EXCERPT FROM THE 1861 PAROCHIAL DIRECTORY FOR FIFE AND KINROSS

PARISH OF ABERCROMBIE.

THE PARISH OF ABERCROMBIE OR ST MONANCE is situated on the south‑eastern border of the County. It is bounded on the south by the Firth of Forth, on the east by the parish of Pittenweem, on the north by the parish of Carnbee, and on the west by the parishes of Elie and Kilconquhar. It measures a mile along the coast, and about a mile and a half from north to south. Its surface makes a rather abrupt ascent from the low and rocky beach, and then it has some diversities, but on the whole is flat. The soil is chiefly a friable fertile loam, and nearly all the land is arable and cultivated. The small stream, Inweary, flows on the western boundary to the sea, and the Dreel burn runs eastward on the boundary with Carnbee. The fishing village of St Monance, where the greater part of the parishioners reside, is situated nearly mid‑way between Pittenweem and Elie ; it is a Burgh. of Barony, under the laird of Newark, and is governed by its baron Bailies and Council. There is a Sea Box Society connected with the village; Savings’ Banks, and other social and benevolent institutions. The villagers, who bear a high character for their general industry and provident habits, are chiefly employed in fishing, and great quantities of herring, cod, ling, haddock, &c., are caught during the year. The Harbour is partly natural, and enclosed by substantial piers; its frequenters are a few trading sloops during the year, and the large fishing boats belonging to the place. The coast here is much exposed to gales of wind; and sometimes the storm finds the harbour full of fishing boats, ‑which are wildly tossed abort, the owners jumping on board and doing what they can to keep their craft from dashing against each other. At present the fishermen are making efforts to get their harbour enlarged, and to extend it so that it may be entered at all hours of the tide; such a consummation would be an immense boon to the Fishermen, for as yet there is no low water pier on the eastern coast, and when the boats are overtaken by a storm at ebb tide, the crews have to lie off shore until the tide makes, battling the gale at the imminent peril of their lives. The inhabitants of the landward part of the Parish are chiefly employed in agricultural pursuits.

Previous to 1646, St Monance with its Church formed a barony in the adjoining parish of Kilconquhar, at which date it was annexed to the rural parish of Abercrombie, under the joint title of Abercrombie and St Monance; but of late years the old title of Abercrombie has been revived to designate the extended parish. The old Church of Abercrombie, situated in the landward part of the Parish, is in ruins, and has not been used as a place of worship for two centuries; it is now used as the burial place of the Balcaskie family. The Church now in use is situated at the west end of the village of St Monance, close upon the beach; it is a Gothic edifice originally founded in the 14th century, and previous to its restoration in 1827 it presented a singularly antique appearance, both externally and internally; it is now a handsome place of worship, seated for 528, and preserving as much of its ancient outline as was found consistent with modern ideas of comfort.

The ruins of the baronial house of Newark stand a short distance west from the church, on a precipitous ledge overtowering the sea; in this old house used to reside the feudal superiors of the barony ‑ the first of whom where the Sandilands, descended, says Sibbald, from the Lord Torphichen, one of whom, in 1648, was created Lord Abercrombie. The eastern wing still stands pretty entire, flanked at its northern corner by a round tower. It must have once been an extensive and strong building; part of the ruin is still used as a bothy for the ploughmen on the farm.

POST‑OFFICE, St Monance, John Oliphant, Post Master. ‑ Mails arrive from Pittenweem about eleven o’clock A.M., and are dispatched at half-past six P.M.

OWNERS 0R SKIPPERS.

