Elie Parish Fife Scotland

Elie parish is situated on the Firth of Forth around Elie Bay. It is bounded on the north and west by Kilconquhar and on the east by Abercrombie. It is 1 mile from east to west and 1 mile in breadth, with an area of 1590 acres. 1470 acres are under cultivation, 70 acres are wooded, and 40 acres are waste land lying near the shore, being little better than a bed of sand. There are no hills. It is watered by a small stream which issues from Kilconquhar Loch and empties into Elie harbour. The soil is of an average quality. The rent of land is from £1 to £4-5/- per acre. Although coals are not wrought now in the parish, it bears ample proof of this having been done at a former period. Coals are now brought from another parish or imported from Newcastle. There is a Free Church but no U P church. There are 2 small schools besides a parish school. With few exceptions the inhabitants are sober, industrious, moral and religious. Elie Burgh is a Burgh of Barony. It is neat, clean, well-built and has a fine appearance. The harbour is good, safe and well sheltered from W and SW gales. A few fishermen live in the village, and go along the coast for white fish. Grain, potatoes and other produce are taken to Leith weekly; and other mercantile goods are brought back in return. The Aberdeen and Dundee steamboats stop at the harbour twice a week to land and take in passengers. The nearest market is Colinsburgh, 2.5 miles distant, which is also the post town, although there is a sub-post office in the village. The parish church and school are here. There is one inn, a good subscription library and a friendly society called the Sea Box. From the fine clean sands few places in the Firth are better adapted for sea bathing, hence in summer it is much resorted to for that purpose. It is 5 miles from Anstruther, 13 from St Andrews and 15 from Cupar. Fom A Descriptive and historic gazeteer of the counties of Fife, Kinross and Clackmannan, M Barbieri, published 1857. Tour Elie Parish, Fife, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.