St Monans

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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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, and 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.