127-524: Inverkeithing ( / ɪ n v ər ˈ k iː ð ɪ ŋ / ; Scottish Gaelic : Inbhir Chèitinn ) is a coastal town, parish and historic Royal burgh in Fife , Scotland . The town lies on the north shore of the Firth of Forth , 9.5 miles northwest of Edinburgh city centre and 4 miles south of Dunfermline . A town of ancient origin, Inverkeithing became an important centre of trade and pilgrimage during
254-592: A conservation area , home to 41 listed historic buildings including the best-preserved medieval friary in Scotland and one of the finest examples of a medieval Mercat Cross . Inverkeithing features on the Fife Coastal Path , one of Scotland's Great Trails , and the Fife Pilgrim Way . Inverkeithing railway station is a main stop for trains running over the nearby Forth Rail Bridge , and
381-399: A "mean, miserable, paultry town, teaching us what to expect from its neighbouring villages". At the time, the parish had a population of over 2,200, and industry had become both smaller in scale and more diverse. Lead and coal were mined, with coal being exported in substantial quantities. There was an iron foundry and, by the late 18th century, the town had a brewery, tan works , soap works,
508-442: A 19% fall in bilingual speakers between the 1911 and 1921 Censuses. Michelle MacLeod of Aberdeen University has said that there was no other period with such a high fall in the number of monolingual Gaelic speakers: "Gaelic speakers became increasingly the exception from that point forward with bilingualism replacing monolingualism as the norm for Gaelic speakers." The Linguistic Survey of Scotland (1949–1997) surveyed both
635-458: A 20th century metal footbridge. Inverkeithing Railway Station dates from 1877, and was significantly expanded in 1890 as a dual track railway following the completion of the nearby Forth Rail Bridge. The East Block is original, and now forms a large waiting block, and is category B listed by Historic Scotland. Part of the Railway's infrastructure includes tunnelling under Boreland Road Bridge at
762-508: A Pictish substrate. In 1018, after the conquest of Lothian (theretofore part of England and inhabited predominantly by speakers of Northumbrian Old English ) by the Kingdom of Scotland , Gaelic reached its social, cultural, political, and geographic zenith. Colloquial speech in Scotland had been developing independently of that in Ireland since the eighth century. For the first time,
889-524: A central feature of court life there. The semi-independent Lordship of the Isles in the Hebrides and western coastal mainland remained thoroughly Gaelic since the language's recovery there in the 12th century, providing a political foundation for cultural prestige down to the end of the 15th century. By the mid-14th century what eventually came to be called Scots (at that time termed Inglis ) emerged as
1016-823: A challenge to revitalization efforts which occur outside the home. Positive engagements between language learners and native speakers of Gaelic through mentorship has proven to be productive in socializing new learners into fluency. In the 2022 census, 3,551 people claimed Gaelic as their 'main language.' Of these, 1,761 (49.6%) were in Na h-Eileanan Siar, 682 (19.2%) were in Highland, 369 were in Glasgow City and 120 were in City of Edinburgh; no other council area had as many as 80 such respondents. Gaelic has long suffered from its lack of use in educational and administrative contexts and
1143-468: A church in Inverkeithing in the 5th century, but he might be identical to a "St Theriot" venerated in nearby Fordell, who is thought to have lived in the 8th century. Because the first written references to St Erat come from the 16th century, they do not provide hard evidence for Inverkeithing's early history, or even for the existence of the saint. Inverkeithing is first documented in 1114, when it
1270-404: A commemorative plaque indicate that Livingstone occasionally stayed at the cottage, including after his first return to Britain during 1856/57; he also may have built the summerhouse. Today the cottage is a category-C Listed building. St. Peter's Episcopal Church , dated 1908, is a classic example of Edwardian church design, built to accommodate the growing number of episcopal residents following
1397-630: A connection with Inverkeithing. Throughout much of the Middle Ages, Inverkeithing was an important resting place and staging post for pilgrims . Travelers on their way to the shrines of Saint Margaret in Dunfermline and Saint Andrew in St Andrews would often stop in the town after crossing the Firth of Forth via the Queen's Ferry . A hostel for pilgrims in Inverkeithing is documented as
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#17327730029591524-551: A dialect known as Canadian Gaelic has been spoken in Canada since the 18th century. In the 2021 census , 2,170 Canadian residents claimed knowledge of Scottish Gaelic, a decline from 3,980 speakers in the 2016 census . There exists a particular concentration of speakers in Nova Scotia , with historic communities in other parts of Canada having largely disappeared. Scottish Gaelic is classed as an indigenous language under
1651-586: A former estate associated with the Moneypenny family. On the southern bank of the river Tay between the historic rail bridge , scene of one of the greatest rail disasters in Britain and the 1960s road bridge, lies the historic town of Newport. Here you will pass the ferry terminal built by Telford , before passing the historic posting house building (built 1806), which now houses the Tatha gallery, named after
1778-489: A full range of language skills: speaking, understanding, reading and writing Gaelic. 40.2% of Scotland's Gaelic speakers said that they used Gaelic at home. To put this in context, the most common language spoken at home in Scotland after English and Scots is Polish, with about 1.1% of the population, or 54,000 people. The 2011 UK Census showed a total of 57,375 Gaelic speakers in Scotland (1.1% of population over three years old), of whom only 32,400 could also read and write
1905-586: A language ideology at odds with revitalization efforts on behalf of new speakers, state policies (such as the Gaelic Language Act), and family members reclaiming their lost mother tongue. New learners of Gaelic often have a positive affective stance to their language learning, and connect this learning journey towards Gaelic language revitalization. The mismatch of these language ideologies, and differences in affective stance, has led to fewer speaking opportunities for adult language learners and therefore
2032-550: A mark of 15 hours and 10 minutes running continuously in stages along the 187-km length, starting at Kincardine at 3am and finishing in Newburgh at 6.10pm. This mark has subsequently been ratified by the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust. On the evening of Friday 4 September 2020, at 11.12pm, Carnethy Hill Racing Club member, Nicola Duncan, ( Edinburgh based but originally from Galway , Ireland) set off from Kincardine to run
