Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dunfermline
POP 39,229
Historic, monastic Dunfermline is Fife's largest population centre, sprawling eastwards
through once-distinct villages. Its noble history is centred on evocative
Dunfermline Ab-
bey
(HS;
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
; St Margaret St; adult/child £3.70/2.20;
9.30am-5.30pm daily Apr-Sep, to 4.30pm Oct, 9.30am-4.30pm Sat-Wed Nov-Mar)
, foun-
ded by David I in the 12th century as a Benedictine monastery. Dunfermline was already
favoured by religious royals; Malcolm III married the exiled Saxon princess Margaret
here in the 11th century, and both chose to be interred here. There were many more royal
burials, none more notable than Robert the Bruce, whose remains were discovered here in
1818.
What's left of the abbey are the
ruins
of the impressive three-tiered refectory building,
and the atmosphere-laden nave of the church, endowed with geometrically patterned
columns and fine Romanesque and Gothic windows. It adjoins the 19th-century
church
(
May-Sep)
where Robert the Bruce lies under the ornate pulpit.
Next to the refectory (and included in your abbey admission price) is
Dunfermline
Palace
. Once the abbey guest house, it was converted for James VI, whose son, the ill-
fated Charles I, was born here in 1600. Below stretches the bosky, strollable
Pittencrieff
Park
.
The excellent
Abbot House Heritage Centre
(
www.abbothouse.co.uk
; Maygate; adult/
child £4/free; 9.30am-5pm Mon-Sat Mar-Oct, 10am-4pm Mon-Sat Nov-Feb)
, near the
abbey, dates from the 15th century. History buffs could get lost for hours among the ab-
sorbing displays about the history of Scotland, the abbey and Dunfermline. Entry includes
a guided tour.
Dunfermline is a culinary desert, but the good folk at
Fresh
(2 Kirkgate; light meals
£4-7; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, 10.30am-5pm Sun; )
, just up from the abbey, do decent
sandwiches and coffee, as well as tasty daily specials based on deli produce. There's also
wine, internet access, a gallery and book exchange.
There are frequent buses between Dunfermline and Edinburgh (£5.05, 40 minutes),
Stirling (£9.95, 1¼ hours) and St Andrews (£9.95, 1¼ hours), and trains to/from Edin-
burgh (30 minutes).
Aberdour
POP 1690
