Description
FIFE, popularly called the "Kingdom of Fife," is in every respect one of the most valuable and important counties in Scotland, and is inferior to none in wealth, fertility, and local advantages. Its generally estimated length from east to west is 48 miles, its greatest breadth from north to south 18 miles, containing a surface of 504 square miles, or 322,560 acres, of which in 1840 there were probably 200,000 cultivated, 85,000 uncultivated, and 37,560 unprofitable. This fine county is a kind of peninsula, formed by the Tay on the north and the Frith of Forth on the south, and washed on the east by the German Ocean. From its situation it must have been early inhabited; and its advantages for navigation, its harbours, valuable minerals, and the fishings along its coasts on both sides, must have always attracted settlers. Accordingly, we find most numerous and interesting remains of former times; old castles, towers, abbeys, and religious houses, everywhere abound, and for many centuries before the Revolution the city of St Andrews was the metropolitan seat of the Primate of all Scotland. Along the coast, beginning from Newmill, in the parish of Torryburn on the Forth, its western boundary, are a succession of towns, sea-ports, and villages, all the way east round to St Andrews, and westward up the Tay to its boundary with Perthshire. King James VI. used to compare this county to a grey mantle with a gold fringe, alluding to its numerous coast towns, and to the neglected state of the interior in his reign; and this description is still to some extent applicable, though it is now greatly improved, and the interior contains several towns and many large, populous, and thriving villages. The Scotish sovereigns seem to have always entertained a peculiar attachment towards this county, as is proved by their having palaces at Dunfermline, Falkland, Kinghorn, Crail, and St Andrews; and they probably enjoyed a security in Fife to be found in few other counties north of the Forth, as it was not under the influence of powerful chiefs, like the Highland and Northern counties. The consequence was, that the inhabitants and burghal communities of Fife were favoured with grants of many immunities by the Scotish Kings, to encourage them to prosecute the advantages which their local situation afforded. King James VI. was one of the greatest benefactors of the Fife burghs, and though the municipal privileges he conferred upon them were upwards of a century afterwards rendered unimportant by the result of the Union with England, and their trade as sea-ports completely frustrated, his fostering care of the burghs will long remain a monument of his political sagacity and discernment, which were greater than commonly represented.

As even a hasty sketch of the past and present state of Fife, its agriculture, minerals, manufactures, and trade, would occupy a large volume, all that is here attempted is merely a few cursory notes on its more prominent objects of interest. When viewed from a distance on the south, the most remarkable features of Fife are the high ridges rising behind Burntisland, the two Lomond Hills in the middle of the county. Largo Law farther east, and still farther east Kellie Law; but there are numerous other elevations throughout, and everywhere a pleasant variety of hill and dale meets the eye. The principal valley, which is traversed by the Eden, and lies north, of the Lomond Hills, is called the Howe of Fife. It is a beautiful district, finely cultivated, and adorned with numerous mansions and villas, though it contains tracts of muir and moss, and of loam, partly deep and moist, and partly dry and light. The hills on the north of the Howe of Fife are evidently a continuation of the Ochils. The other valleys, traversed by the Ore and the Leven, and opening into the Howe, are of much smaller extent and appearance. The great proportion of the county is arable, and the most improved implements of husbandry are in general use. Thrashing-mills are on most farms, some moved by horses, a few by wind-mills, others by water-wheels, and not a few by steam engines, which are likely to supersede all others. Many of the farmers are men of capital and enterprise; most of the proprietors reside constantly, or a great part of the year, in the county, and several of them have home farms, or one of their farms in their own hands. Compared with several other counties, there are few large estates in Fife, and hence in no district of Scotland is land perhaps of greater value. This is indicated by the immense number of family seats and mansions in every part of the county.

Probably the oldest woods in Fife are those at Rothes House, the seat of the Earl of Rothes, but since 1800 most extensive plantations have been formed. On the Leven, Crawfurd, and other estates in the Howe, are forests of Scotch fir, and an immense quantity of thriving wood adorns the Raith estate near Kirkaldy, and the Culalo hills near Aberdour. Many of the lakes, of which there were many in the county, are drained, and their beds produce fertile crops, but those of Lindores, Lochfittie, Lochgellie, Otterston, Kilconquhar, and some others, still diversify the surface. There are several mineral springs, but none in such celebrity as to be frequented as watering places, Fife contains numerous streams and rivulets, but the Leven and the Eden are the only rivers of note.

The southern division of Fifeshire is a portion of the great coal field of the Forth. Here glance or blind coal, slate coal, pitch coal, and cannel coal, are severally found. It appears that coal was wrought in Fife in 1291, on the lands of Pittencrieff near Dunfermline, but coal was wrought in East Lothian some years before that period. In this division of Fife limestone is abundant, and the lime-works at Charlestown, belonging to the Earl of Elgin, are perhaps the most extensive in Scotland. Limestone occurs also in other places. Ironstone abounds in the coal field, and was once worked extensively at Balgonie, but now chiefly at Dysart, and sold to the Carron Company. Copper and zinc are found in different places, and lead in the Lomonds.

The Fife breed of cattle have been long in great repute, for fattening and dairy stock. Large flocks of slieep are not very numerous. A great many pigs are now reared in the county for the London market. Gram is sold in stock and samples at the weekly markets, the most considerable of which for districts are Cupar, Newburgh, Dunfermline, Auchtermuchty, Kirkaldy, Largo, St Andrews, and Anstruther. There are many fairs held throughout the county, but most of these are rapidly diminishing.