2159-805: A national centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, based in Sleat , on the Isle of Skye . This institution is the only source for higher education which is conducted entirely in Scottish Gaelic. They offer courses for Gaelic learners from beginners into fluency. They also offer regular bachelors and graduate programs delivered entirely in Gaelic. Concerns have been raised around the fluency achieved by learners within these language programs because they are disconnected from vernacular speech communities. In regard to language revitalization planning efforts, many feel that
2286-502: A possession of Dryburgh Abbey as early as 1196. A Franciscan friary was established in Inverkeithing in the mid-14th century, which was also intended to serve religious travelers. It is one of the few remnants of a house of the Greyfriars to have survived in Scotland. Due to Inverkeithing's importance for medieval pilgrims, it is one of the towns along the Fife Pilgrim Way established in 2019. In 1487, an Act of Parliament during
2413-549: A process of Gaelicisation (which may have begun generations earlier) was clearly under way during the reigns of Caustantín and his successors. By a certain point, probably during the 11th century, all the inhabitants of Alba had become fully Gaelicised Scots, and Pictish identity was forgotten. Bilingualism in Pictish and Gaelic, prior to the former's extinction, led to the presence of Pictish loanwords in Gaelic and syntactic influence which could be considered to constitute
2540-610: A proportion of Gaelic speakers greater than 65% (the highest value is in Barvas , Lewis , with 64.1%). In addition, no civil parish on mainland Scotland has a proportion of Gaelic speakers greater than 20% (the highest is in Ardnamurchan , Highland , with 19.3%). Out of a total of 871 civil parishes in Scotland, the proportion of Gaelic speakers exceeds 50% in seven parishes, 25% in 14 parishes, and 10% in 35 parishes. Decline in traditional areas has recently been balanced by growth in
2667-709: A raised terrace sloping down towards Inverkeithing Bay, which cuts in to the south of the town, separating it from the North Queensferry peninsula. There are views from the town centre across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh, Arthur's Seat , and the Pentland Hills . The town is bounded to the south by the North Queensferry peninsula and to the east by Inverkeithing Bay and Letham Hill. Its medieval centre lay along High Street and Church Street, but
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#17327730029592794-543: A royal gift to the parish church, Inverkeithing being a favourite residence of Queen Anabella. Most of the interior visible today was designed by Peter MacGregor Chalmers and dates from 1900. Notable ministers include Robert Roche ( Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1613) and witch hunter Walter Bruce, who served the unique church role of 'Constant Moderator' from 1662 until 1673. On
2921-493: A salt pan and timber works. A whisky distillery, using the water of Keithing Burn, was opened in 1795, and operated until the mid-19th century. Its buildings, near the railway line in Keith Place, were later used for oil works. The importance of fishing declined in line with increasing industrialisation and, by 1891, Inverkeithing only had 14 resident fishermen. In 1821, merchant and politician Sir Robert Preston directed
3048-553: A short ( c . 0.5 km) optional section known as the Elie Chain Walk , between Kincraig Point and Earlsferry to the west of Elie. This route, which should only be used during low tides, has chains fixed to the cliffs and rocks of the shore to assist progress, and is sometimes referred to as Scotland’s secret via ferrata . At times, short vertical climbs are necessary, although most of the chains are positioned to provide support while walking. The chains were first installed in
3175-536: A situation where new learners struggle to find opportunities to speak Gaelic with fluent speakers. Affect is the way people feel about something, or the emotional response to a particular situation or experience. For Gaelic speakers, there is a conditioned and socialized negative affect through a long history of negative Scottish media portrayal and public disrespect, state mandated restrictions on Gaelic usage, and highland clearances . This negative affect towards speaking openly with non-native Gaelic speakers has led to
3302-412: A town of this size; the much larger Kirkcaldy only saw 18 executions in the same period. The reason is believed to be a combination of cholera outbreaks, famine, and the appointment of Rev. Walter Bruce —a known witch hunter —as minister of St Peter's. Bruce also played a pivotal role in initiating the so-called Great Scottish witch hunt of 1649–50 . The executions were carried out at Witch Knowe to
3429-625: A translation of the New Testament. In 1798, four tracts in Gaelic were published by the Society for Propagating the Gospel at Home, with 5,000 copies of each printed. Other publications followed, with a full Gaelic Bible in 1801. The influential and effective Gaelic Schools Society was founded in 1811. Their purpose was to teach Gaels to read the Bible in their own language. In the first quarter of
3556-700: Is Inverkeithing's largest public park. Located on the shore of the Inner Bay next to Inverkeithing harbour, the park features a public athletics track, children's playpark and skatepark. The park is home to Inverkeithing Hillend Swifts football club, and hosts the Ballast Bank Community Centre run by Fife Council. Behind the Hospitium of the Grey Friars lie Inverkeithing Friary Gardens, which are publicly accessible; next to these lie
3683-416: Is Letham Hill Wood, a strip of broadleaved woodland 1.5km long, forming a hilly barrier between Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay popular with walkers and mountain bikers. The approach to the hill passes Prestonhill Quarry, which has high cliffs of igneous and metamorphic rock and native species of fish in the resulting quarry water pools. Inverkeithing has two sandy beaches: Inverkeithing Bay Beach located off
3810-719: Is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family ) native to the Gaels of Scotland . As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as both Irish and Manx , developed out of Old Irish . It became a distinct spoken language sometime in the 13th century in the Middle Irish period, although a common literary language was shared by the Gaels of both Ireland and Scotland until well into
3937-487: Is a Scottish long distance footpath that runs from Kincardine to Newburgh along the coastline of Fife . The path was created in 2002, originally running from North Queensferry to Tayport . It was extended in 2011 with a new section running from Kincardine to North Queensferry , then again in 2012 from Tayport to Newburgh . The path, which usually takes between one week and 10 days to walk in full, now runs for 187 kilometres (116 mi). The Fife Coastal Path
Inverkeithing - Misplaced Pages Continue
4064-488: Is a historic B-Listed narrow rubble-built harbour at the point where Keithing Burn debouches into Inverkeithing Bay. The harbour was first recorded in 1587, and was a probable landing place for the Queensferry passage during the 12th century. It was the terminus of the 18th century Halbeath Waggon Way. The Keithing Burn enters the head of harbour through square bull-faced rubble sluice installed in 1840, over which runs
