East Wemyss
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East Wemyss is a small town situated on the south coast of the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland. This coastal area is known for its caves (the place-name derives from Gaelic uamh, 'cave'), several of which contain Pictish incised carvings. East Wemyss used to be a good spot for fishing although the recent construction of a sea wall has mostly stopped shore fishing. There are, however, still boat huts which many fishermen use in order to fish in the Firth of Forth.
The town's most notable son is Jimmy Shand, the bandleader.
[edit] History
East Wemyss was traditionally a mining community along the coast of Fife. The pit (the Michael Colliery) was its main employer for many years until it was closed due to a fire in 1967 which resulted in the deaths of nine men. The mine has been demolished. However, a memorial to the pit and the men who died in it has been erected. East Wemyss is also home to the ruins of MacDuff Castle.
[edit] External links
- Gazetteer for Scotland entry
- Illustrated information about the caves
- GENUKI(tm) page including an 1862 description of the area
- Map sources for East Wemyss