Inverkeithing ( ; ) is a coastal town, parish and historic
Royal burgh
A royal burgh ( ) was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
in
Fife
Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...
,
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
. The town lies on the north shore of the
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth () is a firth in Scotland, an inlet of the North Sea that separates Fife to its north and Lothian to its south. Further inland, it becomes the estuary of the River Forth and several other rivers.
Name
''Firth'' is a cognate ...
, northwest of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
city centre and south of
Dunfermline
Dunfermline (; , ) is a city, parish, and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland, from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. Dunfermline was the de facto capital of the Kingdom of Scotland between the 11th and 15th centuries.
The earliest ...
.
A town of ancient origin, Inverkeithing became an important centre of trade and pilgrimage during the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
.
Inverkeithing was granted Royal burgh status by 1161 and was the meeting place of the
Convention of Royal Burghs from 1487 to 1552.
The town witnessed the
Battle of Inverkeithing in 1651, a conflict in the
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities in a personal union un ...
. Following the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
, Inverkeithing developed industries in distilling, ship breaking and quarrying.
Inverkeithing town centre is a
conservation area
Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural or cultural values. Protected areas are those areas in which human presence or the exploitation of natural resources (e.g. firewoo ...
, home to
41 listed historic buildings including the best-preserved medieval
friary
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...
in Scotland and one of the finest examples of a medieval
Mercat Cross
A mercat cross is the Scots language, Scots name for the market cross found frequently in Scotland, Scottish cities, towns and villages where historically the right to hold a regular market or fair was granted by the monarch, a bishop or ...
. Inverkeithing lies on the
Fife Coastal Path
The Fife Coastal Path is a Scottish long distance footpath that runs from Kincardine to Newburgh along the coastline of Fife. The path was created in 2002, originally running from North Queensferry to Tayport. It was extended in 2011 with a ne ...
, one of
Scotland's Great Trails, and the
Fife Pilgrim Way.
Inverkeithing railway station is a main stop for trains running over the nearby
Forth Rail Bridge, and the town is home to the Ferrytoll Park & Ride. Around half of Inverkeithing's workers work in Edinburgh city centre or Dunfermline (2024).
The town has a population of 4,820 (2020)
and the civil parish has a population of 8,878 (2022).
[Census of Scotland 2022, Table UV101b – Usual Resident Population by sex by age, publ. by National Records of Scotland. Web site http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/ retrieved May 2024. See "Standard Outputs", Table UV101b, Area type: Civil Parish 1930]
Toponymy
The name is of
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...
origin, ''Inbhir Céitein''. ''Inbhir'' is a common element in place names with
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
roots and means "confluence, inflow" (see
Aber and Inver), thus "mouth of the Keithing/Céitein". The Keithing is the name of a small river or burn that runs through the southern part of the town. Simon Taylor notes that the name Keithing probably contains the
Pictish
Pictish is an extinct Brittonic Celtic language spoken by the Picts, the people of eastern and northern Scotland from late antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. Virtually no direct attestations of Pictish remain, short of a limited number of geog ...
(
Brythonic) *''coet'', "wood", so the Keithing burn would have meant "stream that runs through or past or issues from woodland".
William Watson in 1910 hypothesised an etymological link between the
hydronym
A hydronym (from , , "water" and , , "name") is a type of toponym that designates a proper name of a body of water. Hydronyms include the proper names of rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, swamps and marshes, seas and oceans. As a subset of top ...
''Keithing'' and the Welsh ''cethin'', "dusky" (cf.
Bryncethin).
Geography
Townscape
Inverkeithing lies on the north shore of the
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth () is a firth in Scotland, an inlet of the North Sea that separates Fife to its north and Lothian to its south. Further inland, it becomes the estuary of the River Forth and several other rivers.
Name
''Firth'' is a cognate ...
at its narrowest crossing point, about from
South Queensferry
Queensferry, also called South Queensferry or simply "The Ferry", is a town to the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. Traditionally a royal burgh of West Lothian, it is now administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. It lies ten miles to the nor ...
, from Edinburgh city centre and from
Edinburgh Airport
Edinburgh Airport is an international airport located in the Ingliston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located west of the city centre, just off the M8 motorway (Scotland), M8 and M9 motorway (Scotland), M9 motorways. It is owned and oper ...
. The nearest city is Dunfermline, northwest.
Topographically, Inverkeithing is situated on a raised terrace sloping down towards Inverkeithing Bay, which cuts in to the south of the town, separating it from the
North Queensferry
North Queensferry is a historic coastal village in Fife, Scotland, situated on the Firth of Forth, from Edinburgh city centre. Located on the North Queensferry Peninsula, it is the southernmost settlement in Fife.
The town derives its name fro ...
peninsula. There are views from the town centre across the Firth of Forth to Edinburgh,
Arthur's Seat
Arthur's Seat (, ) is an ancient extinct volcano that is the main peak of the group of hills in Edinburgh, Scotland, which form most of Holyrood Park, described by Robert Louis Stevenson as "a hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bol ...
, and the
Pentland Hills
The Pentland Hills are a range of hills southwest of Edinburgh, Scotland. The range is around in length, and runs southwest from Edinburgh towards Biggar and the upper Clydesdale.
Etymology
The hills take their name from the hamlet of Pe ...
.
The town is bounded to the south by the North Queensferry peninsula and to the east by Inverkeithing Bay and Letham Hill. Its medieval centre lay along High Street and Church Street, but the town has since expanded to encompass areas to the north, east, and west. Modern Inverkeithing is almost contiguous with the neighbouring settlements of
North Queensferry
North Queensferry is a historic coastal village in Fife, Scotland, situated on the Firth of Forth, from Edinburgh city centre. Located on the North Queensferry Peninsula, it is the southernmost settlement in Fife.
The town derives its name fro ...
,
Rosyth
Rosyth () is a town and Garden City in Fife, Scotland, on the coast of the Firth of Forth.
Scotland's first Garden city movement, Garden City, Rosyth is part of the Greater Dunfermline Area and is located 3 miles south of Dunfermline city cen ...
and
Hillend village, and
Dalgety Bay
Dalgety Bay () is a coastal town and parish in Fife, Scotland, on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, 9 miles from Edinburgh city centre. It is part of the Greater Dunfermline Area and is connected to Inverkeithing to the West. The civil pa ...
.
The Keithing Burn flows from forest plantations to the northeast of the town between Dalgety Bay and Aberdour, past the railway junction, before falling into the Inner Bay of Inverkeithing Bay south of the town centre.
Landscape
Inverkeithing lies on the
Fife Coastal Path
The Fife Coastal Path is a Scottish long distance footpath that runs from Kincardine to Newburgh along the coastline of Fife. The path was created in 2002, originally running from North Queensferry to Tayport. It was extended in 2011 with a ne ...
