Welcome to Burntisland Heritage Trust
 
The aim of the Trust is to protect and promote
all aspects of Burntisland's heritage.

Exhibition: "Island Jewels of the Forth" 2019 - 26 June to 31 August      Burntisland Heritage Trust Summer Exhibition: "Island Jewels of the Forth" - an island hopping tour which shines a spotlight on the now mainly deserted islands of the outer Firth of Forth from the Bass Rock at the mouth of the Forth westwards to the iconic Forth Bridges. The exhibition examines their character and rich natural heritage, and tells a few tales that deserve to be better known.      The Isle of May in particular is a special place where nature, wildlife and conservation come together. It is an inspiration for local artists Leo du Feu and Susan Smith, and our exhibition includes a small display of their work, inspired by the island.      The exhibition runs from 26th June to 31st August. Opening days and times are: Wednesdays 1.00pm to 4.00pm; Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 11.00am to 4.00pm. Admission is free.      In addition to seeing the exhibition, you can browse a large collection of scrapbooks and other material, and view a selection of DVDs.      The venue is Burntisland Heritage Trust, 4 Kirkgate, Burntisland; telephone number 01592 872121.     An excellent and comprehensive review of the exhibition by Debbie Clarke appeared in the Fife Free Press on 4 July 2019, and the online version can be seen by clicking here (link opens in a new tab or window).

  
  2019 Guided Historical Walks

INNER HERITAGE TRAIL. The Trust's free guided historical walk round the inner heritage trail will take place every Wednesday in July and every Wednesday in August at 2.00pm. The meeting place is the Heritage Centre at 4 Kirkgate. The walk takes about two hours and includes visits to the Parish Church, the Burgh Chambers, and (by special arrangement) Rossend Castle.

OUTER HERITAGE TRAIL. The Heritage Trust offers free guided walks of the town's outer heritage trail every month from May to September. The first walk will take place on May 31st, meeting at the Heritage Centre at 4 Kirkgate at 1.15pm for a 1.30pm start. In June, as part of the Civic Week programme, the walk will take place on Saturday 22nd June, meeting at the Heritage Centre at 4 Kirkgate for an 11.00am start. Thereafter, from July to September, the walk will take place on the last Friday of the month, meeting at the Heritage Centre at 1.15pm for a 1.30pm start. The walk takes about three hours and includes a climb to the summit of the Binn. Walkers should be reasonably fit, and wear stout footwear and clothes suitable for the weather conditions. Participants are advised to bring along a snack and a drink.

All guided walks are undertaken at walker's own risk.

For more information on the exhibitions and walks, please contact the Convener of Burntisland Heritage Trust, Ian Archibald (telephone 01592 872121 or ) (or contact via webmaster).

Other Activities

Presentations - the Trust's Convenor regularly undertakes talks on the following subjects:
* Burntisland's Gifts and Treasures.
* The Search for the Lost Treasure of King Charles I.
* Shipwrecks of the Forth and Beyond.
* Island Jewels of the Forth.
* Mary Somerville.
* A Revolution in Mapping: History of the Ordnance Survey.
* The Man Who Told the Truth: The story of the Orcadian explorer Dr John Rae who discovered the missing link to the North West Passage and is arguably the greatest of all Arctic Explorers.
* The Vasa Story: The mighty warship Vasa capsized and sank in Stockholm in 1628 after sailing for only two hours. After 333 years on the sea bed the warship was salvaged and the voyage continues today as the Vasa is the only intact preserved 17th century ship in the world and is the most visited museum in Scandinavia.
The presentations are undertaken specifically to raise funds for the work of Burntisland Heritage Trust and a donation to the trust is always appreciated. Please contact Ian Archibald on 01592 873557.

The Trust was the lead organisation in the Kirkton Church restoration project (link opens in a new tab or window).

The Trust has produceda number of books and publications, most of which are still available - please see our 'Publications for Sale' page and our 'Heritage Trails Leaflet' page.

Heritage Trust projects include the erection of two comprehensive commemoration panels in the town; and an oral history programme, recording the memories of the town's older residents for posterity.

In a joint venture in 2007, Burntisland Heritage Trust and the Arsenal Scotland Supporters Club erected a plaque to commemorate David Danskin, the founder and first captain of Arsenal Football Club - please see the David Danskin Commemoration Plaque page. In a similar venture in 2008, the Trust joined with the Institution of Civil Engineers to erect a plaque to commemorate William Bald, the pioneering 19th century cartographer, surveyor and civil engineer - please see the William Bald Commemoration Plaque page.

In 2013, Burntisland Heritage Trust was given permission to digitally copy the Erskine Church's older Kirk Session records and all of its newsletters to add to the Trust's local collections. Please click here for full details.

Please click here to see a summary of the Trust's activities and associated time line from 1993 to 2019. The activities include the search for King Charles I's baggage ferry, the 'Blessing', which sank off Burntisland in 1633.

Appeal for Old Photos

Burntisland Heritage Trust are always on the lookout for old Burntisland photos - in particular interesting photos from family archives, which might be of workplaces, buildings, streets, shops, sports, people, etc. Please (or use contact page) if you can help.