The month of September hosts Doors Open Day across Scotland. It gives the public an opportunity to tour buildings and locations that are not readily accessible and also offers a behind the scenes look inside more familiar places. Admission is free and there is usually no need to book in advance.
I studied the Fife programme and noticed the Merchant House in Kirkcaldy was one of the venues. It's a category-A listed gem dating from the 1500's and one of the finest surviving townhouses from this era. The building is currently vacant and accessible only on special open days. I immediately stuck a pin into this option. The Adam Smith Heritage Centre also caught my eye and is conveniently situated just along the promenade from Merchant's House. A third possibility was the Old Kirk which promised excellent views across the Lang Toun from the historic tower. The three venues formed a handy circular trail and both my mum and sister opted to join me. I drove to Lochgelly to collect Mum and we met Linda at Kirkcaldy Harbour. From there it was a short stroll into the gardens of the Merchant House.
The grounds to the rear of the property have been given a manicure and the lawn slopes steeply up to the boundary wall. I clambered up the path, chatted briefly with the gardener and framed the picture you see above. I was very happy with this shot and began to make my way back down. I had barely taken a step when a sparrowhawk swooped on to the grass right in front of me. It was holding what appeared to be the remains of a pigeon in its talons and merrily feasted as I snapped away. This was my first close encounter with a bird of prey and it was a real bonus to see it doing what nature intended. The gardener and his buddy had obviously noticed the goings on and were debating what type of bird it might be. I turned around, whispered it's a sparrowhawk and they instantly confirmed the quarry was indeed a pigeon. We must have been making just a little too much noise and the bird flew off, lifting its lunch with ease. I eagerly showed the pics to Linda (herself a keen birder) and I think it's fair to say she was "well jell" - as was Nicole when I sent a copy to her phone.
And so to the house itself. There was a small exhibition in an outbuilding giving information about the maritime history of Kirkcaldy. Volunteers were on hand to answer questions and a lady explained that the house was owned by a heritage trust and their aim was to let the property to local businesses so that it may have a use within the community. However, the extremely tight regulations governing modifications to listed buildings was in many ways proving a hindrance. It's not an easy one to solve and I am simply thankful the property is no longer neglected and that restoration works have halted the deterioration. Some of the original features such as wall paintings and decorated beams have been uncovered and left exposed to remind us of a glorious past.
A stroll along the seafront took us to the heritage centre devoted to the life and works of Adam Smith - Kirkcaldy's most famous son and the founding father of modern economics. The museum is run by volunteers and at the moment has only limited opening times. I relished the chance to have a peek inside. A comprehensive display on the ground floor told the story of Smith's achievements and also highlighted the fact he never lost touch with his roots and frequently returned to his home town after the international success of his major published piece - The Wealth of Nations. While believing in the free market, Smith was hesitant about letting it run riot and recognised the need for state intervention wherever necessary. All eminently sensible to me. There was a workshop underway upstairs but we elected to move on to the Old Kirk. The ancient church was the first place of Christian Worship in Kirkcaldy and written records point back as far as 1244. The current tower dates from the 15th century and I wanted to scale it. As luck would have it, a tower tour was preparing to leave as soon as we entered the building and I joined the group. Linda decided to explore the church interior with Mum. The tower guide gave a brief talk at the bottom of the steps where there was a display commemorating the townsfolk who fell in the Great War 1914-1919. It was pointed out that although the conflict ended as 1918 drew to a close, many soldiers actually passed away the following year due to injuries sustained.
The summit offered a lovely panoramic view and the sea was a beautiful cerulean colour. Nearby was the taller spire of St Bryce Kirk, which amalgamated with the Old Kirk in 2010. Both places have an extensive programme of community events which is exactly how modern churches should function. Apparently the reason for St Bryce having the giant steeple is down to good old-fashioned spite. The Nairn family ran the town's lucrative linoleum trade for generations and after a falling out with the hierarchy of the Old Kirk, decided to invest a huge sum in the construction of something bigger and better. All in the true Christian spirit, a theory put forward by the guide and subsequently vociferously echoed by Linda back on ground level. We took the tour of the adjoining graveyard which turned out to be a fascinating delve into Kirkcaldy's past as the lady leading the group skilfully wove diverse tales into the dialogue. Apparently it was a Kirkcaldy man who first exported camels to Australia! At what environmental cost we may ask! A lovely afternoon exploring a corner of the old Lang Toun on a sunny day. What shall I visit next year?
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