Pitbauchlie House Hotel

Find Local Knowledge in some old books

by scottishvisitor

Back in my college days I used to visit the Central Library frequently, in those far off days you couldn't buy study guides, this made the reference section a must for me. I was so often distracted by the many rare books on view here - not for reading but safely stored in glass cabinets. There is a copy of St. Margaret's Gospel the original can be found in the Bodleian Library Other rare books include a valuable collection of books by Robert Burns as well as a fairly large collection of donated books on local history of the town of Dunfermline. One of the important treasures on display is the Bassandyne Bible the first to be printed in Scotland. Even today when it's easy to visit a bookstore and buy books libraries are still providing knowledge - ah yes it pays to be well read.

peaceful park

by margaretvn

Take a walk through the beautiful Pittencrieff Park. This aprk was forbidden territory for the town's most well known resident - Andrew Carnegie during his youth. When he had made his fortune he bought the entire Pittencrieff estate and gave it to the people of Dunfemline. It is an oasis of calm and a dear place in my childhood memories I walked there often with my grandmother.

A Place for Peace and Tranquility

by scottishvisitor

I love nature and natural surroundings where else could I lose my self in quiet contemplation but in the leafy and romantic Dunfermline Glen. As a child I would plead to wander alone here without the annoyance of Sisters, sometimes my Dad and I would wander the glen together, we both shared a love of plants and nature. Later in my teenage years I would come here with my boyfriend we would stay here until we heard the park whistle, this told us the gates would close in fifteen minutes. On my recent visit we were back walking the glen's winding paths listening to the birds busy with early Spring preparation. The trees were still bare except of course for the evergreens, the squirrels had awakened and were cavourting around merrily the little water fall with its water sparkling in the Spring sunshine was a joy. The little glen is still a peaceful and beautiful place at any time of year my memories came flooding back to reality.

Dunfermline - former seat of Scotland's kings

by rsean

"Cultural vandalism"

During the 11th Century Dunfermline was the capital of Scotland. Malcolm Canmore, one of Scotland's famous Kings married Margaret, a Saxon princess in 1070 AD. Margaret was a very pious woman. She founded the monastery at Dunfermline and was responsible for creating the ferry across the Firth of Forth to allow pilgrims to shorten their journey to St Andrews.

Whilst alive Margaret prayed in a little cave beside the river that flows through Dunfermline. After she died Margaret became a saint, much loved in Scotland. The cave she had prayed in became known as St. Margaret's cave and it remained an important place of pilgrimage in Scotland for a thousand years.

In the 1970s the local council in Dunfermline decided to fill in the ravine above the cave to create a flat space for a car park. The area above and around the cave was covered in thousands of tons of rubble.

To allow pilgrims to reach the cave a concrete tunnel was constructed. It now goes down deep under the car park to the small cave where a fibreglass statue of St Margaret kneels praying. This is a bizarre sight and perhaps one of the worst examples of cultural vandalism in Europe.

"Biba the pious"

A Croatian friend, Biba from Zagreb in St. Margaret's cave, Dunfermline.

"King Robert the Bruce's tomb"

King Robert the Bruce, Scotland's most famous medieval King is buried in Dunfermline Abbey church. The square steeple of the church is adorned with carved stone spelling out "King Robert The Bruce".

near my grandparents

by margaretvn

My grandparents used to live near this city and so I visted it often. I remember when i was small my granny taking us to the park and nipping little bits off the bushes in the park and rooting them at home for her own garden. She was always successful with it - but I never am!