History in Auchtermuchty & Dunshalt

Auchtermuchty 

Pictish Auchtermuchty, once  the ‘high ground of the wild boar' was deemed important enough for Roman legionaries to build a 60 acre camp there circa 208-210AD. Artefacts found there in 1988 suggest the folk of Muchty used the Roman camp ditches as rubbish tips in medieval times.

In 1517 King James V granted Auchtermuchty a charter, which made it into a Royal Burgh with the usual privileges including the right to hold a market and an annual eight day fair. From this time the town began to expand with a development of wooden, stone and thatched cottages.

Macduff House, the town's oldest, stands on the west side of the main square. It dates from 1597 and still has original staircases and notable 18th century interior panelling. Legend has it that Lord Semphill was married to Mary Livingstone (one of Mary Queen of Scots' ladies) here.

Auchtermuchty Parish Church was built in 1779-81 and enlarged in 1838. In the 1790s the minister was still paid a stipend in measures of barley and oats as well as money. Auchtermuchty often had colourful ministers: James Bennett held the parish from 1615 -40 and was ‘gravelie rebuikit' as a ‘frequent hunter with dogs, ane player of cards, and a runner of horses upon courses'.

The Tollbooth dates from 1728 and its bell is said to be one of those acquired from Lindores Abbey after the Reformation.

Auchtermuchty Townhouse of 1728 stands in the High Street across from where the old mercat cross was sited, a place now marked by the war memorial of 1919-20.

Auchtermuchty is on record as having gone bankrupt in 1818 when creditors sold the assets of the burgh.

Once a place of linen handlooms (the last fell silent in 1914) with a flour, corn and lint mill and iron foundry, Auchtermuchty still reflects a core village which developed as a small 19th century industrial centre

Today Auchtermuchty is still associated with crow stepped gables, red pantiles, thatched roofs and bridges.

16th century Myres Castle just north of Auchtermuchty was built by John Scrymgeour in the estate given by James I to his English page Robert Croxwell for his faithful service. It was enlarged in 1822 and 1890 and restored in the 1960s. The castle is now let as exclusive accommodation.

Part of the old Myres estate now forms the village of Dunshalt.

More Auchtermuchty history

Dunshalt

Once called ‘Inschalt' the name ‘Dunshalt' (sometimes spelled ‘Dunshelt') is, according to legend, a corruption of the term ‘Dane's Hold' after a local encampment of invading Danes who were defeated at Falkland Moor. However according to local historian, Dr Simon Taylor of St Andrews University's Scottish Studies Institute, this is untrue. The name comes from the Gaelic, "dun" meaning a fortification, with the prehistoric fort still visible.

Formerly within the estate of Myres Castle, legend has it Mary Queen of Scots often passed through the village to rest at Myres during board hunts in the surrounding marshland.

Today Dunshalt resembles a nineteenth century weaver's village of whinstone cottages. During the 18th century the red pantiles used in ‘improving' the thatched cottages of Falkland were custom made in Dunshalt.

Extracts from ‘Villages of Fife', 2002, Raymond Lamont-Brown; ‘Fife in History & Legend', 2002, Raymond Lamont-Brown.