East Wemyss

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East Wemyss is a small town situated on the south coast of the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland.

East Wemyss used to be a good spot for fishing although the construction of a sea wall has mainly stopped shore fishing. There are, however, still boat huts which many fishermen use to fish the Firth of Forth.

This coastal area is known for its caves (the place-name derives from Gaelic uamh, 'cave'), several of which contain Pictish incised carvings. The caves in East Wemyss were documented by the Time Team in a programme first broadcast in February 2005.

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's Castle.