Scotland > 1868, 1878 - Slater's (late Pigot & Co.'s) Royal national commercial directory and topography of Scotland > 1861

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HIS is an extensive, populous, and important county, lying on the eastern side of Scotland ; it is
a peninsula, having the Frith of forth on the south, the German Ocean on the east, and the Tay on the
north, which river separates it from Forfarshire and Perthshire ; on the west it is bounded by the latter
county and Kinross, with a small part of Clackmannan. The breadth, from its eastern apex to its wes
tern point, where it intersects Kinross and Perth, is about thirty-five miles; towards the south, however
(from Kinghorn to the verge of Kinross-shire), it is not more than ten miles across : the extreme length,
from north-east to south-west, in a curved line, is full forty miles. The regularity of its figure is much
interrupted by the intrusion of Kinross-shire, which creates a considerable indentation, not far from its
centre, on the west. Its superficies comprise 467 square miles, or 298,880 English acres; of cultivated
land there are about 210,000 acres, and of uncultivated about 90,000 ; the lakes cover about three
square miles. .
Early History — At an early period the district of Fife included Kinross-shire, Clackmannanshire
and part of the counties of Perth and Stirling ; it was then designated Koss, a term signifying a penin-
sula, and seems to have then been under one general jurisdiction. This large territory has long since
been dismerr.bered — Clackmannan was first taken from it, and next Kinross was erected into a distinct
shire. The origin of the name ' Fife ' has much puzzled etymologists, nor has a satisfactory conclusion
ever been arrived at upon this subject. The monkish chroniclers assume its derivation from one Fifus
Duffus, a hero of whom nothing more appears to be known than that he was a chieftain who performed
some great exploits, and did the country essential service in war. The ancient history of Fife is envel-
oped in nearly similar obscurity : its original possessors were the Celts, and their invaders the Romans;
and, towards the close of the ninth century, the king of the Scots obtained paramount sway over the
district. Between this period and the eleventh century, the country was in a great measure either the
property or under the jurisdiction of a potent succession of thanes,' of the title of Macduff: one of these,
Duncan Macduff, was created Earl of Fife by Malcolm the III. about 1057; and from this time, till the
family honors were merged by the marriage of female heirs or extinction in other families, and finally
lost by forfeiture in 1424, the Earls of Fife were amongst the most influential of the Scottish peerage.
After the lapse of more than three centuries, the ancient title of Earl of Fife was revived as an Irish
peerage, in 1759, in the person of William Duff, Lord Braco of Kilbryde, who, according to his gene-
alogists, derived his descent from the original earls. The lineal descendant of this person now inherits
the title and privileges — the estates of the family being situated principally in Aberdeenshire and
Banffshire.
Soil, Surface, and Climate. — The peninsulaof Fife was originally almost an entire forest, full of
swamps ; and while in this condition was the haunt of wild beasts, especially swine of a monstrous size.
Tt is understood that such animals were not extirpated in the reign of James V. who, like his forefathers,
often made Fife the scene of his hunting expeditions. In this county are found four kinds of soils, dif-
fering considerably in quality, and generally occupying distinct tracts of country. Along the braes
facing the Frith of Forth, the composition of the land is for the most part excellent — being deep rich
loam, good clay, and gravel mixed with loamy earth, based chiefly on whin-rock ; north from the waving
line which bounds this territory to the base of the hills on the south side of the vale of Fife, and from
St. Andrew's on the east to the western parts of the county, the soil is in general vastly inferior — a great
proportion being cold, poor, and very wet clay ; the tract of the ' Howe of Fife' consists of loam, partly
deep and moist, and partly light and dry, with also a considerable proportion of moor and moss ; in the
hilly district, from the vale to the river Tay, the land is almost uniformly of the best description, having
much rich loam, clay and gravel. Consequent upon the progressive operation of habitual and experi-
mental cultivation, these primitive properties of the soil have been modified, improved or ameliorated,
according to the system or means and perseverance of the agriculturist. The peninsula of Fife exhibits
in its surface a series of vales stretching from west to east parallel with the sea on each side, and of
greater or less dimensions : these vales, which, from the undulating character of the country, are in
some places not so distinct as in others, are the basins of different small streams, which merge either in
the Frith of Forth or St. Andrew's bay. The eminences of greatest altitude in Fifeshire are, Kelly-
Law, 800 feet ; Largo-Law, 1,020 ; East Lomond Hill, 1,260; and West Lomond Hill, 1,280, above the
level of the sea. The climate of this peninsula is, perhaps, as genial and salubrious as that ot other
districts more to the south: the fogs, which formerly were continually exhaling from the lochs and
marshes, to the injury of the crops and the health of the inhabitants, who were then afflicted with agues
and other concomitant diseases, have long since been effectually dissipated by the drainage of the damp
lands and the general spread of healthful cultivation. Altogether, Fife is a most important district :
its agricultural prosperity and capabilities — its manufactures — its fisheries, and its mineral treasures —
its burghs, sea-ports, and fine harbours — and its domestic and foreign commerce — form a combination
of advantages that must distinguish this shire as one of the most favoured, probably, in all North Britain.
Pboduce and Manufactures. — The shire is fortunate in possessing inexhaustible mines of coal,
with whinstone, sandstone, limestone, end some ironstone. Coal and lime are wrought only in the
southern division of the county, between the two extremities, and some miles inland ; within this district
there are as extensive lime and coal works as can be seen in Scotland. The sandstone fouGd in this
part is of the very best quality ; from its beauty it is exported to Edinburgh, where some of the finest
edifices have been built with it. Marl is abundant in some places — so likewise is fine clay, for the con*,
position of bricks, tiles, and pottery. From the possession of the above fossils, and the exuberant,
produce of corn and cattle, it is a common saying among the people of Fife, that their county could sup-
port itself better, without the aid of imported articles, than any other district in Scotland. Besides
isupplying home consumption, it enjoys a very large export trade in com, potatoes, pigs, black cattle,
lime, coal, and sandstone — sot to mention that of its manufactured goods. Lead has beea discovered
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