Burntisland
Burntisland
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 A view across Burntisland |
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 Burntisland
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| Burntisland shown within Fife | |
| Population | 6,269 |
| OS grid reference | NT233859 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BURNTISLAND |
| Postcode district | KY3 |
| Dialling code | 01592 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Burntisland (/bɜːrntˈaɪlənd/ 
listen , Scots: Bruntisland) is a royal burgh and parish in Fife, Scotland, on the shore of the Firth of Forth. According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 6,269. The civil parish has a population of 6,383 (in 2011).
It is known locally for its sandy Blue Flag beach, the 15th-century Rossend Castle, and its traditional summer fair and Highland games day. To the north of the town a hill called the Binn is a landmark of the Fife coastline; a volcanic plug, it rises 193 m (632 ft) above sea level.
Early evidence of human activity in this area has been found in rock carvings on the Binn, thought to be about 4,000 years old. The Roman commander Agricola used the natural harbour and set up camp at the nearby Dunearn Hill in AD 83.
The earliest historical record of the town was in the 12th century, when the monks of Dunfermline Abbey owned the harbour and neighbouring lands. The settlement was known as Wester Kinghorn and developed as a fishing hamlet to provide food for the inhabitants of Rossend Castle. The harbour was then sold to James V by the abbots of Dunfermline Abbey in exchange for a parcel of land. The land was granted royal burgh status by James V in 1541. When the status was confirmed in 1586, the settlement gained independence from the barony of Kinghorn and was renamed Burntisland, possibly a nickname from the burning of fishermens' huts on an islet now incorporated into the docks.
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Wikipedia