Pittenweem
Pittenweem
| |
|---|---|
 Pittenweem | |
  Pittenweem Location withinFife | |
| Population | 1,450 (2022)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NO5402 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ANSTRUTHER |
| Postcode district | KY10 |
| Dialling code | 01333 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Pittenweem(/ˌpɪtənˈwiːm/) is afishing villageandcivil parishinFife,on the east coast of Scotland. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 1,747.
Etymology
[edit]The name derives fromPictishandScottish Gaelic."Pit-" representsPictishpett'place, portion of land', and "-enweem" isGaelicna h-Uaimh,'of the Caves' in Gaelic, so "The Place of the Caves", named afterSt Fillan'scave.[2][3]The name is renderedBaile na h-Uaimhin modernGaelic,withbaile,'town, settlement', substituted for the Pictish prefix.
History
[edit]The settlement has existed as a fishing village since early medieval times. The oldest structure,St. Fillan's Cave, dates from the 7th century. An Augustinian priory moved here from theIsle of Mayin the 13th century, but there was already a church at that time.Pittenweem Parish Church(which is attached to the local tolbooth) has a Norman doorway dating to before 1200. The gatehouse to the east is 15th century. The priory dormitory and refectory was remodelled post-Reformation (1588) to give a new function as a manse. This building was later named the "Great House".[4]
Until 1975 Pittenweem was aroyal burgh,having been awarded the status by KingJames V(1513–42) in 1541.[5]
Founded as a fishing village around a probably early Christian religious settlement, it grew along the shoreline from the west where the sheltered beaches were safe places for fishermen to draw their boats up out of the water. Later a breakwater was built, extending out from one of the rocky skerries that jut out south-west into theFirth of Forthlike fingers. This allowed boats to rest at anchor rather than being beached, enabling larger vessels to use the port. A new breakwater further to the east was developed over the years into a deep, safe harbour.[6]
In 1779John Paul Jones(founder of the American Navy) anchored half-a-mile off Pittenweem in theUSSBonhomme Richard.[7]
There is a feudalLordship and Barony of Pittenweemcreated by James VI for Frederick Stewart in 1609. It was held by the Earls of Kellie until it passed to Sir John Anstruther and then to the Bairds of Elie. The current Lord Baron is Claes Zangenberg.[8]
Industry
[edit]Pittenweem is currently the most active of thefishing portsin theEast Neuk coast of Fife.[9]In the 18th century, Pittenweem had a series of coal mines on the coast between Pittenweem andSt Monans.[10]
At one time the village was served by theFife Coast Railway.[11]
Geography
[edit]The village sits astride a raised beach.[12]
Education
[edit]Pittenweem Primary School is a traditional village school with its own playing fields on the northern side of the older part of the village. It caters for children aged 4/5 to 11/12. Secondary education (up to ages 16, 17 or 18 depending on educational ambitions) is provided atWaid Academyin the neighbouring town ofAnstruther.The nearest private educational institution isSt Leonards SchoolinSt Andrews,or theHigh School of Dundee.[13]
Religion
[edit]
In the Middle Ages,Pittenweem Priorywas a smallAugustinianmonastery linked to that on theIsle of Mayand built over the ancient sacred cave associated withSt Fillan.The cave, which is fitted out as a chapel, was rededicated as a place of worship by theBishop of St. Andrewsin 1935.[14][15]
Current denominations with churches include:Church of Scotland,Catholic,EpiscopalianandBaptist.Other denominations have had churches or the equivalent, but these have been converted to other purposes. The Parish Church Hall, for example, was once "Pittenweem St. Fillan's".[16]
The late 17th to early 18th centuries saw a number of notoriouswitch-huntsby the local minister.Pittenweem Tolboothwas used as the jail for some of thePittenweem witches.Five women were severely beaten and one was murdered by alynch mob.[17]
Culture
[edit]
In the late 1960s the local fishermen celebrated the re-opening of the re-designed harbour with a Gala Day, when the boats weredressed overalland people could take 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 in 1982 sprang up an Arts Festival,[18]which initially incorporated the Gala Day as its finale. The Arts Festival has moved on somewhat, however, becoming one of the best-loved art festivals in Scotland with an estimated 25,000 visitors in 2013.[19]Many artists have re-discovered 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.[20]
Pittenweem had the first newspaper in the area, thePittenweem Register(1844–56).[21]
There is also a fairly well-known song, "Pittenweem Jo", written in 1960.[22]
Much of the 1997 filmThe Winter Guestwas filmed in the village.[23]
Politics
[edit]The local Member of the UK Parliament (representingNorth East Fife) isWendy Chamberlainof theLiberal Democrats.[24]
The local (representingFife North East)Member of the Scottish Parliament(MSP) isWillie Rennieof theScottish Liberal Democrats.[25]
From 1885 to 1983, Pittenweem was part of theEast Fife Parliamentary constituency,its most famous MP beingPrime MinisterH. H. Asquith(Liberal) from 1886 to 1918.[26]
Sport
[edit]The local football team is Pittenweem Rovers AFC. The local rugby team isWaid Academy FPRFC.[27]
Bus services
[edit]Pittenweem is served by two main bus services operated by Stagecoach East Scotland. These are:[28]
- 95 fromLeventoSt AndrewsviaAnstrutherandCrail[29]
- X60 fromEdinburghtoSt AndrewsviaKirkcaldy,LevenandAnstruther[30]
Notable people
[edit]- John Douglas(1721–1807), Anglican Bishop of Salisbury[31]
- Sir Walter Watson Hughes(1803–1887), public benefactor, founder of theUniversity of Adelaide,South Australia[32]
- Wallace Lindsay(Wallace Martin Lindsay) (1858–1937), classical scholar, Professor of Humanity atSt Andrews University,1899 to 1937[33]
- John Smith(1770–1816), clockmaker[34]
- Frederick Stewart,Lord Pittenweem(1591–1625), local aristocrat[35]
- Ian Stewart(1938–1985), musician[36]
In popular culture
[edit]Britishpower metalbandGloryhammerhave a song titled "Vorpal Laserblaster of Pittenweem" on their 2023 albumReturn to the Kingdom of Fife.