4191-490: Is a significant step forward for the recognition of Gaelic both at home and abroad and I look forward to addressing the council in Gaelic very soon. Seeing Gaelic spoken in such a forum raises the profile of the language as we drive forward our commitment to creating a new generation of Gaelic speakers in Scotland." Bilingual road signs, street names, business and advertisement signage (in both Gaelic and English) are gradually being introduced throughout Gaelic-speaking regions in
4318-453: Is managed and maintained by Fife Coast and Countryside Trust, a registered environmental charity, and is designated as one of Scotland's Great Trails by NatureScot . About 500,000 people use the path every year, of whom about 35,000 walk the entire route. Places of historic interest along the route include Inverkeithing's Hospitum of the Grey Friars, Aberdour Castle , Macduff's Castle near East Wemyss , Wemyss Castle , and Pitmilly ,
4445-616: Is mentioned in the foundation charter of Scone Abbey granted by King Alexander I . In 1163 it appears—as "Innirkeithin"—in Pope Alexander III 's summons of the clergy of the British Isles to the Council of Tours . Inverkeithing was made one of Fife's first royal burghs —which brought with it legal and trading privileges—in the 12th century. While the precise date is unknown, its burgh status may have been bestowed during
4572-411: Is no evidence that Gaelic was ever widely spoken. Many historians mark the reign of King Malcolm Canmore ( Malcolm III ) between 1058 and 1093 as the beginning of Gaelic's eclipse in Scotland. His wife Margaret of Wessex spoke no Gaelic, gave her children Anglo-Saxon rather than Gaelic names, and brought many English bishops, priests, and monastics to Scotland. When Malcolm and Margaret died in 1093,
4699-510: Is the large and well-preserved sandstone font of around 1398, which was rediscovered buried under the church, having been concealed at the Reformation . Its octagonal bowl is decorated with angels holding heraldic shields. These include the royal arms of the King of Scots, and of Queen Anabella Drummond , the consort of King Robert III . The high quality of the carving is explained by it being
4826-474: The Chronicle relates, the parish priest of Inverkeithing had "revived the profane rites of Priapus , collecting young girls from the villages, and compelling them to dance in circles to the honour of Father Bacchus , [...] singing and dancing himself and stirring them to lust by filthy language." When the priest exhibited similar behaviour during Lent , a scandalised citizen stabbed him to death. The incident
4953-837: The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages , which the UK Government has ratified, and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 established a language-development body, Bòrd na Gàidhlig . The Scottish Parliament is considering a Scottish Languages Bill which proposes to give the Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland. Aside from "Scottish Gaelic", the language may also be referred to simply as "Gaelic", pronounced / ˈ ɡ æ l ɪ k / GAL -ik in English . However, "Gaelic" / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik also refers to
5080-725: The Gaelic for the River Tay . Along the way a range of diverse wildlife such as porpoises , dolphins and puffins may also be seen. The focal point of the Fife Coastal Path is the Harbourmaster's House , in Dysart , which was used as a location during the filming of Outlander . The building now houses a visitor centre and cafe, as well as being the head offices of the Fife Coast and Countryside Trust. The path includes
5207-697: The Middle Ages . Inverkeithing was granted Royal burgh status by 1161 and became the host of the annual Convention of Royal Burghs from 1487. The town witnessed the Battle of Inverkeithing in 1651, a conflict in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms . Following the Industrial Revolution , Inverkeithing developed industries in distilling, ship breaking and quarrying. Inverkeithing town centre is
Inverkeithing - Misplaced Pages Continue
5334-555: The Outer Hebrides , accommodation ethics exist amongst native or local Gaelic speakers when engaging with new learners or non-locals. Accommodation ethics, or ethics of accommodation, is a social practice where local or native speakers of Gaelic shift to speaking English when in the presence of non-Gaelic speakers out of a sense of courtesy or politeness. This accommodation ethic persists even in situations where new learners attempt to speak Gaelic with native speakers. This creates
5461-688: The Scottish Lowlands . Between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, the number of Gaelic speakers rose in nineteen of the country's 32 council areas. The largest absolute gains were in Aberdeenshire (+526), North Lanarkshire (+305), the Aberdeen City council area (+216), and East Ayrshire (+208). The largest relative gains were in Aberdeenshire (+0.19%), East Ayrshire (+0.18%), Moray (+0.16%), and Orkney (+0.13%). In 2018,
5588-566: The Third English Civil War . It was an attempt by the English Parliamentarian forces to outflank the army of Scottish Covenanters loyal to Charles II at Stirling and get access to the north of Scotland. This was the last major engagement of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and led to Scotland passing into Cromwell's control. Cromwell's 4,500 troops defeated a Scottish force of roughly equal size, forcing
5715-786: The significant increase in pupils in Gaelic-medium education since that time is unknown. Gaelic Medium Education is one of the primary ways that the Scottish Government is addressing Gaelic language shift. Along with the Bòrd na Gàidhlig policies, preschool and daycare environments are also being used to create more opportunities for intergenerational language transmission in the Outer Hebrides. However, revitalization efforts are not unified within Scotland or Nova Scotia, Canada. One can attend Sabhal Mòr Ostaig ,
5842-477: The 17th century. Most of modern Scotland was once Gaelic-speaking, as evidenced especially by Gaelic-language place names. In the 2011 census of Scotland , 57,375 people (1.1% of the Scottish population aged over three years old) reported being able to speak Gaelic, 1,275 fewer than in 2001. The highest percentages of Gaelic speakers were in the Outer Hebrides . Nevertheless, there is a language revival , and
5969-459: The 17th century. In 1654, Dutch cartographer Joan Blaeu mentions Inverkeithing as "formerly a flourishing market" in his Nova Fifae Descriptio . Inverkeithing was a hotbed for witch trials in the 17th century. In 1621 six local women were tried for witchcraft in the Tolbooth. Between 1621 and 1652, at least 51 people were executed for witchcraft in Inverkeithing, an unusually large number for
6096-573: The 1920s, and were replaced in 2010. An alternative, more straightforward route runs along the clifftop above. Carlin Knowes quarry, North Queensferry has a memorial plaque commemorating the halting of the victims of the 1850 Irish Evictions from Dunfermline by quarrymen deputised by the Provost of Inverkeithing. On 5 October 2013, a team of 6 runners from Carnethy Hill Running Club in Edinburgh set
