Kirkcaldy is a Town in the Fife area of
Scotland, 29 miles north of Edinburgh, via
the Firth of Forth Road Bridge.
The Town is popular for its Market Square,
Art Gallery & Museum, Theatre, Old Kirk,
Merchants House, and Beveridge Park. The scenic
Dysart Harbour
is on the north side of Kirkcaldy. Wemyss Caves are 5 miles north
with a Museum and Guided Tours.
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Camping & Touring
Parks in area
The image top is looking north along
Kirkcaldy Promenade towards the Harbour. The
Promenade and Sea Wall were rebuilt in 2014.
Entertainment Venues may be added along the
Promenade in future, as the Fife Coast
continues to attract more Tourists.
The second image is of Kirkcaldy Volunteers
Green, next to the Promenade, just east of the
High Street.
The High Street in Kirkcaldy has the largest
selection of Shops of all the Towns on the Fife
Coast. The most notable building on the High
Street is the Kirkcaldy Congregational Church,
built in 1874.
Just west of the High Street is Kirkcaldy
Market Square, with the Council Buildings and
Sheriff Court. The Square holds a Farmers
Market on the last Saturday of every month.
Just west of the Square is Kirkcaldy
Galleries with a Cafe, Art Gallery, and
Museum. The Museum covers the History of
Kirkcaldy, and Art Gallery contains works by
Fife Artists.
By the Galleries is the Adam Smith
Theatre, a 475-seat venue for comedy,
dance, drama, music, and children's theatre.
The Theatre opened in 1889 to designs of
Adam Smith,
famous Architect from Kirkcaldy.
Kirk Wynd is near the north end of the High
Street where you can find Kirkcaldy Old
Kirk. The Old Kirk was built from the
1400s, on the site of a much earlier Church.
This Church closed as a place of worship in
2010. Kirkcaldy Old Kirk Trust bought the the
Building in 2011 for use as a Concert Hall and
Heritage Centre.
The Merchants House is at
the north end of the High Street looking onto
the Harbour, claimed to be the best preserved
1500s Town House in Scotland. This Building was
restored by Scottish Historic Buildings Trust
in 2005. Parts of the House are now being
offered for small Businesses. The Courtyard
contains Information Boards covering the
History of Kirkcaldy.
The Harbour is at the north end of the
Promenade, with the ruins of Raivenscraig
Castle sitting high above. The Castle was
built from 1460 for the wife of King James II,
Queen Mary of Gueldres, later passing to the
Sinclairs.
By the 1500s, the Harbour was being used to
trade with Baltic countries, importing Grain,
Beer, Flax, and Timber. Exports included Salt,
Linen Cloth made from the Flax, and later Coal.
The Town also began manufacturing Linoleum and
Carpets.
1870s - large Coal Seams were discovered if
Fife at about 1,500ft below the surface. A
number of Deep Mines were then opened to
extract the vast quantities of Coal, with
Kirkcaldy Harbour used for Shipping to
transport much of the Coal. The last deep Mine
in Fife, Longannet, closed in 2002.
Beveridge Park
is on the west side of Kirkcaldy, with a large
Car Park, Fast Food Stall, Gardens, Sports
Fields, Pond, and Skate Park. The Park was
gifted to the people of Kirkcaldy in 1892,
using 104 acres of Raith
Estate.
In the 1950s & 60s, Beveridge Park was
used for Motor Cycle Racing, attracting up to
7,000 spectators. The races ended in 1988.
Kirkcaldy Golf
Club is on the southwest side of the Town,
founded in 1904.
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