, a long-distance footpath designated as one of Scotland's Great Trails. Coming from North Queensferry, the path winds around the Inner Bay, through Inverkeithing proper, and past the Ballast Bank public park towards Dalgety Bay.
The
Fife Pilgrim Way also passes through Inverkeithing.
Rising from the Inverkeithing stretch of Fife Coastal Path is Letham Hill Wood, a strip of
broadleaved woodland 1.5km long, forming a hilly barrier between Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay popular with walkers and mountain bikers.
The approach to the hill passes Prestonhill Quarry, which has high cliffs of igneous and metamorphic rock and native species of fish in the resulting quarry water pools.
Inverkeithing has two sandy beaches: Inverkeithing Bay Beach located off the Fife Coastal Path, and another located on the south shore of Inverkeithing's inner bay. Inverkeithing Bay Beach has a mean tidal range of approximately .
Climate
Inverkeithing follows a typical East Scotland temperate maritime climate.
History
Roman period
Inverkeithing has ancient origins: there is some evidence that during the
Roman conquest of Britain
The Roman conquest of Britain was the Roman Empire's conquest of most of the island of Great Britain, Britain, which was inhabited by the Celtic Britons. It began in earnest in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, and was largely completed in the ...
,
Roman governor
A Roman governor was an official either elected or appointed to be the chief administrator of Roman law throughout one or more of the many Roman province, provinces constituting the Roman Empire.
The generic term in Roman legal language was ''re ...
Agricola
Agricola, the Latin word for farmer, may also refer to:
People Cognomen or given name
:''In chronological order''
* Gnaeus Julius Agricola (40–93), Roman governor of Britannia (AD 77–85)
* Sextus Calpurnius Agricola, Roman governor of the m ...
established an encampment in the area between AD 78–87 during his war against the Caledonians.
By AD 142, when construction on the
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall () was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. Built some twenty years after Hadrian's Wall to the south ...
began on the southern shores of the River Forth, it is likely any Roman settlement ended.
Medieval period
The town's early history is tied to the founding of a church by a holy man named St Erat, supposedly a follower of
St Ninian
Ninian is a Christian saint, first mentioned in the 8th century as being an early missionary among the Pictish peoples of what is now Scotland. For this reason, he is known as the Apostle to the Southern Picts, and there are numerous dedicatio ...
. Local tradition (recorded in a plaque on the parish church) holds that St Erat founded a church in Inverkeithing in the 5th century, but he might be identical to a "St Theriot" venerated in nearby Fordell, who is thought to have lived in the 8th century. Because the first written references to St Erat come from the 16th century, they do not provide hard evidence for Inverkeithing's early history, or even for the existence of the saint.
Inverkeithing is first documented in 1114, when it is mentioned in the foundation charter of
Scone Abbey
Scone Abbey (originally Scone Priory) was a house of Augustinian canons located in Scone, Perthshire ( Gowrie), Scotland. Dates given for the establishment of Scone Priory have ranged from 1114 A.D. to 1122 A.D. However, historians have long b ...
granted by King
Alexander I Alexander I may refer to:
* Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon from 495 to 454 BC
* Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus
* Alexander I Theopator Euergetes, surnamed Balas, ruler of the Seleucid Empire 150-145 BC
* Pope Alex ...
.
In 1163 it appears—as "Innirkeithin"—in
Pope Alexander III
Pope Alexander III (c. 1100/1105 – 30 August 1181), born Roland (), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 September 1159 until his death in 1181.
A native of Siena, Alexander became pope after a Papal election, ...
's summons of the clergy of the British Isles to the
Council of Tours
In the medieval Roman Catholic church there were several Councils of Tours, that city being an old seat of Christianity, and considered fairly centrally located in France.
Council of Tours 461
The Council was called by Perpetuus, Bishop of Tours, ...
. Inverkeithing was made one of Fife's first
royal burgh
A royal burgh ( ) was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished by law in 1975, the term is still used by many former royal burghs.
Most royal burghs were either created by ...
s—which brought with it legal and trading privileges—in the 12th century.
While the precise date is unknown, its burgh status may have been bestowed during the reign of
David I David I may refer to:
* David I, Caucasian Albanian Catholicos c. 399
* David I of Armenia, Catholicos of Armenia (728–741)
* David I Kuropalates of Georgia (died 881)
* David I Anhoghin, king of Lori (ruled 989–1048)
* David I of Scotland ...
,
and it is mentioned as an existing burgh as early as 1161 by Malcolm IV. The settlement was an obvious choice to be created a burgh, as its location at the narrowest crossing point of the
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth () is a firth in Scotland, an inlet of the North Sea that separates Fife to its north and Lothian to its south. Further inland, it becomes the estuary of the River Forth and several other rivers.
Name
''Firth'' is a cognate ...
and its sheltered bay were both strategically important.
One of the earliest accounts of life in Inverkeithing comes from the 14th-century ''
Lanercost Chronicle
The ''Lanercost Chronicle'' is a northern English history covering the years 1201 to 1346. It covers the Wars of Scottish Independence, but it is also highly digressive and as such provides insights into English life in the thirteenth century as ...
''. At Easter 1282, the ''Chronicle'' relates, the parish priest of Inverkeithing had "revived the profane rites of
Priapus
In Greek mythology, Priapus (; ) is a minor rustic fertility god, protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens, and male genitalia. Priapus is marked by his oversized, permanent erection, which gave rise to the medical term priapism. He becam ...
, collecting young girls from the villages, and compelling them to dance in circles to the honour of Father
Bacchus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ) by the Gre ...
,
..singing and dancing himself and stirring them to lust by filthy language." When the priest exhibited similar behaviour during
Lent
Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...
, a scandalised citizen stabbed him to death. The incident was used by influential archaeologist and folklorist
Margaret Murray
Margaret Alice Murray (13 July 1863 – 13 November 1963) was an Anglo-Indian Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, historian, and folklorist. The first woman to be appointed as a lecturer in archaeology in the United Kingdom, sh ...
in her 1931 book ''The God of the Witches'' as support for her (now mostly discredited) hypothesis of the survival of British
paganism
Paganism (, later 'civilian') is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Christianity, Judaism, and Samaritanism. In the time of the ...
into the Middle Ages.
The town was the last place that King
Alexander III was seen before he died on 19 March 1286. The King had crossed the Forth from
Dalmeny
Dalmeny () is a village and civil parish in Scotland. It is located on the south side of the Firth of Forth, southeast of South Queensferry and west of Edinburgh city centre. It lies within the traditional boundaries of West Lothian, and ...
in a storm to pay a birthday visit to
Queen Yolande, who was staying in
Kinghorn
Kinghorn (; ) is a town and parish in Fife, Scotland. A seaside resort with two beaches, Kinghorn Beach and Pettycur Bay, plus a fishing port, it stands on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, opposite Edinburgh.
Known as the place where K ...