Gallery
[edit]-
West Shore, Pittenweem from the West Braes showing skerries in the foreground, the old harbour in the mid-ground and the new harbour in the background. TheIsle of May(or May Island) is on the horizon. -
West Shore, Pittenweem from the West Braes -
Pittenweem swimming pool looking towards St Monans with the Lady's Tower, Elie, in the distance -
Pittenweem Harbour
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland".National Records of Scotland.31 March 2022.Retrieved31 March2022.
- ^"St Fillan's Cave".Gazetteer for Scotland.Retrieved30 March2023.
- ^"St Fillans Cave".Welcome to Fife.Retrieved30 March2023.
- ^Buildings of Scotland: Fife by John Gifford
- ^"Pittenweem Burgh".Vision of Britain.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^"Pittenweem Breakwater".Codhead Bob.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^Logan, W. H. (2020).A Pedlar's Pack of Ballads and Songs.Salzwasser-Verlag GmbH. p. 448.ISBN978-3846050095.
- ^Morrow, Joseph (18 January 2016)."full-grant.jpg".Barony of Pittenweem.
- ^"Pittenweem".Undiscovered Scotland.2016.Retrieved13 August2016.
- ^Martin, Colin."The 18th century industrial landscape between St Monans and Pittenweem: a cartographic and archaeological study"(PDF).Tayside and Fife Archaeological Committee.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^Historic Environment Scotland."Pittenweem, Charles Street, Station (34251)".Canmore.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^"St Monan's Geological Trail"(PDF).University of St Andrews.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^"Corporation of The High School of Dundee, SC011522".Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^"St Fillan's Cave".BBC "Central and Fife".Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^Sharp, Mick,The Way and the Light,Aurum Press Ltd, 2000.ISBN1-85410-722-4
- ^"Pittenweem St. Fillan's (now Parish Church Hall)".Scottish Churches.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^Harrower-Grey, Annette (April 2009),"Walking with witches",Scotland Magazine,no. 44, p. 68,archivedfrom the original on 2 February 2017,retrieved24 January2017
- ^Peebles, Cheryl (5 August 2016)."Pittenweem art festival will draw thousands to East Neuk of Fife".The Courier.Retrieved13 August2016.
- ^Peebles, Cheryl (31 July 2013)."Thousands expected at Pittenween Arts Festival".The Courier.Retrieved13 August2016.
- ^"Art Trail: Pittenweem Arts Festival".Open House Art.2016.Retrieved13 August2016.
- ^"The Pittenweem Register – Local News, BMDs 1844-1856".Fife Family History Society.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^Buchan, Norman, ed. (1962).101 Scottish Songs.Collins. p. 88.ISBN9780008136611.
- ^"A Winter's Tale".Herald Scotland.20 December 1997.Retrieved2 June2023.
- ^"Election 2019: SNP's Stephen Gethins loses to Lib Dems in UK's narrowest marginal".BBC News.13 December 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 15 December 2019.Retrieved29 April2020.
- ^Davidson, Peter (7 May 2021)."Scottish Election 2021: Willie Rennie retains seat in North East Fife".Daily Record.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2021.Retrieved11 September2021.
- ^"The General Election",The Times,9 July 1886, p. 10; and "The Election",The Manchester Guardian,9 July 1886, p. 8.
- ^"Waid Academy F.P. Sevens".Scottish Sevens.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^Bus list
- ^Bus timetable
- ^Bus timetable
- ^"Douglas, John (1721–1807), bishop of Salisbury and writer".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7908.Retrieved27 November2020.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^Serle, Percival(1949)."Hughes, Walter Watson".Dictionary of Australian Biography.Sydney:Angus & Robertson.Retrieved17 February2016.
- ^Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004)."The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/34547.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/34547.Retrieved9 November2019.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^"Pedestal clock 1780 - 1800: John Smith of Pittenweem".Royal Trust Collection.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^"Lordship and Barony of Pittenweem".Lordship & Barony of Pittenweem.Retrieved12 August2022.
- ^Ian Stewart, Scotland on Sunday, 16 April 2004
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