife success story.
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