6223-601: The 19th century, the SSPCK (despite their anti-Gaelic attitude in prior years) and the British and Foreign Bible Society distributed 60,000 Gaelic Bibles and 80,000 New Testaments. It is estimated that this overall schooling and publishing effort gave about 300,000 people in the Highlands some basic literacy. Very few European languages have made the transition to a modern literary language without an early modern translation of
6350-404: The 2011 Census. The 2011 total population figure comes from table KS101SC. The numbers of Gaelic speakers relate to the numbers aged 3 and over, and the percentages are calculated using those and the number of the total population aged 3 and over. Across the whole of Scotland, the 2011 census showed that 25,000 people (0.49% of the population) used Gaelic at home. Of these, 63.3% said that they had
6477-407: The 4th–5th centuries CE, by settlers from Ireland who founded the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata on Scotland's west coast in present-day Argyll . An alternative view has been voiced by archaeologist Ewan Campbell , who has argued that the putative migration or takeover is not reflected in archaeological or placename data (as pointed out earlier by Leslie Alcock ). Campbell has also questioned
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#17327730029596604-569: The Bible; the lack of a well known translation may have contributed to the decline of Scottish Gaelic. Counterintuitively, access to schooling in Gaelic increased knowledge of English. In 1829, the Gaelic Schools Society reported that parents were unconcerned about their children learning Gaelic, but were anxious to have them taught English. The SSPCK also found Highlanders to have significant prejudice against Gaelic. T. M. Devine attributes this to an association between English and
6731-524: The Covenanters to abandon Stirling and march south to support Charles II. Of the estimated 800 MacLean clansmen who fought in the battle, only 35 were said to have survived, although Covenanter officer Sir James Balfour estimated the clan's losses at around 100. An apocryphal account states that the Pinkerton Burn ran red with blood for three days afterwards. This was a significant episode in
6858-594: The EU's institutions. The Scottish government had to pay for the translation from Gaelic to other European languages . The deal was received positively in Scotland; Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said the move was a strong sign of the UK government's support for Gaelic. He said; "Allowing Gaelic speakers to communicate with European institutions in their mother tongue is a progressive step forward and one which should be welcomed". Culture Minister Mike Russell said; "this
6985-404: The Fife Coastal Path, and another located on the south shore of Inverkeithing's inner bay. Inverkeithing Bay Beach has a mean tidal range of approximately 4.9 meters. Inverkeithing follows a typical East Scotland temperate maritime climate. Inverkeithing has ancient origins: there is some evidence that during the Roman conquest of Britain , Roman governor Agricola established an encampment in
7112-402: The Forth. There are no further mentions of the friary until 1384, but at the time, it would have been a thriving hub for pilgrims to Dunfermline and St Andrews, comprising accommodations, cloisters, storage cellars, and a chapel. The friary was sold to a private buyer in 1559 during the Scottish Reformation and remodeled into a tenement . The hospitium visible today once formed the west end of
7239-484: The Forth–Clyde line and along the northeastern coastal plain as far north as Moray. Norman French completely displaced Gaelic at court. The establishment of royal burghs throughout the same area, particularly under David I , attracted large numbers of foreigners speaking Old English. This was the beginning of Gaelic's status as a predominantly rural language in Scotland. Clan chiefs in the northern and western parts of Scotland continued to support Gaelic bards who remained
7366-415: The Gaelic Act falls so far short of the status accorded to Welsh that one would be foolish or naïve to believe that any substantial change will occur in the fortunes of the language as a result of Bòrd na Gàidhlig 's efforts. On 10 December 2008, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the Scottish Human Rights Commission had the UDHR translated into Gaelic for
7493-582: The Gaelic aristocracy rejected their anglicised sons and instead backed Malcolm's brother Domnall Bán ( Donald III ). Donald had spent 17 years in Gaelic Ireland and his power base was in the thoroughly Gaelic west of Scotland. He was the last Scottish monarch to be buried on Iona , the traditional burial place of the Gaelic Kings of Dàl Riada and the Kingdom of Alba. However, during the reigns of Malcolm Canmore's sons, Edgar, Alexander I and David I (their successive reigns lasting 1097–1153), Anglo-Norman names and practices spread throughout Scotland south of
7620-416: The High Street lies one of the best surviving examples of a friary building in Scotland, the category-A listed Hospitium of the Grey Friars (also known as the Franciscan order). The friary could date from the late 13th century, with a charter in 1268 mentioning the building of a church and convent for the Franciscans. It may have been founded by Philip Mowbray , Lord of Barnbougle on the opposite shore of
7747-442: The Highland and Island region. In 1616, the Privy Council proclaimed that schools teaching in English should be established. Gaelic was seen, at this time, as one of the causes of the instability of the region. It was also associated with Catholicism. The Society in Scotland for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SSPCK) was founded in 1709. They met in 1716, immediately after the failed Jacobite rising of 1715 , to consider
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#17327730029597874-416: The Highlands and Islands, including Argyll. In many cases, this has simply meant re-adopting the traditional spelling of a name (such as Ràtagan or Loch Ailleart rather than the anglicised forms Ratagan or Lochailort respectively). Some monolingual Gaelic road signs, particularly direction signs, are used on the Outer Hebrides , where a majority of the population can have a working knowledge of
8001-446: The Holy Blood, John the Baptist , St. Catherine , the Holy Rood, St. Laurence , St. Ninian and St. Mary. In 1611 it absorbed the adjacent parish of Rosyth. Extensive fire damage in 1825 reduced it to the height of its lower window sills, although the tower survived, but it was rebuilt. The main part of the church is thus a large plain neo-Gothic 'preaching box' of 1826–27, designed by James Gillespie Graham . Built of soft sandstone,
