Pittenweem

Pittenweem
Fife
Pittenweem
Location
Grid reference:	NO549026
Location:	56°12’51"N, 2°43’43"W
Data
Population:	1,747  (2001)
Post town:	Kirkcaldy
Postcode:	K10
Dialling code:	01333
Local Government
Council:	Fife
Parliamentary constituency:	North East Fife

Pittenweem is a small and secluded fishing village tucked in the corner of Fife. According to the 2006 estimate, the village has a population of 1,600.

The name appears to derive from Pictish and Gaelic: "Pit-" represents Pictish pett 'place, portion of land', and "-enweem" is the Gaelic na h-Uaimh, meaning 'of the Caves', so "The Place of the Caves". The name is rendered Baile na h-Uaimh in modern Gaelic (baile means 'town', in place of the Pictish original prefix. The cave in question is almost certainly St Fillan's cave, although there are many indentations along the rocky shores that could have influenced the name.

History

Pittenweem is a royal burgh, awarded the status by King James V in 1541. Founded as a fishing village around a probably early Christian monastic settlement, it grew along the shoreline from the west where the sheltered beaches provided safe places for fishermen to draw their boats up out of the water.

In due course 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, providing a means for larger vessels to use the port.

A new breakwater further to the east has been developed over the years into a deep, safe harbour with a covered fish market. As the herring disappeared from local waters and the fishing fleet shrank, this harbour and attendant facilities led Pittenweem to become the main harbour for the fishermen of the East Neuk of Fife.

White houses with red roofs are the classic East Neuk building style, influenced by trade with the Low Countries. The East Neuk offered natural trading ports for Dutch and Flemish captains as they sailed up past the east coast of Great Britain. These ships brought red pantiles as ballast and the locals soon found them to be excellent roofing material. It is just possible to make out the "crow step" (or in Scots corbie-steppit) gable, where the gable ends rise in steps rather than the more normal smooth angled line - an architectural feature imported from the Low Countries. These and other vernacular features are common throughout the small town, which has one of Scotland's best-preserved and most attractive townscapes, with many historic buildings (some restored by the National Trust for Scotland). The 'organic' layout of the town centre, which grew up piecemeal over several centuries, with numerous winding streets and alleys, is one of its particular charms. Few towns have so well preserved their ancient character.

At the shore end of the outer harbour wall, some of the paving stones have numbers engraved in them. The numbers are now randomly scattered, but once were vital to the smooth operation of the fish market. Before the pier was re-surfaced, the stones were placed in numerical order at the quayside running outwards from the shore. The first fishing boat to return with its catch placed its haul alongside stone number one, the second boat at stone two and so on. When the market opened, the fish was sold in strict order of landing.

In 1779 John Paul Jones, who founded the American 'Continental Navy' during the rebellion of the Thirteen Colonies, anchored half-a-mile off Pittenweem in the Bonhomme Richard. Though he bombarded Anstruther along the coast, Jones did not attack Pittenweem, but did make off with the town's pilot who had sailed out to meet Jones's squadron.

There was a feudal Barony of Pittenweem,which became extinct on the death of the last baron in 2011.

Industry

Pittenweem is currently the most active of the fishing ports in the East Neuk coast of Fife. Other primary industries are farming, tourism and, recently, arts and crafts.

In former times, Pittenweem had two coal mines, one inland at Easter Grangemuir, the other at Pathhead, on the coast between Pittenweem and St Monans. A spin-off from the Pathhead mine was salt production. Receptacles below the tideline collected water that could be pumped up to salt-pans, the pans then being heated by coal fires fed from the mine to extract the salt. Evidence of the ash produced can still be seen on the coast.

Geology / Geography

The village sits astride a raised beach, with the lower part of the village housing the harbour and the older houses, and the upper part having the main shopping area, churches, school and more recent housing.

Churches

Parish Church and Tolbooth

The present Church of Scotland parish kirk is on the site of the old priory church. Much of the fortified east gatehouse of the priory survives (15th century), as does the 'Great House', one of Scotland's best-preserved late mediæval houses, which may have served as accommodation for the prior and monks.

There are many churches in the village. Current denominations with churches include:

• Church of Scotland
• Episcopalian
• Baptist
• Roman Catholic

Other denominations have had churches or the equivalent, but these have been converted to other purposes. The "Church of Scotland" Church Hall, for example, was once the "Free Church of Scotland" kirk.

History

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, recently fitted out as a chapel, is situated in Cove Wynd (leading from the High Street down to the harbour) and is open to the public with the key available locally from the Cocoa Tree café. From this rough dwelling St Fillan is said to have converted the local Pictish population. The cave was re-discovered around 1900 when a horse ploughing in the priory garden fell down a hole into it. The cave has flat rocks that are presumed to be 'beds' and a small spring at the rear which the monks claimed sprang with "holy water". St Fillan's Cave was also used as prison for witches during the witch hunts of the 17-18th centuries.

A shrine was dedicated to St Adrian on the Isle of May. It is said that St Adrian's men undertook the first harbour improvements, laying the foundation for the fishing industry, but no evidence for this currently exists.

The late 17th to early 18th centuries saw a number of notorious witch-hunts by the local minster. The town at this time had become bogged down in debt and this was used as an excuse to seize the assets of some local women in order to alleviate money problems. The Church of Scotland building at the top of the High Street adjoined the Tolbooth which was used as the jail for the accused females and the door to the cells can still be seen. It is the studded door at the bottom of the tower.

Culture

In the late 1960s the fishermen of the area celebrated the re-opening of the re-designed harbour with a Gala Day, where the boats were dressed overall and people could have 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 sprang up an Arts Festival, which initially incorporated the Gala Day as its finale. The Arts Festival has moved on somewhat, however, becoming one of the best respected in Scotland. Many artists have rediscovered 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.

The village is home to a number of members of the Fence Collective; as well as the Scottish Collection of Art Extraordinary Gallery belonging to The Art Extraordinary Trust. Art Extraordinary (also known as Art Brut or outsider Art) arises from a powerful compulsion to create an inner personal vision.

Pittenweem had the first newspaper in the area - the Pittenweem Register (1844–52?). It caused a great stir in the town when the London daily newspapers contained extracts from the Register's eighth edition.

There is also a fairly well-known song, "Pittenweem Jo", written in 1960.

Sport

• Football: Pittenweem Rovers AFC
• Rugby: Waid Academy FPRFC

Pictures

• 
  West Shore, Pittenweem from the West Braes and the Isle of May on the horizon
• 
  West Shore, Pittenweem from the West Braes
• 
  Pittenweem swimming pool looking towards St Monans
• 
  Pittenweem Harbour