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St Monans is a Village in the Fife area of
Scotland, 47 miles north of Edinburgh, 12
miles south of St Andrews.
St Monans is popular for its Scenic Harbour,
Windmill, and Old Church. The top sections of
the Fife Coastal
Path are here, 4 miles north to Pittenweem
and Anstruther, 3 miles south to Elie.
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Click On Map for area Attractions
Camping & Touring
Parks in area
The image top is looking across St Monans
Harbour.
The second image shows the East Pier with
the Windmill about half of a mile north.
The Blue building is the East Pier Smokehouse, a popular
Seafood Diner with outdoor seating.
The path north to Pittenweem leads to the
Old Outdoor Pool. These Pools were popular in
most seaside Towns from the 1870s up to the
1970s. Low cost flights to Spain from the 1970s
led to a sudden decrease in tourism to
Scotland's seaside Towns, leading to most of
these pools being abandoned.
By the Outdoor Pool is the Windmill and
Saltworks. Sir John Anstruther began the Newark
Coal and Salt Company in 1771, with the
Windmill used to pump sea water to the Salt
Pans. Coal from his neighbouring Mine was used
to evaporate the water to leave the Salt. Ten
tons of Coal were needed to produce about one
ton of Salt.
Salt was produced this way in Scotland from
the 1100s up to 1823, when changes to Tax meant
Rock Salt from England was less expensive to
produce. A few Scottish companies continued to
produce Sea Salt up to 1959.
On the south side of St Monans is St Monans
Parish Church, or Auld Kirk. St Monan, or
parts of him, were buried at this site in 875
with a Shrine built for Pilgrims. The earliest
parts of the Church were built in the 1300s for
King David II, with additions from the
1400s.
In those days, it was normal for people to
take parts of Saints, known as Relics, bones, hands,
scull, or hair, then keep them somewhere they
could be worshiped. Mary Queen of Scots was
known for owning the head of Saint
Margaret.
About 1 mile south of St Monans Church, via
the Fife Coastal Path, are the ruins of
Newark Castle.
This Castle was built from the 1200s with King
Alexander III said to have spent his childhood
there. The Castle was rebuilt in the 1500s with
owners being the Kinloch, Sandilands, and
Leslie families. Coastal erosion led to the
destruction of the Castle in the late 1800s.
The remains are now fenced off for safety.
The Common, a Park a short walk up from the
Harbour, with a large Car Park, has a number of
activities such as Football, Tennis,
Basketball, Kids Play, Skate Park and more. On
busy days, best park at The Common and walk
down to the Harbour.
St Monans Holiday
Park is on the north side of the Village
with Holiday Homes and pitches for Camping and
Touring.
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