8128-426: The Inner Hebridean dialects of Tiree and Islay, and even a few native speakers from Western Highland areas including Wester Ross , northwest Sutherland , Lochaber and Argyll . Dialects on both sides of the Straits of Moyle (the North Channel ) linking Scottish Gaelic with Irish are now extinct, though native speakers were still to be found on the Mull of Kintyre , on Rathlin and in North East Ireland as late as
8255-722: The Inverkeithing Community Gardens. Next to St. Peter's Church is Inverkeithing War Memorial Gardens, which feature a memorial for those lost in the First and Second World Wars . Witchknowe Park is a small park to the south of the town, near where those accused of witchcraft were executed in the 17th century. Inverkeithing is home to cemeteries at Hope Street Cemetery, which features Commonwealth War Graves, as well as Inverkeithing St Peters Kirkyard, no longer in use and with graves dating back to 1606. Scottish Gaelic language Scottish Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ æ l ɪ k / , GAL -ik ; endonym : Gàidhlig [ˈkaːlɪkʲ] ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic ,
8382-410: The Irish language ( Gaeilge ) and the Manx language ( Gaelg ). Scottish Gaelic is distinct from Scots , the Middle English -derived language which had come to be spoken in most of the Lowlands of Scotland by the early modern era . Prior to the 15th century, this language was known as Inglis ("English") by its own speakers, with Gaelic being called Scottis ("Scottish"). Beginning in
8509-421: The Keithing/Céitein". The Keithing is the name of a small river or burn that runs through the southern part of the town. Simon Taylor notes that the name Keithing probably contains the Pictish ( Brythonic ) * coet , "wood", so the Keithing burn would have meant "stream that runs through or past or issues from woodland". William Watson in 1910 hypothesised an etymological link between the hydronym Keithing and
8636-403: The King, who was found dead at the bottom of a steep embankment on the next day, having presumably fallen from his horse. Edward I ("Longshanks") stayed in Inverkeithing on 2 March 1304 on his return to Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence . This is evidenced by letters written here as he made his way from Dunfermline to St Andrews . All the 14th century Scottish monarchs had
8763-409: The Tolbooth), which displays the old town coat of arms above the front door. The Renaissance tower, at the western end of the building, is the oldest part of the tolbooth, dating from 1755. A three-storey classical building followed in 1770 as a replacement for the previous tolbooth. The building featured a prison or 'black hole' on the ground floor, the court room on the middle and the debtors' prison on
8890-428: The UK Government as Welsh . With the advent of devolution , however, Scottish matters have begun to receive greater attention, and it achieved a degree of official recognition when the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act was enacted by the Scottish Parliament on 21 April 2005. The key provisions of the Act are: After its creation, Bòrd na Gàidhlig required a Gaelic Language Plan from the Scottish Government. This plan
9017-407: The Welsh cethin , "dusky" (c.f. Bryncethin ). Inverkeithing lies on the north shore of the Firth of Forth at its narrowest crossing point, about 2.5 miles from South Queensferry , 9.5 miles (15 kilometres) from Edinburgh city centre and 6 mi (10 km) from Edinburgh Airport . The nearest city is Dunfermline, 4 mi (6 km) northwest. Topographically, Inverkeithing is situated on
9144-826: The Western Isles (−1,745), Argyll & Bute (−694), and Highland (−634). The drop in Stornoway , the largest parish in the Western Isles by population, was especially acute, from 57.5% of the population in 1991 to 43.4% in 2011. The only parish outside the Western Isles over 40% Gaelic-speaking is Kilmuir in Northern Skye at 46%. The islands in the Inner Hebrides with significant percentages of Gaelic speakers are Tiree (38.3%), Raasay (30.4%), Skye (29.4%), Lismore (26.9%), Colonsay (20.2%), and Islay (19.0%). Today, no civil parish in Scotland has
9271-644: The Western Isles. The Scottish Qualifications Authority offer two streams of Gaelic examination across all levels of the syllabus: Gaelic for learners (equivalent to the modern foreign languages syllabus) and Gaelic for native speakers (equivalent to the English syllabus). An Comunn Gàidhealach performs assessment of spoken Gaelic, resulting in the issue of a Bronze Card, Silver Card or Gold Card. Syllabus details are available on An Comunn's website. These are not widely recognised as qualifications, but are required for those taking part in certain competitions at
9398-522: The age and reliability of the medieval historical sources speaking of a conquest. Instead, he has inferred that Argyll formed part of a common Q-Celtic -speaking area with Ireland, connected rather than divided by the sea, since the Iron Age. These arguments have been opposed by some scholars defending the early dating of the traditional accounts and arguing for other interpretations of the archaeological evidence. Regardless of how it came to be spoken in
9525-463: The annual mods . In October 2009, a new agreement allowed Scottish Gaelic to be formally used between Scottish Government ministers and European Union officials. The deal was signed by Britain's representative to the EU, Sir Kim Darroch , and the Scottish government . This did not give Scottish Gaelic official status in the EU but gave it the right to be a means of formal communications in
9652-606: The area between AD 78–87 during his war against the Caledonians. By AD 142, when construction on the Antonine Wall began on the southern shores of the River Forth, it is likely any Roman settlement ended. The town's early history is tied to the founding of a church by a holy man named St Erat, supposedly a follower of St Ninian . Local tradition (recorded in a plaque on the parish church) holds that St Erat founded
9779-603: The bill be strengthened, a revised bill was published; the main alteration was that the guidance of the Bòrd is now statutory (rather than advisory). In the committee stages in the Scottish Parliament, there was much debate over whether Gaelic should be given 'equal validity' with English. Due to executive concerns about resourcing implications if this wording was used, the Education Committee settled on
9906-625: The census of pupils in Scotland showed 520 students in publicly funded schools had Gaelic as the main language at home, an increase of 5% from 497 in 2014. During the same period, Gaelic medium education in Scotland has grown, with 4,343 pupils (6.3 per 1000) being educated in a Gaelic-immersion environment in 2018, up from 3,583 pupils (5.3 per 1000) in 2014. Data collected in 2007–2008 indicated that even among pupils enrolled in Gaelic medium schools, 81% of primary students and 74% of secondary students report using English more often than Gaelic when speaking with their mothers at home. The effect on this of
10033-431: The church's re-establishment in Edinburgh in 1878. The church lies at the southern end of the town, and is a category-C listed historic building. Thomsoun's House is located on Bank Street, between numbers 2–4, dates from 1617, and was reconstructed in 1965. Its carved sandstone pediment includes thistle-shaped finials and the initials of the first owners John Thomson ("I.T.") and Bessie Thomsoun ("B.T."). Ballast Bank
