Kinghorn

Kinghorn and Pettycur are small Towns, now joined, in the Fife area of Scotland, 25 miles north of Edinburgh, via the Firth of Forth Road Bridge, 3 miles north of Burntisland.

The Towns are popular for their Two Beaches and Church right at Kinghorn Harbour.

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Camping & Touring Parks in area

The image top is looking down onto Kinghorn Beach and Harbour.

The second image is of Kinghorn Beach looking south.

The third and fourth images are along St James Place towards the Harbour. The main attractions here are the Lifeboat Station, one of the busiest in the area, and Kinghorn Kirk by the Sea, right at the Harbour.

Kinghorn Kirk by the Sea was built in 1774, on the site of much earlier Churches, going back over 700 years. The Bell Tower was added to the Church in 1895.

The Railway Station is between Station Brae and the steep Harbour Road, with a Viaduct built in 1846. The Forth Rail Bridge was completed in 1890, increasing the number of tourists to the Town for its beaches.

One strange thing about Kinghorn is there is no Hotel, Inn, or Bar by the Harbour, as there is in most small Towns up this coast.

All the Restaurants, Cafes, and Bars are on the High Street, up above the Harbour.

The War Memorial is at the south end of the High Street, at the Pettycur Parish Church Halls.

By the War Memorial is the Kinghorn Community Centre with a Cafe, used for many games and events.

The road down past the War Memorial leads to Pettycur Bay Harbour and Beach.

There are two Caravan Parks by the beach, Sandhills that is private, and the larger Pettycur Bay that sits higher up.

Pettycur Bay holiday park has a Restaurant and Leisure Centre with sea views. The Holiday Park also has an area for Tourers and Camping.

Kinghorn Golf Club is just off the High Street. The Club was founded in 1887.

Kinghorn Area History

The name Kinghorn is said to be from Scottish Gaelic meaning, Head of the Marsh.

1100s - a Royal Castle was built on the shoreline above Pettycur Bay for the Canmore Kings. That Castle was later abandoned in favour of another Castle built in the Town of Kinghorn.

The Canmore Kings used religion to unite all of Scotland under one King, building most of the large historic Abbeys and Cathedrals in Scotland.

1221 - records state King Alexander II awarded the Castle at Kinghorn to his new Queen, Princess Joan of England.

1286 - King Alexander III was traveling to the Castle at Kinghorn when he fell from his horse at Pettycur Bay and died. With him dying without leaving an heir, this was the end of the Canmore dynasty, leading to the English trying to gain control of Scotland, and the Wars of Scottish Independence.

1373 - Sir John Lyon married Princess Joan, daughter of King Robert II, with this gaining him control of the Castle at Kinghorn. This Castle was also known as Glamis Tower. The Lyons are better known for their Glamis Castle at the Village of Glamis north of Dundee.

1546 - Kinghorn Castle was besieged and taken by Kirkcaldy of Grange. Grange is better known for his involvement in the downfall of Mary Queen of Scots in 1567.

The Lyon family then seem to have moved to their lands in Angus by Dundee.

1606 - Lord Patrick Lyon was made 1st Earl of Kinghorn.

1677 - Patrick Lyon, was created Lord Glamis, and 3rd Earl of Kinghorn.

1700s - records state Kinghorn was a base for Porpoise shooting, with the Porpoise carcases used to make Oil. This is said to have stopped after the numbers of Porpoise in the area declined dramatically.

1700s - Kinghorn grew around the Flax industry, making Linen Cloth from the Flax Plant, mainly in homes on small manual powered machines.

1760s - Pettycur Harbour was completed to serve as a ferry port for people and goods traveling north from Edinburgh, with a number of sailing vessels operated on the route.

1830s - Kinghorn Loch above the Town, provided water to power machinery in the first Flax Mills, ending the making of Cloth in Homes.

1842 - a new Pier was built at Burntisland 3 miles south, leading to the Ferry service between Pettycur Harbour and Edinburgh being relocated to Burntisland.

1846 - the Railway Viaduct was built through the Town.

1860s - a Shipyard was built next to the Kinghorn Kirk to build Steamships.

1890 - the Forth Railway Bridge was completed, with the North British Railway promoting Kinghorn as a Holiday Resort.

1921- the Shipyard closed after the last vessel had been produced, the SS Kinghorn. There is now a Static Caravan Park on the site of the Shipyard.

1900s late - Houses were built on the site of Kinghorn Castle, in the area of Glamis Terrace. Home owners in the area have since been finding Boars Teeth and other Items from many centuries back in their gardens.