Auchtermuchty
Encyclopedia
Auchtermuchty is a town in Fife
, Scotland
, situated beside Pitlour Hill nine miles north of Glenrothes
. Until 1975 it was a royal burgh
, established under charter of King James V
in 1517. There is evidence of human habitation in the area dating back over 2,000 years, and the Romans are known to have established a camp in the southeast corner of the town. In the past, the linen industry was a major source of work in the town, but in the early 18th century the firm of John White was established, bringing the town its first foundry (there were two eventually). There was even a distillery in operation from 1829 to 1929, when Prohibition in the U.S.A. led to its closure. The town nowadays is a quiet but thriving community, situated in the Scottish countryside, where there are several local recreational footpaths. There is a modest range of local industry, but most people of working age travel outwith the town for employment.
There is a festival held each year in August.
The town was used as the location for Tannochbrae
in the 1990s ITV series Dr. Finlay
.
The town's church is mentioned in James Hogg's The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
.
The town gets a mention in The Family Ness theme song, You'll Never Find A Nessie In The Zoo, in the refrain "You can go to Auchtermuchty and to Drumnadrochit
too, but you'll never find a Nessie in the zoo". The town, which is on the main road to the world famous golf courses at St. Andrews, was frequently mentioned in a light-hearted manner by the journalist Sir John Junor
, as a paradigm
of British
ordinariness, but although he was a frequent visitor, he did not come from or live there.
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, situated beside Pitlour Hill nine miles north of Glenrothes
Glenrothes
Glenrothes is a large town situated in the heart of Fife, in east-central Scotland. It is located approximately from both Edinburgh, which lies to the south and Dundee to the north. The town had an estimated population of 38,750 in 2008, making Glenrothes the third largest settlement in Fife...
. Until 1975 it was a royal burgh
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
, established under charter of King James V
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
in 1517. There is evidence of human habitation in the area dating back over 2,000 years, and the Romans are known to have established a camp in the southeast corner of the town. In the past, the linen industry was a major source of work in the town, but in the early 18th century the firm of John White was established, bringing the town its first foundry (there were two eventually). There was even a distillery in operation from 1829 to 1929, when Prohibition in the U.S.A. led to its closure. The town nowadays is a quiet but thriving community, situated in the Scottish countryside, where there are several local recreational footpaths. There is a modest range of local industry, but most people of working age travel outwith the town for employment.
There is a festival held each year in August.
The town was used as the location for Tannochbrae
Tannochbrae
Tannochbrae is a fictional town in Scotland which serves as the setting for A. J. Cronin's Dr. Finlay stories, as well as for the television and radio series based on these short stories....
in the 1990s ITV series Dr. Finlay
Dr. Finlay
Dr. Finlay is a fictional character, the hero of a series of stories by Scottish author A. J. Cronin.-History:The stories were used as the basis for the long-running BBC television programme, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, screened from 1962 to 1971, and radio series . Based on Cronin's novella entitled...
.
The town's church is mentioned in James Hogg's The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, is a novel that was written by the Scottish author James Hogg and published anonymously in...
.
The town gets a mention in The Family Ness theme song, You'll Never Find A Nessie In The Zoo, in the refrain "You can go to Auchtermuchty and to Drumnadrochit
Drumnadrochit
Drumnadrochit is a village inthe Highland local government council area of Scotland, lying on the west shore of Loch Ness, at the foot of Glen Urquhart.-History:...
too, but you'll never find a Nessie in the zoo". The town, which is on the main road to the world famous golf courses at St. Andrews, was frequently mentioned in a light-hearted manner by the journalist Sir John Junor
John Junor
Sir John Donald Brown Junor was a Scottish journalist and editor-in-chief of the Sunday Express, having previously worked as a columnist there. He then moved to the Mail on Sunday....
, as a paradigm
Paradigm
The word paradigm has been used in science to describe distinct concepts. It comes from Greek "παράδειγμα" , "pattern, example, sample" from the verb "παραδείκνυμι" , "exhibit, represent, expose" and that from "παρά" , "beside, beyond" + "δείκνυμι" , "to show, to point out".The original Greek...
of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ordinariness, but although he was a frequent visitor, he did not come from or live there.
Notable people
- John GlasJohn GlasJohn Glas was a Scottish clergyman who started the Glasite church movement.He was born at Auchtermuchty, Fife, where his father was parish minister. He was educated at Kinclaven and Perth Grammar School, graduated from the University of St Andrews in 1713, and completed his education for the...
- founder of the GlasiteGlasiteThe Glasites or Glassites were a Christian sect founded in about 1730 in Scotland by John Glas. Glas' faith, as part of the First Great Awakening, was spread by his son-in-law Robert Sandeman into England and America, where the members were called Sandemanians.Glas dissented from the Westminster...
religious sect - Charlie and Craig Reid - musicians and founders of folk/rock group The ProclaimersThe ProclaimersThe Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
- Martin Stewart - Bad Manners keyboard player
- Sir Jimmy ShandJimmy ShandSir James Shand MBE was a Scottish musician who played traditional Scottish dance music on the accordion.-Early life:...
- musician - Sir John ArnottJohn ArnottSir John Arnott, 1st Baronet JP was an Irish entrepreneur and a major figure in the commercial and political spheres of late-19th century Cork. He was also founder of the Arnotts department chain.-Background:...
MP and founder of ArnottsArnotts (Ireland)Arnotts is the oldest and largest department store in Dublin, Ireland. The company has two stores in Dublin. Its flagship store is located on Henry Street on the northside of the city centre, and there is a smaller store selling mainly shoes in an outlet in Stillorgan Shopping Centre in south...
department stores in Dublin and elsewhere - Captain George Moodie the first captain of the Cutty SarkCutty SarkThe Cutty Sark is a clipper ship. Built in 1869, she served as a merchant vessel , and then as a training ship until being put on public display in 1954...
who oversaw the building of her in 1869 and served as her Captain until 1872, lived his final years in Auchtermuchty in MacDuff House on the High Street.