10160-568: The cities and professors of Celtic from universities who sought to preserve the language. The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 provided universal education in Scotland, but completely ignored Gaelic in its plans. The mechanism for supporting Gaelic through the Education Codes issued by the Scottish Education Department were steadily used to overcome this omission, with many concessions in place by 1918. However,
10287-499: The concept of 'equal respect'. It is not clear what the legal force of this wording is. The Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament unanimously, with support from all sectors of the Scottish political spectrum, on 21 April 2005. Under the provisions of the Act, it will ultimately fall to BnG to secure the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland. Some commentators, such as Éamonn Ó Gribín (2006) argue that
10414-412: The development of Preston Crescent, a new road to the south of the town on the banks of the Inner Bay. Alongside a small stone bridge (today a C-listed building), a number of plain classical houses were built to accommodate retired sea captains, with most of the buildings surviving to this day. Nearby Preston Hill is also named for Sir Robert, who erected a flagpole there intended to aid marine traffic. By
10541-499: The dialect of the Scottish Gaelic language, and also mixed use of English and Gaelic across the Highlands and Islands. Dialects of Lowland Gaelic have been defunct since the 18th century. Gaelic in the Eastern and Southern Scottish Highlands, although alive until the mid-20th century, is now largely defunct. Although modern Scottish Gaelic is dominated by the dialects of the Outer Hebrides and Isle of Skye, there remain some speakers of
10668-435: The east side of Church Street. The church was founded by Waltheof of Allerdale , son of Gospatrick, as a wooden Celtic church before being adapted into a Norman stone structure, which was bequeathed by the monks of Dunfermline Abbey in 1139. The Norman foundations were reused for the 13th century Gothic structure, and a tower was added in the 14th century. In pre- Reformation times the church had altars to St. Michael ,
10795-582: The entire region of modern-day Scotland was called Scotia in Latin, and Gaelic was the lingua Scotica . In southern Scotland , Gaelic was strong in Galloway , adjoining areas to the north and west, West Lothian , and parts of western Midlothian . It was spoken to a lesser degree in north Ayrshire , Renfrewshire , the Clyde Valley and eastern Dumfriesshire . In south-eastern Scotland, there
10922-554: The factory being demolished in 2012. At the beginning of the 20th century, Inverkeithing became known for its shipbreaking at Thos. W. Ward 's yard on the Inner Bay. Among others, the revolutionary battleship HMS Dreadnought was dismantled there in 1923, as was the hull of the Titanic 's sister ship RMS Olympic in 1937, the Nazi Party cruise ship Robert Ley in 1947, and the second RMS Mauretania in 1966. Today,
11049-560: The first time. However, given there are no longer any monolingual Gaelic speakers, following an appeal in the court case of Taylor v Haughney (1982), involving the status of Gaelic in judicial proceedings, the High Court ruled against a general right to use Gaelic in court proceedings. While the goal of the Gaelic Language Act was to aid in revitalization efforts through government mandated official language status,
11176-448: The friary, and it was the only building preserved during the 16th-century alterations, while the rest of the complex was used as a quarry. An antiquarian renovation in 1932–1935 restored the 14th-century details for which there was evidence, and otherwise retained the 17th-century finishes. The building was originally cruciform , but only its central part remains, including several tunnel vaults formerly used for storage. The foundations of
11303-516: The harbour lost freight traffic to the railways . As a result, Inverkeithing was no longer on a through route for freight. The opening of the Forth Bridge in 1890, however, led to another surge in population and new building. By 1925, quarrying remained a major operation and, whilst the saltworks, iron foundry and sawmill had closed, a papermaking industry had developed at the harbour. Caldwell's paper mill would remain in operation until 2003, with
11430-605: The history of Clan MacLean, and the 20th century poet Sorley MacLean mentions Inverkeithing in one of his poems. In 1703 the title of Viscount of Inverkeithing fell to the Earl of Roseberry . In 1707, James Spittle representing Inverkeithing voted in favour of ratification of the Treaty of Union (see Act of Union ). Daniel Defoe , writing of Inverkeithing in his Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain in 1724, found
11557-400: The immediate south exit from the station, built in the late 18th century to span over the river Keithing for the original Halbeath Waggon Railway (now category-B listed). The Waggon Way, opened in 1783, is now used as a footpath. Moffat Cottage on Heriot Street was the home of missionary Robert Moffat , father-in-law of Victorian explorer David Livingstone . Information from local sources and
11684-479: The initiatives must come from within Gaelic speaking communities, be led by Gaelic speakers, and be designed to serve and increase fluency within the vernacular communities as the first and most viable resistance to total language shift from Gaelic to English. Currently, language policies are focused on creating new language speakers through education, instead of focused on how to strengthen intergenerational transmission within existing Gaelic speaking communities. In
11811-502: The language. Compared with the 2001 Census, there has been a diminution of about 1300 people. This is the smallest drop between censuses since the Gaelic-language question was first asked in 1881. The Scottish government's language minister and Bòrd na Gàidhlig took this as evidence that Gaelic's long decline has slowed. The main stronghold of the language continues to be the Outer Hebrides ( Na h-Eileanan Siar ), where
11938-483: The language. These omit the English translation entirely. Bilingual railway station signs are now more frequent than they used to be. Practically all the stations in the Highland area use both English and Gaelic, and the use of bilingual station signs has become more frequent in the Lowlands of Scotland, including areas where Gaelic has not been spoken for a long time. Fife Coastal Path The Fife Coastal Path
12065-532: The late 15th century, it became increasingly common for such speakers to refer to Scottish Gaelic as Erse ("Irish") and the Lowland vernacular as Scottis . Today, Scottish Gaelic is recognised as a separate language from Irish, so the word Erse in reference to Scottish Gaelic is no longer used. Based on medieval traditional accounts and the apparent evidence from linguistic geography, Gaelic has been commonly believed to have been brought to Scotland, in
