Fishing village and civil parish in Fife, Scotland
Human settlement in Scotland
Pittenweem
(
listen
ⓘ
) is a
fishing village
and
civil parish
in
Fife
, on the east coast of Scotland. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 1,747.
Etymology
[
edit
]
The name derives from
Pictish
and
Scottish Gaelic
. "Pit-" represents
Pictish
pett
'place, portion of land', and "-enweem" is
Gaelic
na h-Uaimh
, 'of the Caves' in Gaelic, so "The Place of the Caves", named after
St Fillan's
cave.
[2]
[3]
The name is rendered
Baile na h-Uaimh
in modern
Gaelic
, with
baile
, 'town, settlement', substituted for the Pictish prefix.
History
[
edit
]
The settlement has existed as a fishing village since early medieval times. The oldest structure,
St. Fillan
's Cave, dates from the 7th century. An Augustinian priory moved here from the
Isle of May
in the 13th century, but there was already a church at that time.
Pittenweem Parish Church
(which is attached to the local tolbooth) has a Norman doorway dating to before 1200. The gatehouse to the east is 15th century. The priory dormitory and refectory was remodelled post-Reformation (1588) to give a new function as a manse. This building was later named the "Great House".
[4]
Until 1975 Pittenweem was a
royal burgh
, having been awarded the status by King
James V
(1513?42) in 1541.
[5]
Founded as a fishing village around a probably early Christian religious settlement, it grew along the shoreline from the west where the sheltered beaches were safe places for fishermen to draw their boats up out of the water. Later a breakwater was built, extending out from one of the rocky skerries that jut out south-west into the
Firth of Forth
like fingers. This allowed boats to rest at anchor rather than being beached, enabling larger vessels to use the port. A new breakwater further to the east was developed over the years into a deep, safe harbour.
[6]
Cove Wynd ? a typical alley in Pittenweem
In 1779
John Paul Jones
(founder of the American Navy) anchored half-a-mile off Pittenweem in the
USS
Bonhomme Richard
.
[7]
There is a feudal
Lordship and Barony of Pittenweem
created by James VI for Frederick Stewart in 1609. It was held by the Earls of Kellie until it passed to Sir John Anstruther and then to the Bairds of Elie. The current Lord Baron is Claes Zangenberg.
[8]
Industry
[
edit
]
Pittenweem is currently the most active of the
fishing ports
in the
East Neuk coast of Fife
.
[9]
In the 18th century, Pittenweem had a series of coal mines on the coast between Pittenweem and
St Monans
.
[10]
At one time the village was served by the
Fife Coast Railway
.
[11]
Geography
[
edit
]
The village sits astride a raised beach.
[12]
Pittenweem Primary School
Education
[
edit
]
Pittenweem Primary School is a traditional village school with its own playing fields on the northern side of the older part of the village. It caters for children aged 4/5 to 11/12. Secondary education (up to ages 16, 17 or 18 depending on educational ambitions) is provided at
Waid Academy
in the neighbouring town of
Anstruther
. The nearest private educational institution is
St Leonards School
in
St Andrews
, or the
High School of Dundee
.
[13]
Religion
[
edit
]
Entrance to St. Fillian's cave
Pittenweem Parish Church and Tolbooth Steeple
In the Middle Ages,
Pittenweem Priory
was a small
Augustinian
monastery linked to that on the
Isle of May
and built over the ancient sacred cave associated with
St Fillan
. The cave, which is fitted out as a chapel, was rededicated as a place of worship by the
Bishop of St. Andrews
in 1935.
[14]
[15]
Current denominations with churches include:
Church of Scotland
,
Catholic
,
Episcopalian
and
Baptist
. Other denominations have had churches or the equivalent, but these have been converted to other purposes. The Parish Church Hall, for example, was once "Pittenweem St. Fillan's".
[16]
The late 17th to early 18th centuries saw a number of notorious
witch-hunts
by the local minister.
Pittenweem Tolbooth
was used as the jail for some of the
Pittenweem witches
. Five women were severely beaten and one was murdered by a
lynch mob
.
[17]
Culture
[
edit
]
Artists studio at 2016 Pittenweem Arts Festival
In the late 1960s the local fishermen celebrated the re-opening of the re-designed harbour with a Gala Day, when the boats were
dressed overall
and people could take short trips on the boats. By the early 1980s, however, increasing regulation, higher fuel costs and a shrinking fleet were bringing this event to its knees. In its place in 1982 sprang up an Arts Festival,
[18]
which initially incorporated the Gala Day as its finale. The Arts Festival has moved on somewhat, however, becoming one of the best-loved art festivals in Scotland with an estimated 25,000 visitors in 2013.
[19]
Many artists have re-discovered the charms and the light of the area, which was always popular with itinerant and hobby artists, and have moved to the village, creating a vibrant artistic community.
[20]
Pittenweem had the first newspaper in the area, the
Pittenweem Register
(1844?56).
[21]
There is also a fairly well-known song, "Pittenweem Jo", written in 1960.
[22]
Much of the 1997 film
The Winter Guest
was filmed in the village.
[23]
Politics
[
edit
]
The local Member of the UK Parliament (representing
North East Fife
) is
Wendy Chamberlain
of the
Liberal Democrats
.
[24]
The local (representing
Fife North East
)
Member of the Scottish Parliament
(MSP) is
Willie Rennie
of the
Scottish Liberal Democrats
.
[25]
From 1885 to 1983, Pittenweem was part of the
East Fife Parliamentary constituency
, its most famous MP being
Prime Minister
H. H. Asquith
(Liberal) from 1886 to 1918.
[26]
Sport
[
edit
]
The local football team is Pittenweem Rovers AFC. The local rugby team is
Waid Academy FPRFC
.
