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Pittenweem is a fishing village and civil parish in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 1,747. [edit] History
The settlement has existed as a fishing village since early medieval times. The oldest structure, St. Fillan's Cave, dates from the 7th century. An Augustinian priory moved here from the Isle of May in the 13th century, but there was already a church at that time. The current parish church (which merges with the village tolbooth) has a Norman doorway of c,1200 within an older structure and several parts of the priory church are incorporated. The gatehouse to the east is 15th century. The priory dormitory and refectory was remodelled post-Reformation (1588) to give a new function as a manse. This building was later named the "Great House". Until 1975 Pittenweem was a royal burgh, having been awarded the status by King James V (1513–42) in 1541. Founded as a fishing village around a probably early Christian religious settlement, it grew along the shoreline from the west where the sheltered beaches were safe places for fishermen to draw their boats up out of the water. Later a breakwater was built, extending out from one of the rocky skerries that jut out south-west into the Firth of Forth like fingers. This allowed boats to rest at anchor rather than being beached, enabling larger vessels to use the port. A new breakwater further to the east was developed over the years into a deep, safe harbour with a covered fish market. As the herring disappeared from local waters and the fishing fleet shrank, this harbour and its attendant facilities became the main harbour for the fishermen of the East Neuk of Fife. The white houses with red roofs illustrate the classic East Neuk building style, influenced by trade with the Low Countries (Belgium and the Netherlands). The East Neuk offered natural trading ports for Dutch and Belgian captains as they sailed up past the east coast of England. These ships brought red pantiles as ballast, and the locals soon found them to be excellent roofing material. One can just make out the "crow step" [Scots: corbie-steppit] gable: the gable ends rise in steps rather than the more normal smooth angled line – an architectural feature imported from the Low Countries. These and other vernacular features are common throughout the town, which has one of Scotland's best-preserved and most attractive townscapes, with many historic buildings (some restored by the National Trust for Scotland). The 'organic' layout of the town centre grew up piecemeal over several centuries, with numerous winding streets and alleys. At the shore end of the outer harbour wall, some of the paving stones have numbers engraved on them. The numbers are now randomly scattered, but once were vital to the smooth operation of the fish market. Before the pier was resurfaced, the stones were placed in numerical order at the quayside running outwards from the shore. The first fishing boat to return with its catch placed its haul alongside stone number one, the second boat at stone two and so on. When the market opened, the fish was sold in strict order of landing. In 1779 John Paul Jones (founder of the American Navy) anchored half-a-mile off Pittenweem in the USS Bonhomme Richard. Jones bombarded Anstruther, but did not attack Pittenweem. However he made off with the town's pilot who had sailed out to meet Jones' squadron. There is a feudal Lordship and Barony of Pittenweem created by James VI for Frederick Stewart in 1609. It was held by the Earls of Kellie until it passed to Sir John Anstruther and then to the Bairds of Elie. The current Lord Baron is Claes Zangenberg. [edit] Research Tips
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