Common Rocks

A late 17th-century roofless doocot with a clear view of the nesting boxes, situated on the road between Aberdour and Burntisland.

With the island if Inch Colm in the middle of the photograph.

From above Aberdour.

Restored as the offices of The Hurd Rolland Partnership, Architects

Beside the dock.

A mock-mediaeval gateway built in the 19th century at the entrance to the drive leading to Rossend Castle. It has an archway for a horse-drawn carriage and a pedestrian archway on the right. The stretch of wall on the left was removed to create space for a second lane of the modern road.

The tower of Burntisland Kirk can be seen in the distance on the right.

The castle dates back to at least 1382 when it is recorded as the Tower of Kingorne-Waster (Kinghorn West). For most of its existence it was known as Burntisland Castle until a 19th-century owner changed its name. In the 1960s it faced the serious prospect of demolition, but was saved after a campaign spearheaded by the novelist Nigel Tranter and supported by all the various Scottish heritage organizations. Its future was finally secured in the 1970s when it was bought by the Hurd Rolland Partnership of architects who restored it as their offices. A curious story, which sounds like a tragi-comic episode straight out of Boccaccio's The Decameron, is associated with the castle. Mary, Queen of Scots, spent the night of the 14th February, 1562 in the castle when it was in the possession of her supporter, Kirkcaldy of Grange. A French poet by the name of Du Chatelard entered the castle by a secret wall staircase which led from one of the bedchambers down to the seashore. Repeating an offence he had committed some time earlier at Holyrood, he suddenly burst into the Queen's chamber as she retired to bed, causing her to scream for help. The 19thC historian James Tytler relates that, "Mary, glowing with indignation at the insult, commanded Moray, who first ran to her succour, to stab him with his dagger, but he preferred securing him to this summary vengeance, a formal trial followed, and the miserable man was condemned and executed within two days after his offence." His last words on the scaffold were reported as, "Farewell, thou who art so beautiful and so cruel, who killest me, and whom I cannot cease to love!" In the Civil War period, the castle was surrendered to Cromwell by the forces of the Covenant. On the 29th July 1651, he sent the following letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, "The greatest part of the army is in Fife; waiting what way God will farther lead us. It hath pleased God to give us in Burntisland; which is indeed very conducing to the carrying-on of our affairs. The town is well seated; pretty strong; but marvellous capable of further improvement in that respect, without great charge. The Harbour, at a high spring [tide], is near a fathom deeper than at Leith; and doth not be commanded by any ground without the Town. We took three or four small men-of-war in it, and I believe thirty or forty guns. Commissary-General Whalley marched along the sea-side in Fife, having some ships to go along the coast; and hath taken great store of great artillery and divers ships. The Enemy's affairs are in some discomposure, as we hear. Surely the Lord will blow upon them. 'I rest,' Your most humble servant, Oliver Cromwell."

The arms of the former owners, the Duries, showing two savages girded with laurels. Several members of the family were Abbots of Dunfermline.

One of the gunloops on the seaward south side of the castle.

Apparently used by tankers coming into the Braehead Oil Terminal. The new steps are part of the Fife Coastal Path heading east from Aberdour to Burntisland.

With one of the two navigation beacons for Braefoot behind.

Looking across Silversands Bay to the transmitter on The Binn, beyond Burntisland.

One of two to assist tankers heading for Braefoot Oil Terminal. With Edinburgh and Arthurs seat 14 km across the Firth of Forth.

With Inchkeith in the distance.

Silversands Bay at Aberdour.

Looking across the bay and The Heughs towards Burntisland and The Binn, with transmitter mast.