. On arriving in Inverkeithing, the party was met by one of the
burgesses of the town, Alexander Le Saucier (whose name indicates he was either linked to the King's kitchen, or the master of the local saltpans), who tried to convince the King to stay the night. However, the pleas fell on deaf ears, and Alexander set off into the rainy night with two local guides. The group lost its way near Kinghorn and got separated from the King, who was found dead at the bottom of a steep embankment on the next day, having presumably fallen from his horse.
Edward I
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 125 ...
("Longshanks") stayed in Inverkeithing on 2 March 1304 on his return to Scotland during the
First War of Scottish Independence
The First War of Scottish Independence was the first of a series of wars between Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland. It lasted from the English invasion of Scotland (1296), English invasion of Scotland in 1296 until ...
. This is evidenced by letters written here as he made his way from Dunfermline to
St Andrews
St Andrews (; ; , pronounced ʰʲɪʎˈrˠiː.ɪɲ is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland, southeast of Dundee and northeast of Edinburgh. St Andrews had a recorded population of 16,800 , making it Fife's fourth-largest settleme ...
.
All the 14th century Scottish monarchs had a connection with Inverkeithing.
Roger de Mowbray, baron of Inverkeithing, sealed the
Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 and was later sentenced to death for treason against
King Robert I.
Throughout much of the Middle Ages, Inverkeithing was an important resting place and staging post for
pilgrim
The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star.
Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as ...
s. Travelers on their way to the shrines of
Saint Margaret in Dunfermline and
Saint Andrew
Andrew the Apostle ( ; ; ; ) was an apostle of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was a fisherman and one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus.
The title First-Called () used by the Eastern Orthodox Church stems from the Gospel of Jo ...
in St Andrews would often stop in the town after crossing the
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth () is a firth in Scotland, an inlet of the North Sea that separates Fife to its north and Lothian to its south. Further inland, it becomes the estuary of the River Forth and several other rivers.
Name
''Firth'' is a cognate ...
via the
Queen's Ferry.
A hostel for pilgrims in Inverkeithing is documented as a possession of
Dryburgh Abbey as early as 1196.
A
Franciscan
The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
friary was established in Inverkeithing in the mid-14th century, which was also intended to serve religious travelers. It is one of the few remnants of a house of the
Greyfriars to have survived in Scotland.
Due to Inverkeithing's importance for medieval pilgrims, it is one of the towns along the
Fife Pilgrim Way established in 2019.
In 1487, an Act of Parliament during the reign of
James III specified that the
Convention of Royal Burghs would be held annually in Inverkeithing.
Evolving in parallel to the
Parliament of Scotland
In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
, the Convention was an important representative assembly of trading towns. While the Act specified Inverkeithing as the host, it is unclear how many meetings were held there before the Convention moved to Edinburgh in 1552.
Post-medieval period
16th century
In November 1504 there was a plague scare at
Dunfermline Palace
Dunfermline Palace is a ruined former Scottish royal palace and important tourist attraction in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. It is currently, along with other buildings of the adjacent Dunfermline Abbey, under the care of Historic Environmen ...
, and four
African women
The culture, evolution, and history of women who were born in, live in, and are from the continent of Africa reflect the evolution and History of Africa, history of the African continent itself.
Numerous short studies regarding women's history i ...
including
Ellen More, with
John Mosman, the court
apothecary
''Apothecary'' () is an Early Modern English, archaic English term for a medicine, medical professional who formulates and dispenses ''materia medica'' (medicine) to physicians, surgeons and patients. The modern terms ''pharmacist'' and, in Brit ...
, came to stay in Inverkeithing before crossing to
South Queensferry
Queensferry, also called South Queensferry or simply "The Ferry", is a town to the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. Traditionally a royal burgh of West Lothian, it is now administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. It lies ten miles to the nor ...
.
Inverkeithing was one of the few Scottish burghs to have four stone gates—known as "ports"—around its medieval settlement. Stone walls were added in 1557, the last remains of which can still be found on the south side of Roman Road. Until that time, Inverkeithing enjoyed a successful
trade in wool, fleece and hides, and served as a hub of commerce for Fife. The town's flourishing was evidenced by its weekly
markets and five annual fairs.
17th century
However, trade had begun to decrease by the 16th century, and Inverkeithing slowly became poorer than its neighbouring settlements. Due to political and social instability, caused by both
plague and
war
War is an armed conflict between the armed forces of states, or between governmental forces and armed groups that are organized under a certain command structure and have the capacity to sustain military operations, or between such organi ...
, this downward trend continued in the 17th century. In 1654, Dutch cartographer
Joan Blaeu
Joan Blaeu (; 23 September 1596 – 21 December 1673), also called Johannes Blaeu, was a Dutch cartographer and the official cartographer of the Dutch East India Company. Blaeu is most notable for his map published in 1648, which was the fir ...
mentions Inverkeithing as "formerly a flourishing market" in his ''Nova Fifae Descriptio''.
Inverkeithing was a hotbed for witch trials in the 17th century. In 1621 six local women were tried for
witchcraft
Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...
in the Tolbooth. Between 1621 and 1652, at least 51 people were executed for witchcraft in Inverkeithing, an unusually large number for a town of this size; the much larger
Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy ( ; ; ) is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south-southwest of Dundee. The town had a recorded population of 49,460 in 2011, making it Fife's second-largest s ...
only saw 18 executions in the same period.
The reason is believed to be a combination of
cholera
Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
outbreaks, famine, and the appointment of Rev.
Walter Bruce—a known
witch hunter—as minister of St Peter's.
Bruce also played a pivotal role in initiating the so-called
Great Scottish witch hunt of 1649–50. The executions were carried out at ''Witch Knowe'' to the south of town, which today is partially within Hope Street Cemetery.

On 20 July 1651, the
Battle of Inverkeithing was fought on two sites in the area, one north of the town close to
Pitreavie Castle, the other to the south on and around the peninsula of
North Queensferry
North Queensferry is a historic coastal village in Fife, Scotland, situated on the Firth of Forth, from Edinburgh city centre. Located on the North Queensferry Peninsula, it is the southernmost settlement in Fife.
The town derives its name fro ...
and the isthmus connecting it to Inverkeithing. The battle took place during
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
's invasion of the
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a Anglo-Sc ...
following the
Third English Civil War. It was an attempt by the English Parliamentarian forces to outflank the army of Scottish
Covenanters
Covenanters were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. It originated in disputes with James VI and his son ...
loyal to
Charles II at
Stirling
Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...
and get access to the north of Scotland. This was the last major engagement of the
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities in a personal union un ...
and led to Scotland passing into Cromwell's control. Cromwell's 4,500 troops defeated a Scottish force of roughly equal size, forcing the Covenanters to abandon Stirling and march south to support Charles II. Of the estimated 800
MacLean clansmen who fought in the battle, only 35 were said to have survived, although Covenanter officer
Sir James Balfour estimated the clan's losses at around 100. An apocryphal account states that the Pinkerton Burn ran red with blood for three days afterwards. This was a significant episode in the history of Clan MacLean, and the 20th century poet
Sorley MacLean mentions Inverkeithing in one of his poems.
