Cults
Cults is a small parish in the centre of the county of Fife. It lies mainly in "the Howe of Fife", about 4½ miles south-west of Cupar. The parish is about 2⅓ miles long and 1⅓ miles wide and contains the village of Pitlessie. It is bounded to the east by Ceres; to the north by Cupar and Monimail; to the north-west by Collessie; and to the south-west by Kettle. It had a population of 458 in 2011.
The name is mentioned in ancient documents as 'Quilts' or 'Quilques', and is of Celtic origin. It is supposed to be descriptive of its situation. The only archaeological site of any importance seems to be a fort on the western slope of Walton Hill.[1]
Cults' greatest son was Sir David Wilkie (1785–1841) born in Cults Church manse. His father was parish minister, and while Wilkie lived at Cults, characters in the parish served as models for his paintings 'Pitlessie Fair' (1804) and the 'Village Politicians' (1806).[2] The church was built in 1793 and contains a handsome monument in marble, by Chantrey, erected by Wilkie in memory of his parents[3] and another to his memory, erected by his sister in 1844.
References
- ↑ Cf. the 1861 Parochial Directory for Fife and Kinross. Available http://www.fifefhs.org/Records/Directory/cults.htm Accessed 2012-03-10
- ↑ Edward Pinnington, Sir David Wilkie and the Scots School of Painters, (Edinburgh: Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, "Famous Scots Series", 1900), Ch. V, pp. 33-37.
- ↑ Cf. Francis Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4). Available at http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/place_page.jsp?p_id=16489 (See also the Gazetteer of Scotland website http://www.gazetteerofscotland.org.uk/) Accessed 2012-03-10
Outside links
- Location map: 56°16’5"N, 3°2’46"W
- 'Vision of Britain' website for a map of the Cults area. Retrieved 2012-02-27.