[27]
Bus services
[
edit
]
Pittenweem is served by two main bus services operated by Stagecoach East Scotland. These are:
[28]
Notable people
[
edit
]
- John Douglas
(1721?1807), Anglican Bishop of Salisbury
[31]
- Sir Walter Watson Hughes
(1803?1887), public benefactor, founder of the
University of Adelaide
, South Australia
[32]
- Wallace Lindsay
(Wallace Martin Lindsay) (1858?1937), classical scholar, Professor of Humanity at
St Andrews University
, 1899 to 1937
[33]
- John Smith
(1770?1816), clockmaker
[34]
- Frederick Stewart,
Lord Pittenweem
(1591?1625), local aristocrat
[35]
- Ian Stewart
(1938?1985), musician
[36]
In popular culture
[
edit
]
British
power metal
band
Gloryhammer
have a song titled "Vorpal Laserblaster of Pittenweem" on their 2023 album
Return to the Kingdom of Fife
.
Gallery
[
edit
]
-
West Shore, Pittenweem from the West Braes showing skerries in the foreground, the old harbour in the mid-ground and the new harbour in the background. The
Isle of May
(or May Island) is on the horizon.
-
West Shore, Pittenweem from the West Braes
-
Pittenweem swimming pool looking towards St Monans with the Lady's Tower, Elie, in the distance
-
Pittenweem Harbour
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland"
.
National Records of Scotland
. 31 March 2022
. Retrieved
31 March
2022
.
- ^
"St Fillan's Cave"
.
Gazetteer for Scotland
. Retrieved
30 March
2023
.
- ^
"St Fillans Cave"
.
Welcome to Fife
. Retrieved
30 March
2023
.
- ^
Buildings of Scotland: Fife by John Gifford
- ^
"Pittenweem Burgh"
. Vision of Britain
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
"Pittenweem Breakwater"
. Codhead Bob
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
Logan, W. H. (2020).
A Pedlar's Pack of Ballads and Songs
. Salzwasser-Verlag GmbH. p. 448.
ISBN
978-3846050095
.
- ^
Morrow, Joseph (18 January 2016).
"full-grant.jpg"
.
Barony of Pittenweem
.
- ^
"Pittenweem"
.
Undiscovered Scotland
. 2016
. Retrieved
13 August
2016
.
- ^
Martin, Colin.
"The 18th century industrial landscape between St Monans and Pittenweem: a cartographic and archaeological study"
(PDF)
. Tayside and Fife Archaeological Committee
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
Historic Environment Scotland
.
"Pittenweem, Charles Street, Station (34251)"
.
Canmore
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
"St Monan's Geological Trail"
(PDF)
. University of St Andrews
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
"Corporation of The High School of Dundee, SC011522"
. Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
"St Fillan's Cave"
. BBC "Central and Fife"
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
Sharp, Mick,
The Way and the Light
, Aurum Press Ltd, 2000.
ISBN
1-85410-722-4
- ^
"Pittenweem St. Fillan's (now Parish Church Hall)"
. Scottish Churches
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
Harrower-Grey, Annette (April 2009),
"Walking with witches"
,
Scotland Magazine
, no. 44, p. 68,
archived
from the original on 2 February 2017
, retrieved
24 January
2017
- ^
Peebles, Cheryl (5 August 2016).
"Pittenweem art festival will draw thousands to East Neuk of Fife"
.
The Courier
. Retrieved
13 August
2016
.
- ^
Peebles, Cheryl (31 July 2013).
"Thousands expected at Pittenween Arts Festival"
.
The Courier
. Retrieved
13 August
2016
.
- ^
"Art Trail: Pittenweem Arts Festival"
.
Open House Art
. 2016
. Retrieved
13 August
2016
.
- ^
"The Pittenweem Register ? Local News, BMDs 1844-1856"
. Fife Family History Society
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
Buchan, Norman, ed. (1962).
101 Scottish Songs
. Collins. p. 88.
ISBN
9780008136611
.
- ^
"A Winter's Tale"
.
Herald Scotland
. 20 December 1997
. Retrieved
2 June
2023
.
- ^
"Election 2019: SNP's Stephen Gethins loses to Lib Dems in UK's narrowest marginal"
.
BBC News
. 13 December 2019.
Archived
from the original on 15 December 2019
. Retrieved
29 April
2020
.
- ^
Davidson, Peter (7 May 2021).
"Scottish Election 2021: Willie Rennie retains seat in North East Fife"
.
Daily Record
.
Archived
from the original on 11 September 2021
. Retrieved
11 September
2021
.
- ^
"The General Election",
The Times
, 9 July 1886, p. 10; and "The Election",
The Manchester Guardian
, 9 July 1886, p. 8.
- ^
"Waid Academy F.P. Sevens"
. Scottish Sevens
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
Bus list
- ^
Bus timetable
- ^
Bus timetable
- ^
"Douglas, John (1721?1807), bishop of Salisbury and writer"
.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
doi
:
10.1093/ref:odnb/7908
. Retrieved
27 November
2020
.
(Subscription or
UK public library membership
required.)
- ^
Serle, Percival
(1949).
"Hughes, Walter Watson"
.
Dictionary of Australian Biography
. Sydney:
Angus & Robertson
. Retrieved
17 February
2016
.
- ^
Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004).
"The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"
.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
(online ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/34547.
doi
:
10.1093/ref:odnb/34547
. Retrieved
9 November
2019
.
(Subscription or
UK public library membership
required.)
- ^
"Pedestal clock 1780 - 1800: John Smith of Pittenweem"
. Royal Trust Collection
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
"Lordship and Barony of Pittenweem"
.
Lordship & Barony of Pittenweem
. Retrieved
12 August
2022
.
- ^
Ian Stewart, Scotland on Sunday, 16 April 2004
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Pittenweem
.
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