12192-623: The marriage between the Duke of Rothesay and the daughter of the Earl of Douglas . Originally, the cross stood on the north end of the High Street, before moving to face the Tolbooth and then to its present site at the junction between Bank Street and High Street, further up the road. As of 2021, there are plans to move it to a more prominent position in the Market Square, as part of a £3.6 million, five-year programme of improvements to
12319-459: The members of Highland school boards tended to have anti-Gaelic attitudes and served as an obstacle to Gaelic education in the late 19th and early 20th century. Loss of life due to World War I and the 1919 sinking of the HMY Iolaire , combined with emigration, resulted in the 1910s seeing unprecedented damage to the use of Scottish Gaelic, with a 46% fall in monolingual speakers and
12446-478: The mid-19th century quarrying , engineering and shipbuilding were major industries in the area and, in 1831, the population increased by over 600 in a decade, due to an influx of labourers employed in greenstone quarries. The quarries provided material for major works, such as the extension of Leith Pier and some of the piers of the Forth Bridge . By 1870, engineering and shipbuilding had largely ceased, and
12573-734: The mid-20th century. Records of their speech show that Irish and Scottish Gaelic existed in a dialect chain with no clear language boundary. Some features of moribund dialects have been preserved in Nova Scotia, including the pronunciation of the broad or velarised l ( l̪ˠ ) as [w] , as in the Lochaber dialect. The Endangered Languages Project lists Gaelic's status as "threatened", with "20,000 to 30,000 active users". UNESCO classifies Gaelic as " definitely endangered ". The 1755–2001 figures are census data quoted by MacAulay. The 2011 Gaelic speakers figures come from table KS206SC of
12700-532: The modern era. Some of this was driven by policy decisions by government or other organisations, while some originated from social changes. In the last quarter of the 20th century, efforts began to encourage use of the language. The Statutes of Iona , enacted by James VI in 1609, was one piece of legislation that addressed, among other things, the Gaelic language. It required the heirs of clan chiefs to be educated in lowland, Protestant, English-speaking schools. James VI took several such measures to impose his rule on
12827-408: The north range of the complex, together with a well and several cellars, can be seen in the public gardens next to the hospitium. The building is now mainly used as a community centre. Inverkeithing contains one of the oldest and finest remaining examples of a mercat cross in Scotland, dating from 1389. The cross, a category-A listed historic monument, is believed to have been built as a memorial of
12954-434: The number of speakers of the language under age 20 did not decrease between the 2001 and 2011 censuses. In the 2022 census of Scotland , it was found that 2.5% of the Scottish population had some skills in Gaelic, or 130,161 persons. Of these, 69,701 people reported speaking the language, with a further 46,404 people reporting that they understood the language, but did not speak, read, or write in it. Outside of Scotland,
13081-645: The official language of government and law. Scotland's emergent nationalism in the era following the conclusion of the Wars of Scottish Independence was organized using Scots as well. For example, the nation's great patriotic literature including John Barbour's The Brus (1375) and Blind Harry's The Wallace (before 1488) was written in Scots, not Gaelic. By the end of the 15th century, English/Scots speakers referred to Gaelic instead as 'Yrisch' or 'Erse', i.e. Irish and their own language as 'Scottis'. A steady shift away from Scottish Gaelic continued into and through
13208-459: The outcome of the act is distanced from the actual minority language communities. It helps to create visibility of the minority language in civil structures, but does not impact or address the lived experiences of the Gaelic speaker communities wherein the revitalization efforts may have a higher return of new Gaelic speakers. Efforts are being made to concentrate resources, language planning, and revitalization efforts towards vernacular communities in
13335-560: The overall proportion of speakers is 52.2%. Important pockets of the language also exist in the Highlands (5.4%) and in Argyll and Bute (4.0%) and Inverness (4.9%). The locality with the largest absolute number is Glasgow with 5,878 such persons, who make up over 10% of all of Scotland's Gaelic speakers. Gaelic continues to decline in its traditional heartland. Between 2001 and 2011, the absolute number of Gaelic speakers fell sharply in
13462-466: The prosperity of employment: the Highland economy relied greatly on seasonal migrant workers travelling outside the Gàidhealtachd . In 1863, an observer sympathetic to Gaelic stated that "knowledge of English is indispensable to any poor islander who wishes to learn a trade or to earn his bread beyond the limits of his native Isle". Generally, rather than Gaelic speakers, it was Celtic societies in
13589-460: The reform and civilisation of the Highlands, which they sought to achieve by teaching English and the Protestant religion. Initially, their teaching was entirely in English, but soon the impracticality of educating Gaelic-speaking children in this way gave rise to a modest concession: in 1723, teachers were allowed to translate English words in the Bible into Gaelic to aid comprehension, but there
13716-535: The region, Gaelic in Scotland was mostly confined to Dál Riata until the eighth century, when it began expanding into Pictish areas north of the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. During the reign of Caustantín mac Áeda (Constantine II, 900–943), outsiders began to refer to the region as the kingdom of Alba rather than as the kingdom of the Picts. However, though the Pictish language did not disappear suddenly,
13843-410: The reign of David I , and it is mentioned as an existing burgh as early as 1161 by Malcolm IV. The settlement was an obvious choice to be created a burgh, as its location at the narrowest crossing point of the Firth of Forth and its sheltered bay were both strategically important. One of the earliest accounts of life in Inverkeithing comes from the 14th-century Lanercost Chronicle . At Easter 1282,
13970-590: The reign of James III specified that the Convention of Royal Burghs would be held annually in Inverkeithing. Evolving in parallel to the Parliament of Scotland , the Convention was an important representative assembly of trading towns. While the Act specified Inverkeithing as the host, it is unclear how many meetings were held there before the Convention moved to Edinburgh in 1552. In November 1504 there
14097-500: The south of town, which today is partially within Hope Street Cemetery. On 20 July 1651, the Battle of Inverkeithing was fought on two sites in the area, one north of the town close to Pitreavie Castle , the other to the south on and around the peninsula of North Queensferry and the isthmus connecting it to Inverkeithing. The battle took place during Oliver Cromwell 's invasion of the Kingdom of Scotland following
