
Fife's varied historical buildings and sites are numerous. But in addition to the more famous landmarks are a number of hidden and fascinating gems.
1. Village of Lundin Links - standing stones.
Lundin Links is a small village whose main claim to fame is that of having the oldest ladies golf course in the world. On the greens however, are stone monuments that date from about the 2nd millenium BCE. The standing stones are impressive in height and stature. The shape they make may be rectangular - although one stone went missing in the 18th century. But there is some speculation that the standing stones may have formed a circle similar to that found at Stonehenge. If this is the case, then the circle would have been one of outstanding proportion. It is still unclear what ancient people are responsible for this ancient structure.
2. St. Margarets Cave - Dunfermline
The first thing that becomes overwhelmingly obvious when you enter St. Margaret's Cave is the smell. Not unplesant. But it is heavy and thick with age, history and atmosphere. Ancient, black-green, damp rocks add to the mystery of the place. It is not hard to picture the scene, 900 years ago, when Queen Margaret, as she was then, entered the cave to say her daily prayers.
When the Queen walked to the cave all those centuries ago, she would have strolled through a tree-lined pathway. A small stream at the bottom of a small rising lead up to the entrance of the cave. Today, the cave is buried under a modern car-park with a tunnel of 87 steps leading deep into the earth to reach it.
Margaret was a Saxon princess and granddaughter to the King of England - Edmund Ironside. Margaret became Queen of Scotland in 1070 when she married the King of Scots - Malcolm Canmore in Dunfermline. She produced a large family and three of her eight children became Kings of Scots in their own right - Edgar, Alexander and David. Margaret died on November 16th, 1093 and was deeply mourned because of her love and kindness to both rich and poor. She was made a saint by Pope Innocent the fourth not only due to her charitable and pious life, but also because of reported miracles that occurred after her death.
3. Queen Gruoch's Well - Ballingry
This historical gem is very close to my heart, since it can be found in my own home village of Ballingry. Gruoch of course was the Queen and wife of King MacBeth of Scotland. And it has to be said that as much as shakespeare was a brilliant playright, his historical accuracy is null and void . As Scot's author Nigel Tranter puts it, "...few historical royal couples, surely, have been so grievously traduced...". King MacBeth and Queen Gruoch were nothing like the bloody, murderous pair of Shakespeare's play. They were in fact strong and fair rulers according to the earliest and most accurate of existing records. Queen Gruoch was a very important and improving influence in Celtic Scotland for over 17 years. Charters show that she, along with King MacBeth, endowed the Culdee Monastery, On St. Serfs Inch, at Loch Leven - just north of Ballingry. It is intriguing to note that the name Ballingry may have had the earlier form of Baile-an-Grouch, which meant - the abode of Gruoch. It is also interesting that water wells to the Celtic people were very important. Wells and water were sacred to the Celts, both in the pre and post Christian times. They were also closely associated with the Mother Goddess figure, healing, knowledge and mysticism. So there is perhaps more value to this well and to Gruoch herself than a simple historical site.
4. St Fillans cave - Pittenweem Village
Pittenweem is a very old and beautiful fishing village on the coast of Fife. St. Fillan's Cave was only rediscovered in 1935. When located the site had been filled in by the rubbish of smugglers who used the cave as a hiding place in the previous few hundred years. The area was cleared out and re-dedicated. In the year 2000 it was opened to the public. The cave itself has probably given rise to the name of the village. Pittenweem literally means 'place of the cave'. In the 7th century when St. Fillan is believed to have occupied the site, the cave could only have been reached by boat.
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