18th century
In 1703 the title of
Viscount of Inverkeithing fell to the
Earl of Roseberry. In 1707, James Spittle representing Inverkeithing voted in favour of ratification of the
Treaty of Union
The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new political state of Great Britain. The treaty, effective since 1707, brought the Kingdom of England (which already included Wales) and the Ki ...
(see
Act of Union).
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; 1660 – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, merchant and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its number of translati ...
, writing of Inverkeithing in his ''
Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain'' in 1724, found the town to be "still populous, but decayed, as to what it has formerly been".
Defoe also relates that Inverkeithing had briefly become known in England in the early 1700s for a
crime of passion
A crime of passion (), in popular usage, refers to a violent crime, especially homicide, in which the perpetrator commits the act against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as anger or jealousy rather than as a premeditated crime. A ...
in which
Robert Balfour, 5th Lord Balfour of Burleigh, murdered an Inverkeithing schoolmaster who had married a woman Balfour loved—the nobleman was later sentenced to death, but escaped captivity by exchanging clothes with his sister.
Defoe's sentiments about Inverkeithing were echoed by
Sir William Burrell when he toured Scotland in 1758, who found it a "mean, miserable, paultry town, teaching us what to expect from its neighbouring villages". At the time, the parish had a population of over 2,200,
and industry had become both smaller in scale and more diverse. Lead and
coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other Chemical element, elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Coal i ...
were mined, with coal being exported in substantial quantities. There was an iron foundry and, by the late 18th century, the town had a brewery,
tan works, soap works, a salt pan and timber works.
A
whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...
distillery, using the water of Keithing Burn, was opened in 1795, and operated until the mid-19th century. Its buildings, near the railway line in Keith Place, were later used for oil works. The importance of fishing declined in line with increasing industrialisation and, by 1891, Inverkeithing only had 14 resident fishermen.
19th century
In 1821, merchant and politician
Sir Robert Preston directed the development of Preston Crescent, a new road to the south of the town on the banks of the Inner Bay. Alongside a small stone bridge (today a C-listed building), a number of plain classical houses were built to accommodate retired sea captains, with most of the buildings surviving to this day. Nearby Preston Hill is also named for Sir Robert, who erected a flagpole there intended to aid marine traffic.

By the mid-19th century
quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mining, open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock (geology), rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some juri ...
ing, engineering and
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other Watercraft, floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation th ...
were major industries in the area and, in 1831, the population increased by over 600 in a decade, due to an influx of labourers employed in greenstone quarries. The quarries provided material for major works, such as the extension of
Leith
Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith.
The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...
Pier and some of the piers of the
Forth Bridge.
By 1870, engineering and shipbuilding had largely ceased, and the harbour lost freight traffic to the
railways
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of land transport, next to roa ...
. As a result, Inverkeithing was no longer on a through route for freight. The opening of the Forth Bridge in 1890, however, led to another surge in population and new building. By 1925, quarrying remained a major operation and, whilst the saltworks, iron foundry and sawmill had closed, a papermaking industry had developed at the harbour.
Caldwell's paper mill would remain in operation until 2003, with the factory being demolished in 2012.
20th century onwards
In 1901 Inverkeithing Bowling Club was founded, and in 1908 Inverkeithing United Football Club was founded.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Inverkeithing became known for its
shipbreaking at
Thos. W. Ward's yard on the Inner Bay. Among others, the revolutionary battleship
HMS ''Dreadnought'' was dismantled there in 1923, as was the hull of the
''Titanic'''s sister ship
RMS ''Olympic'' in 1937, the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...
cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports of call, where passengers may go on Tourism, tours k ...
''Robert Ley'' in 1947, passenger steamer and later depot ship
HMS Montclare in 1958, and the second
RMS ''Mauretania'' in 1966. Today, the yard is a metal recycling facility.
In 1975, all Royal Burghs were disbanded, ending the autonomy Inverkeithing had enjoyed since the 11th century. Inverkeithing subsequently became part of
Fife Council
Fife Council is the local authority for the Fife area of Scotland and is the third largest Scottish council by number of councillors, having 75 elected council members.
Councillors make decisions at its regular council meetings, or at those of ...
.
Places of interest
Historic landmarks
Inverkeithing is home to
55 listed buildings, including 6 of category A; the highest possible level of classification for "buildings of national or international importance, either architectural or historic; or fine, little-altered examples of some particular period, style or building type". The heart of the medieval town was located around High Street, Bank Street, Townhall Street, and Church Street.
St. Peter's Church
The
B-listed parish church of St. Peter stands in its large churchyard on the east side of Church Street. The church was founded by
Waltheof of Allerdale, son of Gospatrick, as a wooden
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foot ...
church before being adapted into a
Norman stone structure, which was bequeathed by the monks of
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland parish church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was confiscated and sacked in 1560 during the S ...
in 1139.
[Lamont-Brown ''Fife in History and Legend'' pp. 162–164.] The Norman foundations were reused for the 13th century
Gothic structure, and a tower was added in the 14th century. In pre-
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
times the church had altars to
St. Michael, the Holy Blood,
John the Baptist
John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...
,
St. Catherine, the Holy Rood,
St. Laurence,
St. Ninian and St. Mary. In 1611 it absorbed the adjacent parish of Rosyth.
Extensive fire damage in 1825 reduced it to the height of its lower window sills, although the tower survived, but it was rebuilt.
The main part of the church is thus a large plain neo-Gothic 'preaching box' of 1826–27, designed by
James Gillespie Graham.
[Buildings of Scotland: Fife, by John Gifford] Built of soft sandstone, the tower—the only remaining part of the pre-Reformation church—is very weathered, and has been partially refaced. The tower is crowned by a lead-covered spire from 1835 designed by
Thomas Bonnar, whose elaborate gabled dormers saw clock faces being added in 1883.
The church's roomy interior—now deprived of its galleries—is graced by one of the finest medieval furnishings to survive in any Scottish parish church. This is the large and well-preserved sandstone font of around 1398, which was rediscovered buried under the church, having been concealed at the
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
. Its octagonal bowl is decorated with angels holding heraldic shields.
These include the royal arms of the King of Scots, and of Queen
Anabella Drummond, the consort of King
Robert III. The high quality of the carving is explained by it being a royal gift to the parish church, Inverkeithing being a favourite residence of Queen Anabella. Most of the interior visible today was designed by
Peter MacGregor Chalmers and dates from 1900.
Notable ministers include
Robert Roche (
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every year. After chairing the Ass ...
in 1613) and witch hunter Walter Bruce, who served the unique church role of 'Constant Moderator' from 1662 until 1673.