14224-485: The south side of Roman Road. Until that time, Inverkeithing enjoyed a successful trade in wool , fleece and hides, and served as a hub of commerce for Fife. The town's flourishing was evidenced by its weekly markets and five annual fairs. However, trade had begun to decrease by the 16th century, and Inverkeithing slowly became poorer than its neighbouring settlements. Due to political and social instability, caused by both plague and war , this downward trend continued in
14351-470: The top. The building was fully renovated and remodeled for community use from 2022 to 2024. The Burgh Arms Hotel and Pub dates to 1664 with an extension from 1888, making it one of the oldest pubs in East Scotland. The pub is a category-C listed historic building and is still in operation. Fordell's Lodging is opposite St Peter's Church and is an A-listed L-plan tower house which dates from 1671 and
14478-425: The tower—the only remaining part of the pre-Reformation church—is very weathered, and has been partially refaced. The tower is crowned by a lead-covered spire from 1835 designed by Thomas Bonnar , whose elaborate gabled dormers saw clock faces being added in 1883. The church's roomy interior—now deprived of its galleries—is graced by one of the finest medieval furnishings to survive in any Scottish parish church. This
14605-470: The town centre. Inverkeithing lies on the Fife Coastal Path , a long-distance footpath designated as one of Scotland's Great Trails. Coming from North Queensferry, the path winds around the Inner Bay, through Inverkeithing proper, and past the Ballast Bank public park towards Dalgety Bay. The Fife Pilgrim Way also passes through Inverkeithing. Rising from the Inverkeithing stretch of Fife Coastal Path
14732-646: The town centre. The core of the mercat cross is thought to date from the late 14th century, with the octagonal shaft from the 16th century. Two of the shields on the cross bear the arms of Queen Anabella Drummond and the Douglas family . Later, a unicorn and a shield depicting the St Andrew's Cross were added in 1688, the work of John Boyd of South Queensferry . On Townhall Street is the A-listed Inverkeithing Town House (also known as
14859-469: The town has since expanded to encompass areas to the north, east, and west. Modern Inverkeithing is almost contiguous with the neighbouring settlements of North Queensferry , Rosyth and Hillend village, and Dalgety Bay . The Keithing Burn flows from forest plantations to the northeast of the town between Dalgety Bay and Aberdour, past the railway junction, before falling into the Inner Bay of Inverkeithing Bay 1 ⁄ 4 mi (400 m) south of
14986-498: The town is home to the Ferrytoll Park & Ride. Around half of Inverkeithing's workers work in Edinburgh city centre or Dunfermline (2024). The town has a population of 4,820 (2020) and the civil parish has a population of 8,878 (2022). The name is of Scottish Gaelic origin, Inbhir Céitein . Inbhir is a common element in place names with Celtic roots and means "confluence, inflow" (see Aber and Inver ), thus "mouth of
15113-613: The town to be "still populous, but decayed, as to what it has formerly been". Defoe also relates that Inverkeithing had briefly become known in England in the early 1700s for a crime of passion in which Robert Balfour, 5th Lord Balfour of Burleigh , murdered an Inverkeithing schoolmaster who had married a woman Balfour loved—the nobleman was later sentenced to death, but escaped captivity by exchanging clothes with his sister. Defoe's sentiments about Inverkeithing were echoed by Sir William Burrell when he toured Scotland in 1758, who found it
15240-526: The yard is a metal recycling facility. Inverkeithing is home to 55 listed buildings , including 6 of category A; the highest possible level of classification for "buildings of national or international importance, either architectural or historic; or fine, little-altered examples of some particular period, style or building type". The heart of the medieval town was located around High Street, Bank Street, Townhall Street, and Church Street. The B-listed parish church of St. Peter stands in its large churchyard on
15367-411: Was a plague scare at Dunfermline Palace , and four African women including Ellen More , with John Mosman , the court apothecary , came to stay in Inverkeithing before crossing to South Queensferry . Inverkeithing was one of the few Scottish burghs to have four stone gates—known as "ports"—around its medieval settlement. Stone walls were added in 1557, the last remains of which can still be found on
15494-399: Was accepted in 2008, and some of its main commitments were: identity (signs, corporate identity); communications (reception, telephone, mailings, public meetings, complaint procedures); publications (PR and media, websites); staffing (language learning, training, recruitment). Following a consultation period, in which the government received many submissions, the majority of which asked that
15621-540: Was built by Sir John Henderson of Fordell. On King Street is the much altered B-listed Rosebery House , once owned by the Rosebery family , and possibly the oldest surviving house in the burgh. The unusual monopitch lean-to roof is locally known as a 'toofall', and dates the house to no later than the early 16th century. It was owned by the Earl of Dunbar before being purchased by the Earl of Rosebery. Inverkeithing Harbour
15748-554: Was long suppressed. The UK government has ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in respect of Gaelic. Gaelic, along with Irish and Welsh, is designated under Part III of the Charter, which requires the UK Government to take a range of concrete measures in the fields of education, justice, public administration, broadcasting and culture. It has not received the same degree of official recognition from
15875-510: Was no further permitted use. Other less prominent schools worked in the Highlands at the same time, also teaching in English. This process of anglicisation paused when evangelical preachers arrived in the Highlands, convinced that people should be able to read religious texts in their own language. The first well known translation of the Bible into Scottish Gaelic was made in 1767, when James Stuart of Killin and Dugald Buchanan of Rannoch produced
16002-507: Was staying in Kinghorn . On arriving in Inverkeithing, the party was met by one of the burgesses of the town, Alexander Le Saucier (whose name indicates he was either linked to the King's kitchen, or the master of the local saltpans), who tried to convince the King to stay the night. However, the pleas fell on deaf ears, and Alexander set off into the rainy night with two local guides. The group lost its way near Kinghorn and got separated from
16129-537: Was used by influential archaeologist and folklorist Margaret Murray in her 1931 book The God of the Witches as support for her (now mostly discredited) hypothesis of the survival of British paganism into the Middle Ages. The town was the last place that King Alexander III was seen before he died on 19 March 1286. The King had crossed the Forth from Dalmeny in a storm to pay a birthday visit to Queen Yolande , who
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