Aitken, Thomas, Sen., Backgate, St Monance

Allan, John, East Shore, do

Allan, Robert, E. Narrow Wynd, do

Allan, William, West Shore, do

Adam, John, West End, do

Bridges, George, do do

Davidson, David, Harbour, do

Dunn, Robert, Square, do

Duncan, Thomas, East Shore, St Monance

Duncan, William, E. Backgate,  do

Easson, David, W. Narrow Wynd,  do

Easson, Thomas, Square,  do

Fyall, George, East Shore,  do

Fyall, John, E. Narrow Wynd,  do

Gerard, John, Backgate, do

Hutt, James, W. Backgate,  do

Hutt, William, West Shore,  do

Innes, James, Sen., Harbour, St Monance

Innes, James, Jun., West Shore, do

Marr, David, Broad Wynd, do

Marr, David, East Shore, do

Mathers, William, West Shore, do

Meldrum, William, Coal Wynd, do

Ovenstone, John, West Shore, do

Patterson, James, East Shore, do

Reikie, Robert, (D Duncan) Broad Wynd, do

Reikie, Robert, (Simpson) do do

Reikie, Robert, (Scott) do do

Robertson, William, Coal Wynd, do

Robertson, Robert, East Shore, do

Scott, Robert, Cribbs,  do

Smith, David, Coal Wynd, do

Watt, James, do  do

Wilson, William, Pier End, do

In addition to the above, about 40 are Skippers during the herring fishing.

BLACKSMITHS.

Mackie, John, Abercrombie

Ogilvie, William, St Monance

Peattie, William, Jun., do

BAKERS.

Adam, Andrew, St Monance

Ferguson, John, do

Robertson, David, do

BOOT & SHOEMAKERS.

Balfour, David, St Monance

Ogilvie, John, do

Small, Robert, do

CARTERS.

Brodie, Thomas, St Monance

Dowie, William, do

Duncan, David, do

Ireland, Andrew, do

Ireland,  William,  do

Latto, David, Burnside, do

Scott, James,   do

Small, Thomas, do

Warden, David, do

FARMERS.

Bowman, James, Newark

Coupar, Robert, Stenton

Mackie, Andrew, St Monance

Niven, John,  do

Peattie, Willam, Sen., Craigwells

Rodger, George, Abercrombie

Sommers, William, Barron Hall

Whyte, Frederick H., Coal Farm

FISHCURERS.

Anderson, Mr, Edinburgh, (John Oliphant, Agent)

Balfour, Alexander, St Monance

Cormack, Thos., Cellardyke, (Thos. Philips, Agent)

Dearsley, & Co., London, (David Brown, Agent)

Ireland, John, Buckhaven,  (Thomas Murray, Agent)

Jamieson, John, Edinburgh, (John Smith, Agent)

Johnstone, Andrew, St Monance

Marr, William,   do

Methven, J. Leith, (Edward Roper, Agent)

Meldrum, A., Colinsburgh

Murray & Darney, St Monance

Todd, Mr, Anstruther, (A. Morris, Agent)

Trainer, James, St Monance

GROCERS.

Those marked thus *  are also Spirit Dealers.

* Buddie, Rachel, St Monance

Cochrane, John,   do

*Dowie, David,   do

*Duncan, Wm.,  do

Fyall, Mrs,  do

*Johnston, Andrew, R., do

Marr, Jacobina,  do

Mays, Mrs,  do

Meldrum, James,  do

Trainer, James,  do

*Wilson, Janet,  do

TEACHERS & SCHOOLS.

Brown, Miss, Infant School, St Monance

Drummond, Miss,    do do

Nicolson, J., (retired) Parish School, do

Patterson, Robert, Parish School,  do

TAILORS.

Balfour, James, St Monance

Henderson, John,    do

Lindsay, Robert,    do

Lindsay, James,    do

VINTNERS.

Marr, David, St Monance

Oliphant, John,    do

Simpson, Janet,    do

Simpson, Alexander, do

MISCELLANEOUS.

Balfour, Alexander, Coal Merchant, St Monance

Bowman, James, Auctioneer and Cattle Dealer, Newark

Foggo, Rev. David L., Parish Church, Abercromie

Kerr, James, Inspector of Poor, St Monance

Kean, Robert, Plasterer,  do

Meldrum, James, Cooper,  do

Millar, John, Boatbuilder,  do

Mackie, Andrew, Brewer & Malster, do

Nicolson, John, Registrar, St Monance

Scott, David, Town Officer, do

Thomson, Andrew, Cloth Merchant, do

Religious Exercises and occasional Sermons at Infant School, and at Mr John  Millar’s Hall,

ADD

Allan, Margaret, Grocer, St Monance

Balfour, Alexander, Tailor, do

Gerrard, Peter, Tailor, do

Nicol, David, Baker, do

Patrick, Alex., Shoemaker, do

Ross, Miss, Teacher, do

Sommers, William, Carter, Barron Hall

DELETE

Balfour, James, Tailor, St Monance

Drummond, Miss, Teacher, do

Mays, Mrs, Grocer,  do

Niven, John, Farmer, do