Tour Markinch

"Markinch parish is bounded by Kennoway, Wemyss, Dysart, Kinglassie, Leslie, Falkland and Kettle. It measures about 6 miles north to south by 4 miles broad. A small detached portion containing the village of Innerleven (or Dubbieside) lies at the mouth of the Leven and is cut off from the rest of the parish by that of Wemyss. The parish contains the villages of Markinch, Milton, Coaltown, Balcurvie, Windygates, Thornton, Woodside, Balbirnie Bridge and Kirkforthar Feus. Coal has been extensively worked, but the deposits at Balbirnie are becoming exhausted. There are paper mills at Balbirnie Bridge, Rothes and Auchmuty; flax and tow mills at Milton, Haugh Mill, Thornton and Sythrum; bleachfields at Rothes, Balgonie, Lochtyside and Kirkforthar Feus; a woollen manufactory at Balbirne Bridge and a power loom linen factory at Milton. There are also a number of flour, corn and saw mills in the parish; and a large distillery and malting establishment at Cameron Bridge. The parish church is at Markinch; there are chapels of ease at Thornton and Milton; a UP Church and a Free Church at Markinch; and a UP church at Innerleven. " edited from Westwood's Directory for the counties of Fife & Kinross published 1862.

The town now has football, bowling, tennis and curling clubs and two recreation parks, one of which is dedicated to Provost John Dixon who presented it to the burgh in 1919. The population of Markinch reached a peak of 6,800 in 1901 as a result of the development of papermaking, textile, coal mining, distilling and building industries. Papermaking is still an important local employer along with a wide range of industries mainly located on the industrial estates of neighbouring Glenrothes.

Markinch Burials 1799-1854.

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