Hospitium of the Grey Friars

On the High Street lies one of the best surviving examples of a friary building in Scotland, the
category-A listed Hospitium of the Grey Friars (also known as the Franciscan order).
[Fife Regional Council ''Medieval Abbeys and Historic Churches'' p.40.] The friary could date from the late 13th century, with a charter in 1268 mentioning the building of a church and convent for the Franciscans.
It may have been founded by
Philip Mowbray
Sir Philip Mowbray or Philip de Mowbray (died 1318) was a Scottish noble who opposed Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence. He later changed his allegiance to Scotland and was killed in 1318 fighting in Ireland.
Life
He was th ...
, Lord of
Barnbougle on the opposite shore of the Forth.
There are no further mentions of the friary until 1384, but at the time, it would have been a thriving hub for pilgrims to Dunfermline and St Andrews, comprising accommodations, cloisters, storage cellars, and a chapel.
The friary was sold to a private buyer in 1559 during the
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was the process whereby Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland broke away from the Catholic Church, and established the Protestant Church of Scotland. It forms part of the wider European 16th-century Protestant Reformation.
Fr ...
and remodeled into a
tenement
A tenement is a type of building shared by multiple dwellings, typically with flats or apartments on each floor and with shared entrance stairway access. They are common on the British Isles, particularly in Scotland. In the medieval Old Town, E ...
.
The hospitium visible today once formed the west end of the friary, and it was the only building preserved during the 16th-century alterations, while the rest of the complex was used as a quarry.
An
antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artefacts, archaeological and historic si ...
renovation in 1932–1935 restored the 14th-century details for which there was evidence, and otherwise retained the 17th-century finishes. The building was originally
cruciform
A cruciform is a physical manifestation resembling a common cross or Christian cross. These include architectural shapes, biology, art, and design.
Cruciform architectural plan
Christian churches are commonly described as having a cruciform ...
, but only its central part remains, including several tunnel vaults formerly used for storage.
The foundations of the north range of the complex, together with a well and several cellars, can be seen in the public gardens next to the hospitium.
The building is now mainly used as a community centre.
Inverkeithing Mercat Cross
Inverkeithing contains one of the oldest and finest remaining examples of a
mercat cross
A mercat cross is the Scots language, Scots name for the market cross found frequently in Scotland, Scottish cities, towns and villages where historically the right to hold a regular market or fair was granted by the monarch, a bishop or ...
in Scotland, dating from 1389.
The cross, a category-A listed historic monument, is believed to have been built as a memorial of the marriage between the
Duke of Rothesay
Duke of Rothesay ( ; ; ) is the main dynastic title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the Scottish and, later, British thrones. The dukedom was created in 1398 by Robert III of Scotland for his eldest son.
Duke of Rothesay i ...
and the daughter of the
Earl of Douglas
This page is concerned with the holders of the forfeit title Earl of Douglas and the preceding Scottish feudal barony, feudal barons of Douglas, South Lanarkshire. The title was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1358 for William Douglas, 1 ...
.
Originally, the cross stood on the north end of the High Street, before moving to face the Tolbooth and then to its present site at the junction between Bank Street and High Street, further up the road.
As of 2021, there are plans to move it to a more prominent position in the Market Square, as part of a £3.6 million, five-year programme of improvements to the town centre. The core of the mercat cross is thought to date from the late 14th century, with the octagonal shaft from the 16th century.
Two of the shields on the cross bear the arms of Queen Anabella Drummond and the
Douglas family.
Later, a unicorn and a shield depicting the
St Andrew's Cross were added in 1688, the work of John Boyd of
South Queensferry
Queensferry, also called South Queensferry or simply "The Ferry", is a town to the west of Edinburgh, Scotland. Traditionally a royal burgh of West Lothian, it is now administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. It lies ten miles to the nor ...
.
Inverkeithing Town House
On Townhall Street is the A-listed
Inverkeithing Town House (also known as the Tolbooth), which displays the old town coat of arms above the front door.
[Pride ''Kingdom of Fife'' p.35.] The Renaissance tower, at the western end of the building, is the oldest part of the tolbooth, dating from 1755.
[Walker and Ritchie ''Fife, Perthshire and Angus'' pp.82–83.] A three-storey classical building followed in 1770 as a replacement for the previous tolbooth.
The building featured a prison or 'black hole' on the ground floor, the court room on the middle and the debtors' prison on the top.
The building was fully renovated and remodeled for community use from 2022 to 2024.
Other historic landmarks
The Burgh Arms Hotel and Pub dates to 1664 with an extension from 1888, making it one of the oldest pubs in East Scotland. The pub is a category-C listed historic building and is still in operation.
Fordell's Lodging is opposite St Peter's Church and is an A-listed L-plan tower house which dates from 1671 and was built by Sir John Henderson of Fordell.
On King Street is the much altered B-listed ''Rosebery House'', once owned by the
Rosebery family,
and possibly the oldest surviving house in the burgh.
The unusual monopitch lean-to roof is locally known as a 'toofall', and dates the house to no later than the early 16th century.
It was owned by the
Earl of Dunbar
The title Earl of Dunbar, also called Earl of Lothian or Earl of March, applied to the head of a comital lordship in south-eastern Scotland between the early 12th century and the early 15th century. The first man to use the title of Earl in this ...
before being purchased by the Earl of Rosebery.
Inverkeithing Harbour is a historic B-Listed narrow rubble-built
harbour
A harbor (American English), or harbour (Commonwealth English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences), is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be Mooring, moored. The t ...
at the point where Keithing Burn debouches into Inverkeithing Bay. The harbour was first recorded in 1587, and was a probable landing place for the Queensferry passage during the 12th century. It was the terminus of the 18th century Halbeath Waggon Way. The Keithing Burn enters the head of harbour through square bull-faced rubble
sluice
A sluice ( ) is a water channel containing a sluice gate, a type of lock to manage the water flow and water level. There are various types of sluice gates, including flap sluice gates and fan gates. Different depths are calculated when design s ...
installed in 1840, over which runs a 20th century metal footbridge.
Inverkeithing Railway Station dates from 1877, and was significantly expanded in 1890 as a dual track railway following the completion of the nearby Forth Rail Bridge. The East Block is original, and now forms a large waiting block, and is category B listed by Historic Scotland. Part of the Railway's infrastructure includes tunnelling under Boreland Road Bridge at the immediate south exit from the station, built in the late 18th century to span over the river Keithing for the original Halbeath Waggon Railway (now category-B listed).
The Waggon Way, opened in 1783, is now used as a footpath.
Moffat Cottage on Heriot Street was the home of missionary
Robert Moffat, father-in-law of Victorian explorer
David Livingstone
David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, and an explorer in Africa. Livingstone was married to Mary Moffat Livings ...
