Crail
Encyclopedia
Crail; ) is a former royal burgh
in the East Neuk
of Fife
, Scotland
.
, and is a favourite subject for artists. The most notable building in the town is the 13th century parish church. Though much altered, this is one of Scotland's most beautiful ancient churches, with a fine western tower with small spire, and a double arcade of round pillars of variegated red sandstone in the nave
. The side walls were rebuilt in Regency times, and the large pointed windows, filled with panes of clear glass held by astragals rather than leads, allow light to flood into the interior. The unaisled chancel
, now housing a huge organ, has been shortened. The church retains some 17th century woodwork, and there is an early Christian cross-slab of unusual form (perhaps 10th century), formerly set in the floor, on display.
The large kirkyard surrounding the building has a fine collection of mural monuments dating from the late 16th century on.
Other historic buildings in Crail are the tollbooth, with a tower dating from about 1600, which stands on its own in the large marketplace, and the doo'cot (Scots
for dovecot
) of the town's otherwise vanished Franciscan
Friary.
Crail once had a royal castle above the harbour (perhaps this was the site of the 'fort'). The site is still visible as an open garden, but little or nothing of the structure survives above ground. A Victorian 'turret' jutting out from the garden wall recalls the Castle (visible in the photograph reprduced above).
geological period.
is the seventh oldest in the world. Their oldest course, Balcomie, was formally laid out by Tom Morris Sr. in 1894, but competitions had been played there since the 1850s.
in 1944. After closure the Joint Services School for Linguists
(JSSL) was based here in the 1950s. Founded in 1951 by the British armed services to provide language training, principally in Russian, and largely to selected conscripts undergoing National Service was based at the airfield. The school closed with the ending of conscription in 1960. JSSL was initially based at three main sites near Bodmin, Caterham and Cambridge, run respectively by the Army, Navy and RAF. In 1956 the three were amalgamated at the airfield near Crail. It had many famous alumni.
Polish soldiers stationed at Crail during the Second World War helped the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh
purchase the disused United Presbyterian Church (built 1859). In 1942, it become Most Holy Trinity Church. The Church has recently been renovated and contains an icon to Our Lady of Poland painted by one of the Polish soldiers.
After the war, the airbase was taken over by the Royal Navy
and renamed HMS Bruce. Between 1956 and 1958, the airfield was used by the Joint Services School for Linguists
to train linguists in Russian.
The airfield site now is home to Crail Raceway. It hosts events every second Sunday of the month, and lets amateur drivers compete with their own adapted vehicles.
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....
in the East Neuk
East Neuk
The East Neuk or East Neuk of Fife is an area of the coast of Fife, Scotland, which is geographically ill-defined but nonetheless stirs local passions....
of Fife
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...
.
History
Crail probably dates from at least as far back as the Pictish period, as the place-name includes the Pictish/Brythonic element caer, 'fort', and there is a Dark Age cross-slab preserved in the parish kirk, itself dedicated to the early holy man St. Maelrubha.Architecture
Built around a harbour, it has a particular wealth of vernacular buildings from the 17th to early 19th centuries, many restored by the National Trust for ScotlandNational Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
, and is a favourite subject for artists. The most notable building in the town is the 13th century parish church. Though much altered, this is one of Scotland's most beautiful ancient churches, with a fine western tower with small spire, and a double arcade of round pillars of variegated red sandstone in the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
. The side walls were rebuilt in Regency times, and the large pointed windows, filled with panes of clear glass held by astragals rather than leads, allow light to flood into the interior. The unaisled chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, now housing a huge organ, has been shortened. The church retains some 17th century woodwork, and there is an early Christian cross-slab of unusual form (perhaps 10th century), formerly set in the floor, on display.
The large kirkyard surrounding the building has a fine collection of mural monuments dating from the late 16th century on.
Other historic buildings in Crail are the tollbooth, with a tower dating from about 1600, which stands on its own in the large marketplace, and the doo'cot (Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
for dovecot
Dovecot
Dovecot may refer to:* Dovecot, Merseyside, an area of the City of Liverpool* Dovecot , an IMAP and POP software package-See also:* Dovecote, a building for pigeons or doves* Dovecote...
) of the town's otherwise vanished Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Friary.
Crail once had a royal castle above the harbour (perhaps this was the site of the 'fort'). The site is still visible as an open garden, but little or nothing of the structure survives above ground. A Victorian 'turret' jutting out from the garden wall recalls the Castle (visible in the photograph reprduced above).
Carboniferous fossils
On the beach beside the harbour, there are fossilised trees related to Horsetails, dating back to the CarboniferousCarboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
geological period.
Sport
The Crail Golfing SocietyCrail Golfing Society
The Crail Golfing Society is the seventh oldest golf club in the world, instituted in February 1786 in the Golf Hotel, Crail. Their oldest course, Balcomie, was formally laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1894, but competitions were played there since the 1850s....
is the seventh oldest in the world. Their oldest course, Balcomie, was formally laid out by Tom Morris Sr. in 1894, but competitions had been played there since the 1850s.
Aerodrome
Crail Aerodrome, to the north of the town, started life as a naval air station during the First World War. In the runup to the Second World War it became HMS Jackdaw. Planes from the airbase took part in the final attack on the TirpitzGerman battleship Tirpitz
Tirpitz was the second of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, the architect of the Imperial Navy, the ship was laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft in Wilhelmshaven in November 1936 and launched two and a half years later in April...
in 1944. After closure the Joint Services School for Linguists
Joint Services School for Linguists
The Joint Services School for Linguists was founded in 1951 by the British armed services to provide language training, principally in Russian, and largely to selected conscripts undergoing National Service...
(JSSL) was based here in the 1950s. Founded in 1951 by the British armed services to provide language training, principally in Russian, and largely to selected conscripts undergoing National Service was based at the airfield. The school closed with the ending of conscription in 1960. JSSL was initially based at three main sites near Bodmin, Caterham and Cambridge, run respectively by the Army, Navy and RAF. In 1956 the three were amalgamated at the airfield near Crail. It had many famous alumni.
Polish soldiers stationed at Crail during the Second World War helped the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh
Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. It is the Metropolitan see of the Province of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh, consisting of the additional suffragan sees of Aberdeen, Argyll and the Isles,...
purchase the disused United Presbyterian Church (built 1859). In 1942, it become Most Holy Trinity Church. The Church has recently been renovated and contains an icon to Our Lady of Poland painted by one of the Polish soldiers.
After the war, the airbase was taken over by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and renamed HMS Bruce. Between 1956 and 1958, the airfield was used by the Joint Services School for Linguists
Joint Services School for Linguists
The Joint Services School for Linguists was founded in 1951 by the British armed services to provide language training, principally in Russian, and largely to selected conscripts undergoing National Service...
to train linguists in Russian.
The airfield site now is home to Crail Raceway. It hosts events every second Sunday of the month, and lets amateur drivers compete with their own adapted vehicles.