Linen is the great staple manufacture of Fifeshire, and the quality of its fabrics has been greatly improved. Ticks, checks, sail cloths, dowlas, and other plain linens, are made in several towns and villages in the county, but Kirkaldy is the chief seat of this manufacture. Since the erection of spinning mills, flax is no longer spun by the hand. In 1840 these mills were forty-six in number, giving employment to great numbers of persons, and causing an immense circulation of money. The principal mills are at Dunfermline, Kinghorn, Abbotshall, Leven, Kirkland, Ceres, Prinlaws, and Russel Mill, near Cupar-Fife.

Shipbuilding is carried on in various ports on the south side of the county. There are about fifty brewers of beer and ale, fifty-six other maltsters, six extensive distilleries; two paper-mills, and a number of bleach-fields, on the Leven and in other parts; a soap-work, several tallow chandlers, a vitriolwork; brick and tile manufactories, potteries, iron-foundries, fan-works, glue-manufactories, and many other works. Fife has no native Bank. It once had, and its mismanagement involved many individuals in ruin. Indeed, it may be doubted if many families in the county have yet recovered thoroughly from that sad affair. The commercial business is transacted by Branch Banks belonging to Edinburgh. The chief exports are the manufactures, all kinds of grain, coal, limestone, lime, potatoes, &c. The principal imports are timber, bark, hides, tallow, flax, hemp, tar, iron, &c.; also pavement, slates, groceries, and articles of home consumption.

Notwithstanding its numerous seaports, Fife possesses only two good harbours, Burntisland and Elie, all the others being of difficult access and dry at low water; but Elie harbour is in a state of decay, and it is too far east to become a sea-port. Burnt-island, from its proximity to the Lothians, and its natural advantages, is therefore superior to any on the south coast. The passage across the Tay is effected at any state of the tide between Newport and Dundee by excellent low-water piers.

Besides a great number of towns and large villages, Fife contains no fewer than thirteen royal burghs, having Parliamentary privileges, and three ex-royal burghs—Auchtermuchty, Falkland, and Earlsferry, which lost their status on account of inability in former times to defray the expenses of the Commissioners. The county sends one member to the Imperial Parliament ; constituency in 1839,2967. The Cupar and St Andrews district sends one member; the Kirkaldy district one; and Dunfermline, which is included in the Stirling district, one. The county is divided into an eastern and western district, each under a sheriff-substitute; and for civil purposes it is divided into the four districts of St Andrews, Cupar, Kirkaldy, and Dunfermline. The turnpike roads, and many of the bye-roads, are in excellent order, and there are several private railways of wood or iron connected with harbours.

The county was for centuries a portion of the archiepiscopal diocese of St Andrews. It is now divided into sixty-one parishes, forming four Presbyteries, which compose the Synod of Fife. To this Synod, however, several quoad sacra, parish churches, four parishes in the Presbytery of Dunfermline, and one in the Presbytery of Kirkaldy, in other counties, belong. Dissenters from the Establishment are numerous, especially in the middle and west parts of the county. In the west of Fife originated the two bodies of Dissenters, now spread over all Scotland, known as the Secession and Relief Synods. There are several Episcopal chapels, but, in 1840, no Roman Catholic chapel within the limits of the county.

In ancient times Macduff, Thane of Fife, one of the most powerful subjects in Scotland, who is classically associated with Macbeth, the alleged murderer of the "gracious Duncan," was created Earl of Fife by Malcolm III. In reward for his services, the Thane and his successors were also invested with the privilege of crowning the Scotish Kings, of leading the van of the royal army, and of a pardon, on paying a sum of money, when they, or any of their kindred, committed a slaughter of suddenty. Duncan twelfth Earl was succeeded by his only daughter Isabel as Countess, who was four times married. By deed of succession, Murdoc Duke of Albany became Earl of Fife, but the Peerage was vested in the Crown by his forfeiture in 1425. It was revived as an Irish Peerage in the person of William Duff of Braco, who is said to have derived his descent from the ancient Thanes, though the direct line cannot be traced. This gentleman was created Baron Braco of Kilbride in 1735, and advanced to the dignity of Earl of Fife and Viscount Macduff in 1759. James, second Earl of Fife, was created Baron Fife in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1790, which was revived in the person of his nephew, James fourth Earl, in 1827.

The inhabitants of Fife are noted for their hospitality, intelligence, and industry. In Montrose's time they were zealous Covenanters, but the result of the battle of Kilsyth, in which fell a number of the Fife men, especially from the east of the county, cured them of any military propensities, for which it appears they had at no time any great inclination, and they are described in the seventeenth century as "little martial, consisting most of merchants, shopkeepers, mariners, and husbandmen." This is generally applicable at the present time. During the enterprises of 1715 and 1745, the inhabitants of Fife were staunch to the Hanoverian Dynasty.Several of the Lairds were Jacobites, but those gentlemen had no influence over the people. It is said that when the Earl of Kellie, who was out in 1745, got a commission to raise a Fife Regiment of Cavalry, he returned with his own man-servant, as its sole representatives. Population of the county in 1831, 128,839.