.
Information from local sources and a commemorative plaque indicate that Livingstone occasionally stayed at the cottage, including after his first return to Britain during 1856/57; he also may have built the summerhouse.
Today the cottage is a category-C Listed building.
St. Peter's
Episcopal Church, dated 1908, is a classic example of Edwardian church design, built to accommodate the growing number of episcopal residents following the church's re-establishment in Edinburgh in 1878. The church lies at the southern end of the town, and is a category-C listed historic building.
Thomsoun's House is located on Bank Street, between numbers 2–4, dates from 1617, and was reconstructed in 1965. Its carved sandstone
pediment
Pediments are a form of gable in classical architecture, usually of a triangular shape. Pediments are placed above the horizontal structure of the cornice (an elaborated lintel), or entablature if supported by columns.Summerson, 130 In an ...
includes thistle-shaped
finial
A finial () or hip-knob is an element marking the top or end of some object, often formed to be a decorative feature.
In architecture, it is a small decorative device, employed to emphasize the Apex (geometry), apex of a dome, spire, tower, roo ...
s and the initials of the first owners John Thomson ("I.T.") and Bessie Thomsoun ("B.T.").
The Category B listed Spencerfield House, in the east of the town, was originally built around 1592 by Henry Scott (d. 1616). The house was raided during the Battle of Inverkeithing, and accounts show "a great quantity of silver plate, arras, hingings, carpets, and other household plenishings" were plundered.
Parks and gardens

Ballast Bank is Inverkeithing's largest public park. Located on the shore of the Inner Bay next to Inverkeithing harbour, the park features a public athletics track, children's playpark and skatepark. The park is home to Inverkeithing Hillend Swifts football club, and hosts the Ballast Bank Community Centre run by Fife Council.
Behind the Hospitium of the Grey Friars lie Inverkeithing Friary Gardens, which are publicly accessible; next to these lie the Inverkeithing Community Gardens. Next to St. Peter's Church is Inverkeithing War Memorial Gardens, which feature a memorial for those lost in the
First and
Second World Wars
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Witchknowe Park is a small park to the south of the town, near where those accused of witchcraft were executed in the 17th century.
Inverkeithing is home to cemeteries at Hope Street Cemetery, which features Commonwealth War Graves, as well as Inverkeithing St Peters Kirkyard, no longer in use and with graves dating back to 1606.
Beaches
Inverkeithing Bay Beach is a sandy beach located adjacent to the Fife Coastal Path is it runs past Inverkeithing town towards Dalgety Bay. The beach has a mean tidal range of approximately .
Inverkeithing Inner Bay Beach is a small sandy beach located off Cruickness Road, and is accessible by car. It overlooks the harbour and town.
Other places of interest
Inverkeithing Civic Centre and Library is a large public venue on Queen Street with a library, computer use area, café, public toilets, council information desk and a small museum.
Prestonhill Quarry is a former quarry filled with water with steep cliffs. The quarry is popular for fishing, diving, kayak and open water swimming and other leisure use. Fife council have warned those entering the water to be careful and responsible.
Governance
For the
UK Parliament
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of ...
, Inverkeithing forms part of the
Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy constituency, as of 2024 held by
Melanie Ward for the
Labour Party. For the
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
, Inverkeithing is part of the
Cowdenbeath
Cowdenbeath () is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 1890. According to a 20 ...
constituency, as of 2024 represented by
Annabelle Ewing of the
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party (SNP; ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 61 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, ...
.
Fife Council
Fife Council is the local authority for the Fife area of Scotland and is the third largest Scottish council by number of councillors, having 75 elected council members.
Councillors make decisions at its regular council meetings, or at those of ...
is the local authority for Inverkeithing, which is part of the
Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay (ward).
Inverkeithing
Community Council
A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain.
In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies. ...
handles local town matters, and as of 2024 is chaired by Helen Doig. Like other community councils, it is a voluntary organisation that acts as a voice for the area, and is involved in community planning partnerships.
Economy
Inverkeithing is known as a commuter town of both
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
and
Dunfermline
Dunfermline (; , ) is a city, parish, and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland, from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. Dunfermline was the de facto capital of the Kingdom of Scotland between the 11th and 15th centuries.
The earliest ...
; of Inverkeithing's workforce of 2,000 people, over 550 work in Edinburgh and over 400 work in Dunfermline (2022).
The town is demographically very mixed, with an especially wide range of residents with professional and nonprofessional jobs, part-time and self-employment, and high and low educational attainment.

Town centre
Inverkeithing town centre provides the local area with a variety of services including a
Post Office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...
, a
Scotmid supermarket, pharmacies, bakeries, pubs, restaurants, and hairdressers. In 2022, Inverkeithing had the lowest number of vacant shops among all Fife town centres.
Other economic activity
A mile away from Inverkeithing town centre but within its administrative boundary is Belleknowes Industrial Estate, which as of 2024 houses 27 companies including several autocare and DIY stores. On the former Thos. W. Ward shipbreaking site on the south side of Inverkeithing Bay lies Robertsons Metals, which deals in, and exports, recycled metal.
Transport
Inverkeithing railway station is a main stop for the following services:
*
Scotrail
ScotRail Trains Limited, trading as ScotRail (), is a Scottish train operating company that is publicly owned by Scottish Rail Holdings on behalf of the Scottish Government. It has been operating the ScotRail franchise as an operator of las ...
's
Fife Circle line services including:
** Edinburgh to
Glenrothes with Thornton via
Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy ( ; ; ) is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south-southwest of Dundee. The town had a recorded population of 49,460 in 2011, making it Fife's second-largest s ...
and
Burntisland
Burntisland ( , ) is a former Royal burgh and parish in Fife, Scotland, on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. It was previously known as Wester Kinghorn or Little Kinghorn. The town has a population of 6,269 (2011).
Burntisland is known ...
.
** Edinburgh to Glenrothes with Thornton via
Cowdenbeth.
** Edinburgh to Cowdenbeath via Dunfermline.
* Scotrail's Edinburgh to
Dundee
Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...
service via
Leuchars
Leuchars (pronounced or ; "rushes") is a town and parish near the north-east coast of Fife in Scotland.
The civil parish has a population of 5,754 (in 2011) Census of Scotland 2011, Table KS101SC – Usually Resident Population, publ. by Nati ...
for St Andrews.
* Scotrail's Edinburgh to
Perth
Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
service.
*
LNER Aberdeen
Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
to
London King's Cross service, via
Newcastle
Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...
and
York
York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...
.
*
CrossCountry
CrossCountry (legal name XC Trains Limited) is a British train operating company owned by Arriva UK Trains, operating the current CrossCountry franchise.
The CrossCountry franchise was restructured by the Department for Transport (DfT) in 2006, ...
