Falkland, Fife

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Falkland Village

The Royal Burgh of Falkland is a burgh in Fife, Scotland at the foot of the Lomond Hills. The conservation village is best known as the location of Falkland Palace, begun in 1500 by James IV, and the best example of French-influenced Renaissance architecture in the United Kingdom. The palace was built to accommodate the royal Court when they came to Falkland to hunt in the nearby forests and Mary Queen of Scots was a frequent visitor.

Whilst Oliver Cromwell's troops didn't directly damage the palace, a fire in 1654 destroyed the East Range. The Court never returned to Falkland Palace after 1665 and until the 19th century the village and palace faded from memories. In the late 19th Century extensive rebuilding and restoration work began. Today the Palace and gardens are open to the public through the National Trust for Scotland.

Weaving was a major local means of employment from the late 19th century until as recently as the mid 1970s. A walk round the village provides many clues and links to its long history, from the coat of arms with a stag under an oak, through to marriage lintels and the old horse market. Why not have a round of golf at Falkland Golf Club if you are visting this picturesque village?