Map Of Fife

Newburgh, in north Fife, on the banks of the River Tay, has had a a settlement or a village on the present site from a period much earlier than the end of the twelfth century, but it was at this time that the village grew in importance, due to the founding of Lindores Abbey, and was named in a Royal Charter as Newburgh.

Until the end of the Eighteenth Century, there were no made up roads in Newburgh, wheeled carriages were seldom seen. The main industries at this time were farming and handloom weaving. There were seven hundred weavers in the town with five hundred and sixty four looms. It was hard and heavy labor. The weavers worked long hours for little pay. Married couples worked together with the wife spending several hours a day winding the weft ready for her husband to weave. Merchants would come by ship to buy the cloth.

In the 1800's there was a boom in municipal building. The old Town House, which unfortunately no longer exists, was erected and later restored by a Mr. John Livingstone of Musselburgh. He also erected the Livingstone Hall which has now become Joes Garage. In token of public gratitude the townsfolk erected the Livingstone Fountain and named a street after the worthy Gentleman.

In the mid 1800s the railway came to Newburgh and the social life of the town grew with no less than thirty five pubs. The harbor was extremely busy -- the main employment being salmon and sprat fishing. Forty boats were in service at that time. The village boasted then, no less than four schools, the Parochial school and three Dame schools, consisting altogether of some 400 pupils.

40 years later Newburgh was enjoying a reputation as a holiday resort. Pleasure steamers came from Dundee and many people still remember the town echoing with the noise of holiday makers. After the second world war the pleasure steamers went into decline with the advent of the touring bus and the post war population boom meant that less houses were available as holiday homes.

There have been many changes since then, most regrettably the demolition of St. Catherines Church in 1967. This fine church had stood for 130 years in the High Street on the site of an ancient chapel, but dry rot had made it unsafe.

Even now Newburgh is proud of its traditions and still celebrates some interesting customs. In September of every year the townsfolk assemble for "the Riding of the Marches". This is an eight mile walk around the boundaries of the town which finishes at the West Slipway on the shore. Here a piece of wood is dipped into the river thereby ensuring the people's rights to the use of the foreshore.

Another tradition which started in 1864 is the annual procession of the Caledonian Lodge of Oddfellows. The Oddfellows parade by torchlight through the town, wearing costume, mask and creating merriment by their antics. A more communal event which was revived in 1962 after a gap of 14 years, is the Highland games, held annually in the Tayside Park.

Rushes are to be found growing all along the banks of the Tay and once they were utilized as roofing material for many of the cottages in Newburgh. Sadly today there remains only one example at 165 High Street.

The earliest part of this building dates back to 1605 and like many cottages built at the time it was laid with stones from Lindores Abbey. The thatching is traditional Scottish with the reeds or rushes tied to the rafters with "tarry twine" (strong cord treated with stock balm tar). The average life of a thatched roof is around sixty years and it is because of this and the rising costs of rethatching that tiling and slating has become popular in the village leaving only this one example. of an ancient tradition.

The house itself is an interesting example of how domestic buildings change and are altered over the cen-turies. In the oldest part of the roof the timbers are rough-hewn and joined with wooden pegs. One of the internal walls is made in the style known as "wattle and daub". This is simply compressed mud with sticks running lengthwise through, making a very strong construction. At one time the house was occupied by weavers and there still stands a weaving shed in the ground behind the house.

In 1891 a new industry, linoleum manufacture, was introduced to New-burgh. The founder of this new industry and first Managing Director was Thomas Stalker Greig, and with the financial support of some of the local business-men, headed by the doctor, Dr. Niven the business of floorcovering manufacture was formed.
At first named the Tay Oxyde Co., it was soon changed to the Tayside Floor-cloth Co. Ltd.
"Taysides" humble beginning was a small shed in which short pieces of hessian or jute canvas were given a number of coats of putty by hand trowel. It was given its original nickname, at this time "The Putty Mill" or "The Potty Mill".

Soon afterwards a machine was built which mechanised the process and from this humble startj the business gradually grew and began to take shape. At first only twenty men were employed in hand printing the linoleum. They worked a 56 hour week and earned 15 shillings ('Thp). By 1910 this
workforce had grown considerably with up to 100 hand printers and assistants employed. As the years rolled on the technology changed rapidly but the "Tayside" kept up with the latest developments and prospered, enlarging its workforce. Unfortunately in 1978 it suddenly folded.

In the past it was the custom among handloom weavers on marrying to have their initials and a heart cut in the lintel of their door.
The Stone to be seen at No. 60 High Street, bears the names of Janet William-son and Thomas Anderson. This worthy couple had three daughters. They were remarkably handsome and were assoc-iated with leading families in the district. Their father Thomas Anderson was a sea captain, as can be seen on the design.
  One daughter married Mr. Alexander Murray of Murrayshall who gave to Lin-dores Masonic Lodge the money to build their lodge premises. Another married Mr. Boyd Kinnear whose Parlia-mentry activities were well known and the third married Mr. Moncur, mill-spinner of Blairgowrie. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Moncur became the wife of Doctor Playfair, a renowned Edinburgh physician.

This stone, from which the Bear Tavern takes its name, was originally set into the ahbofs residence at Lindores Abbey. The 'bear and ragged staff is a device of the Earls of Warwick, and as a crozier or pastoral staff is evident above the now obliterated arms of Warwick, it may he assumed that the stone was caused to be made by Guy, the first Abbot who was a cadet (fe brother or son) of that family.
The origin of the legend of the bear goes back to the time of Arthur and the round table. One of his knights was Arthgal whose name in the British lang-uage was Arsh meaning bear. The ragged staff is attributed to Morvidus, an earl of the same family who slew a giant with a young tree which he had pulled up by the roots.
On the 12th June 926, a most terrible single combat took place between the champions of the Kings of England and Denmark, when Guy, Earl of Warwick slew Colebrand, an African giant. In the castle of Warwick can still be seen the helmet and spear of the redoubtable Guy, who is reputed to have been 7ff. in height and the hero of many legendary stories. In 1076, the bear and ragged staff became Norman property when Henry de Newburgh was created Earl of Warwick He was the second son of Roger de Bellemonte, a knight of William the Conqueror and a com-mander in his army during the 1066 invasion. The male line of the Newburgh family ceased in 1242. A female descendant of Henry de Newburgh named Isabel was mated to Simon de Lis, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon. They had no family and on the death of Earl Simon, the King offered the title to William 'The Lion', King of Scotland who gave it to his brother David the founder of Lindores Abbey. Earl David was succeeded by his son John le Scot on whose death without issue in 1237 the earldom fell into abeyance.

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