's Aberdeen to
Penzance
Penzance ( ; ) is a town, civil parish and port in the Penwith district of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is the westernmost major town in Cornwall and is about west-southwest of Plymouth and west-southwest of London. Situated in the ...
service via
Bristol Temple Meads and
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
.
*
Caledonain Sleeper's
London Euston to Aberdeen service.
Passengers en route to Edinburgh travel across the
Forth Bridge.
The town is served by regular direct bus services by
Stagecoach
A stagecoach (also: stage coach, stage, road coach, ) is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by ...
and Bay Travel to Edinburgh, Edinburgh airport, and much of Fife.
Inverkeithing and its surroundings are also served by the Ferrytoll Park & Ride to the south of the town, which provides car parking and access to bus services to Edinburgh city centre, Edinburgh Airport,
Livingston,
South Gyle, other parts of Fife, as well as links to the
Scottish Citylink coach network.
Inverkeithing is
bypassed by the
M90 motorway
The M90 is a controlled-access highway, motorway in Scotland. It runs from Junction 1A of the M9 motorway (Scotland), M9 motorway, south of the Queensferry Crossing, to Perth, Scotland, Perth. It is the northernmost motorway in the United Kin ...
, accessed at the south of the town via Hope Street and at the north of the town via the A921, which links Fife to
Lothian
Lothian (; ; ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, while other signific ...
and Edinburgh via the
Queensferry Crossing. Cycling commuters travelling south to Edinburgh cross the
Forth Road Bridge
The Forth Road Bridge is a suspension bridge in Central Belt, east central Scotland. The bridge opened in 1964 and at the time was the List of longest suspension bridge spans, longest suspension bridge in the world outside the United States. ...
, which is open exclusively to cyclists, walking and public transport.
Inverkeithing is part of
National Cycle Route 76.
Major unrestricted public car parks in Inverkeithing include Ferrytoll Park and Ride free car park; King Street free car park and Belleknowes free car park for the train station; and Hope Street free car park, Queen Street free car park and Chapel Place car park.
Inverkeithing has been named the most electric vehicle friendly commuter town in the UK (2025). 42% of EV chargers are rapid or ultra-rapid chargers and the train station also has EV charging.
Community
Inverkeithing Highland Games
The Ballast Bank grounds play host to Inverkeithing's annual
highland games, which have been staged here since at least 1914, and in the town since 1646,
and which draw crowds of up to 5000 spectators.
Inverkeithing Lammas Fair
In conjunction with the highland games, the town hosts its annual
Lammas
Lammas (from Old English ''hlāfmæsse'', "loaf-mass"), also known as Loaf Mass Day, is a Christian holiday celebrated in some English-speaking world, English-speaking countries on 1 August. The name originates from the word "loaf" in referenc ...
Fair Celebrations, which traditionally celebrates the first harvest of the year and involves market stalls and a funfair. The fair was described in the Inverkeithing Burgh records of 1648 as "a great day for fun, frolic, fit races, ale and drunken folks, gentle and simple".
Football
Inverkeithing United was hosted in the town from 1906 to 1963, winners of the
Scottish Junior Cup
The Scottish Junior Cup is an annual football competition organised by the Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA). The competition has been held every year since the inception of the SJFA on the 2nd October 1886 and, as of the 2023–24 ed ...
in 1912–13. The team were reformed as a community football club in early 2017, and currently play as an SFA Quality Marked accredited community football club, with a community based football pathway from U5's to U17's.
Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts, founded in 1996, entered their senior team into the pyramid in 2018 and currently compete in the . The club played at Ballast Bank on the Inner Bay until 2021, when the home games were moved to Dalgety Bay; the condition of the grounds at Inverkeithing would otherwise prevent promotion to the
Lowland League.
Bowling
Inverkeithing Bowling Club was founded in 1901, and is located at Alma Street. The club was one of the first Bowling Clubs in Scotland to admit female players starting 1919, and has produced Scottish national players at the British Isles Championships and Scottish triples winners.
Community venues
Inverkeithing Civic Centre and Library is a large public venue on Queen Street with a library, computer use area, café, and council information desk. The Centre also offers indoor sports and senior table tennis, yoga, and table tennis, in addition to children's birthday parties and meetings.
Inverkeithing High School Community Use offer sports, leisure and adult education classes. The centre offers classes for children including swimming lessons, football, and creative arts, as well as for adults including painting, yoga, and swimming.Ballast Bank Community Centre offers activities for all age groups, and individuals, clubs and organisations can hire the facilities for birthday parties and some indoor sports.
Inverkeithing Community Gardens is a community project run by volunteers. The group provides opportunities for horticultural therapy, social contact and producing crops. The gardens features an orchard. Inverkeithing Hope Street Allotments is a large south facing community allotments run by Fife Council.
Community groups
The Inverkeithing Trust is a non-profit charity run by local volunteers; it organises an annual garden competition and flower show. The 68th (Fife)
Scouts
Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
group occupy BP Hall on Hope Street, and caters to children aged 4 to 14. The
Freemason
Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
Lodge St John 60 was constituted in 1754, and is now located on Hope Street; the lodge is occasionally used as a public meeting place.
Religion
Inverkeithing has four active places of worship: Inverkeithing St Peters Parish Church (
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...
) on Church Street, Saint Peter in Chains (
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
) on Hope Street, St Peters Church (
Episcopal Church) on Hope Street and Inverkeithing Baptist Church (
Baptist Church
Baptists are a denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of ...
) on Church Street.
Film and TV
IMDb
IMDb, historically known as the Internet Movie Database, is an online database of information related to films, television series, podcasts, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and biograp ...
currently lists 18 films and TV series filmed in Inverkeithing (2024).
The 2000 film
Complicity starring
Jonny Lee Miller
Jonathan Lee Miller (born 15 November 1972) is an English actor. He achieved early success for his portrayal of Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson in the dark comedy-drama film '' Trainspotting'' (1996) and as Dade Murphy in '' Hackers'' (1995) before ...
and
Brian Cox was partly filmed in Inverkeithing. In 2014, the Inverkeithing Highland Games were featured in season 7, episode 1 of the US television show ''
Duck Dynasty'', in which cast members participated in some of the events. In 2024, scenes for the ITV crime series
Karen Prie was filmed on the High Street.
Education and services

The town is served by Inverkeithing Primary School and
Inverkeithing High School
Inverkeithing High School is a secondary school located in Inverkeithing, a historic town on Fife's southern coast 3½ miles from Dunfermline city centre, 9½ miles from Edinburgh city centre, and in between the towns and villages of Dalgety ...
, both located on Hillend Road to the northeast of the town centre. The high school's catchment area includes most of the surrounding towns of Dalgety Bay, Hillend village, Rosyth, and North Queensferry. The current school population is around 1,500 pupils.
Post high school education can take place at
Fife College's nearby Rosyth campus. The closest universities to Inverkeithing are
Herriot Watt and the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
.
