Crail

Crail
Fife
Location
Grid reference:	NO613078
Location:	56°15’39"N, 2°37’35"W
Data
Population:	1,730  (2008 est.)
Post town:	Anstruther
Postcode:	KY10
Dialling code:	01333
Local Government
Council:	Fife
Parliamentary constituency:	North East Fife

Crail is a village and royal burgh in the East Neuk of Fife.

Built around a harbour, it has a particular wealth of vernacular buildings from the 17th to early 19th centuries, many restored by the National Trust for Scotland, and is a favourite subject for artists. The most notable building in the town is the 13th century parish church; one of the most beautiful ancient churches of the Church of Scotland.

Other historic buildings in Crail are the tollbooth, with a tower dating from about 1600, which stands on its own in the large marketplace, and the doo'cot (the Scots for dovecot) of the town's otherwise vanished Franciscan Friary.

Crail once had a royal castle above the harbour (perhaps this was the site of the 'fort'). The site is still visible as an open garden, but little or nothing of the structure survives above ground. A Victorian 'turret' jutting out from the garden wall recalls the Castle.

The Tolbooth in the centre of the town has a characteristic tower and a European style roof, similar to buildings in Holland. A fish makes up part of its quirky weathervane as a reference to an old local delicacy called 'Crail Capon', which was split, dried haddock. The European influence literally rings true in the old town hall: the bell in the tower was brought over from the Netherlands and is a permanent reminder of the town's links with the Dutch.

Parish kirk

The parish church was built in the 13th century. Though much altered, this is one of the most beautiful ancient churches of the Church of Scotland. It has a fine western tower with small spire, and a double arcade of round pillars of variegated red sandstone in the nave. The side walls were rebuilt in Regency times, and the large pointed windows, filled with panes of clear glass held by astragals rather than leads, allow light to flood into the interior.

The unaisled chancel, now housing a huge organ, has been shortened. The church retains some 17th century woodwork, and there is an early Christian cross-slab of unusual form (perhaps 10th century), formerly set in the floor, on display.

The large kirkyard surrounding the building has a fine collection of mural monuments dating from the late 16th century on.

History

Crail Tolbooth (L)

Crail probably dates from at least as far back as the Pictish period, as the place-name includes the Pictish/British language element caer, meaning "fort". There is a Dark Age cross-slab preserved in the parish kirk, itself dedicated to the early holy man St Maelrubha.

Crail East Neuk Burgh and became a Royal Burgh in the 12th century. Robert the Bruce granted permission to hold markets on a Sunday, in the Marketgait, where the Mercat Cross now stands in Crail. The decision caused outrage in the church and later at the Reformation John Knox delivered a sermon at Crail Parish Church in the Marketgait damning the fishermen of the East Neuk for working on a Sunday. Despite the protests, the markets were a huge success and were amongst the largest in Europe.

Carboniferous fossils

On the beach beside the harbour, there are fossilised trees related to Horsetails, dating back to the Carboniferous geological period.

Sport

The Crail Golfing Society is the seventh oldest in the world. Their oldest course, Balcomie, was formally laid out by Old Tom Morris himself in 1894, but competitions had been played there since the 1850s.

Despite the fact that the 'home' of golf is now Crail's neighbour, St Andrews, Crail was the first to have a golf course, so it may be the world's oldest course, if one discounts the tales of a related game played amongst the dunes of the Low Countries.

Aerodrome

Crail Aerodrome, to the north of the town, started life as a naval air station during the First World War. In the runup to the Second World War it became HMS Jackdaw. Planes from the airbase took part in the final attack on the Tirpitz in 1944. Polish soldiers stationed at Crail during the Second World War helped the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh to buy the disused United Presbyterian Church (built 1859) and in 1942 it had turned Turk to become Most Holy Trinity Church. The church has recently been renovated and contains an icon to "Our Lady of Poland" painted by one of the Polish soldiers.

After the war, the airbase was taken over by the Royal Navy and renamed HMS Bruce. After closure, the Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL) was based here in the 1950s. JSSL was founded in 1951 by the British armed services to provide language training, principally in Russian, and largely to selected conscripts undergoing National Service. It was initially based at three main sites near Bodmin, Caterham and Cambridge, run respectively by the Army, Navy and RAF. In 1956 the three were amalgamated at Crail. The school closed with the ending of conscription in 1960. It had many famous alumni.

The airfield site now is home to Crail Raceway. It hosts events every second Sunday of the month, and lets amateur drivers compete with their own adapted vehicles.

Gallery

• 
  Crail Harbour
• 
  House near the harbour
• 
  Crail Harbour
• 
  Viewing the harbour from above
• 
  Boats in Crail Harbour

Outside links

• The Golf Hotel
• Crail Museum & Heritage Centre
• Crail Golfing Society
• Crail Raceway
• The Crail Gallery
• The Jerdan Gallery