FIFESHIRE

FIFESHIRE, a county of Scotland, lying between the friths of Tay and Forth; bounded on the north and north-east by the frith of Tay, which divides it from Perth and Angus; on the south by the frith of Forth, which separates it from the Lothians; the German ocean bounds it on the east; and on the west it borders with the counties of Perth and Kinross, and a small corner of Clackmannan. It extends about 60 miles in length from Culross to Fife Ness, and is about 18 in breadth; comprehending a superficies of nearly 480 square miles. The face of the country is agreeably diversified; towards the west it is mountainous, and a ridge of hills extends eastward almost its whole length, occupying the central district; towards the north and south the surface gradually descends to the friths, exhibiting the most beautiful and enlivening prospect of fertile and well-cultivated fields. It is watered by several streams, none of which deserve the name of rivers, except the Eden and Leven; the former empties itself into the ocean at St. Andrews, and the latter at the village of Leven: both these rivers abound with trout and salmon; and on no coast of Scotland is the white fishing more productive than on the Fife coast. From its situation, it appears to have been very early inhabited; the fishings, coal-mines, harbours, and other advantages for navigation, attracted settlers, and the coast was first peopled and best cultivated: this appears

to have been the case, when King James VI. compared the county to a gray mantle with a gold fringe. The whole coast is covered with small burghs, which that monarch regarded with particular attention, and very early in his reign endeavoured to render them subservient to his wishes, of raising Scotland high in the world as a commercial nation; he granted them many privileges and immunities, and encouraged the inhabitants by every means in his power, to prosecute the advantages which, by their local situation, they possessed; indeed, the municipal privileges which they received from that monarch, though rendered unimportant by the union with England, will long remain a monument of his political sagacity and discernment. The county can boast of possessing several ancient seats of royalty: at Dunfermline, at Falkland, at Kinghorn, and at St. Andrews, vestiges of royal splendour are still to be seen. It contains 13 royal boroughs, which possess parliamentary representation, and several which have lost that privilege from their being unable to defray the expence which attended the sending a commissioner to the Scottish parliament. To the county also belong the small island of May, on which there is a lighthouse, and Inchgarvie. Fifehire is divided into 60 parishes, and contains, by the enumeration in 1801, 93,743 inhabitants, being nearly 196 to the square mile; a much greater proportion than is to be found in any other county in Scotland. It was anciently an earldom in the Macduff family, created by Malcolm III. for the services performed by the thane of Fife, in restoring him to the throne of Scotland, when usurped by Macbeth. That title having expired, it was lately revived in the Duffs of Braco, lateral descendants of the ancient family: the ruins of the residences of that powerful nobleman are still evident in many parts of the county. The whole of the south side lies upon coal, and many pits are wrought on every part of the coast: in many places is excellent limestone; and some marl is found in the county. Ironstone, of excellent quality, is found in the western and middle quarters, and much is forged in the county, or exported to the Carron works. Lead ore is found in the Eastern Lomond, one of the two conical hills which rise nearly in the middle of the county, and are seen at a great distance: in Kembach parish also lead ore has been wrought. The county of Fife sends one member to parliament. Cupar is the county town.

The following account of the population of Fifehire at two different periods, is taken from the Statist. Hist. of Scotland.