The original primary school—a
C-listed building from 1894, located behind Fordell's Lodging—was destroyed by a fire in 2018, after having been disused for a number of years. As of late 2023, plans for the primary school site are still being developed.
For healthcare, Inverkeithing is served by Inverkeithing Medical Centre, an
NHS
The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...
practice. The nearest A&E services are at
Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline or the
Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.
For police services, the nearest
Police Scotland
Police Scotland (), officially the Police Service of Scotland (), is the national police force of Scotland. It was formed in 2013, through the merging of eight regional police forces in Scotland, as well as the specialist services of the Scottis ...
station is Dalgety Bay police station at Regents Way, Dalgety Bay. For fire services, Dunfermline Fire Station or South Queensferry fire station.
Notable residents
This list contains notable people who were either born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with, Inverkeithing.

Royalty and religion
*
Walter Bruce (1605–1673), longest serving leader of the Church of Scotland as
Constant Moderator from 1662 to 1673, minister of Inverkeithing under
Charles I.
*
Queen Annabella Drummond of Scotland (1350–1401),
Queen of Scotland from 1390 to 1401. Inverkeithing was among her favourite residences.
*
Richard de Inverkeithing (d. 1272), 13th-century cleric,
Bishop of Dunkeld
The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Cormac. However, the firs ...
,
Chamberlain of King
Alexander II and guardian to the young
Alexander III.
*
Robert Roche (1580–1640), leader of the Church of Scotland as
Moderator of the Synod in 1613, minister for Inverkeithing from 1611.
*
Rev Alexander Stoddart Wilson (1854–1909), minister and
botanist
Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...
, professor at the
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...
.
Military and politics
*
Henry Echlin of Pittadro (d. 1606) involved in the 'lang siege' of
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...
.
*
Samuel Greig
Samuel Greig, also known as Samuil Karlovich Greig (; 30 November 1735 – ), was a Scottish-born Russian admiral who distinguished himself in the Battle of Chesma (1770) and the Battle of Hogland (1788). His son Alexey Greig also made ...
(1735–1788), Russian
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
and 'Father of the Russian Navy'. Appointed Knight of the
Order of St Andrew by
Catherine the Great
Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
.
*
Natalie McGarry (1981–),
SNP politician and former
Member of Parliament for
Glasgow East.
*
Geoffrey de Mowbray (d. 1300), Lord of Inverkeithing, Scottish noble, sealer of the
Treaty of Birgham
The Treaty of Birgham, also referred to as the Treaty of Salisbury, comprised two treaties in 1289 and 1290 intended to secure the independence of Scotland after the death of Alexander III of Scotland and accession of his three-year-old granddaugh ...
and of the '
Auld Alliance
The Auld Alliance ( Scots for "Old Alliance") was an alliance between the kingdoms of Scotland and France against England made in 1295. The Scots word ''auld'', meaning ''old'', has become a partly affectionate term for the long-lasting asso ...
' between France and Scotland in 1296.
*
Roger de Mowbray (d. 1320), Lord of Inverkeithing and sealer of the
Declaration of Arbroath, sentenced to death by
Robert the Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
.
*
David Spence (1818–1877), recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...
for his actions during the
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...
.
*
Janet McCallum (1881–1946), Scottish trade unionist and
suffragette
A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...
.
Science, engineering and exploration
*
David Livingstone
David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, and an explorer in Africa. Livingstone was married to Mary Moffat Livings ...
(1813–1878), explorer and missionary, occasionally lived in Inverkeithing between 1855 and 1865.
*
Sir Duncan McDonald (1921–1997), engineer and industrialist closely associated with
Northern Engineering Industries.
*
Robert Moffat (1795–1883), missionary to Africa, first translator of the bible into an African language, and father-in-law of explorer David Livingstone.
Film, TV and Music
*
Morris Blythman (1919–1981), poet, musician, publisher, political activist; considered an architect of the
Scottish Folk Revival.
*
Denise Coffey (1936–2022), English actress, comedian, director and playwright.
Sport
*
Billy Bostock (1943–1996), professional football player for
Cowdenbeath F.C.
*
Lee Duffy (1982–), manager of Inverkeithing Hillend Swifts and defender for
Rochdale FC.
*
Gordon Durie (1965–), professional football player for
Chelsea,
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
,
Glasgow Rangers, and internationally for
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, studied at Inverkeithing High School.
*
Jock Gilfillan (1898–1976), football player for
Portsmouth F.C.
*
Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry (born 13 January 1969) is a Scottish retired professional snooker player and a current Sports commentator, commentator and pundit. One of the most successful players in snooker history, he turned professional in 1985, ag ...
(1969–), former professional
snooker
Snooker (pronounced , ) is a cue sport played on a rectangular Billiard table#Snooker and English billiards tables, billiards table covered with a green cloth called baize, with six Billiard table#Pockets 2, pockets: one at each corner and ...
player and multiple world champion, studied at Inverkeithing High School.
*
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein (born 22 October 1964) is a Scottish professional association football, football manager and former player who was most recently the manager of Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone F.C., St Johnstone.
During his playing c ...
(1964–), footballer,
Scotland manager 2009–2014, manager at
Heart of Midlothian 2017–2019, studied at Inverkeithing High School.
*
Douglas Morgan (1890–1916), professional football player for
Hull City and casualty in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
.
*
Alexander Muir (1923-1995), winger for
Liverpool FC
Liverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Founded in 1892, the club joined the Football League the following year and has ...
from 1948.
Miscellaneous
* James Anderson, manager of
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...
,
George Washington's estate
after his presidency; convinced Washington to establish a whisky distillery on the estate.
*
Alexander Bell Donald (1842–1922),
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
merchant and founder of a major Pacific island trading company.
Gallery
See also
*
Fife Coastal Path
The Fife Coastal Path is a Scottish long distance footpath that runs from Kincardine to Newburgh along the coastline of Fife. The path was created in 2002, originally running from North Queensferry to Tayport. It was extended in 2011 with a ne ...
*
Fife Pilgrim Way
*
Geography of Scotland in the Middle Ages
*
Inverkeithing (Parliament of Scotland constituency)
*
List of places in Fife
''Map of places in Fife compiled from this list''
This list of places in Fife is a list of links for any town, village, hamlet (place), hamlet, castle, golf course, historic house, mansion, hillfort, lighthouse, nature reserve, reservoir, river, ...
*
People from Inverkeithing
References
External links
Gazetteer for Scotland webpages for InverkeithingInverkeithing on FifeDirectInverkeithing TrustWelcome to Fife homepage for InverkeithingOfficial Visit Scotland tourist visitor guide for Inverkeithing
{{authority control
Ports and harbours of Scotland
Royal burghs
Towns in Fife
Scottish parliamentary locations and buildings
Parishes in Fife
Populated coastal places in Scotland
Port cities and towns in Scotland
Populated places established in the 12th century