Torryburn

"Torryburn parish is bounded by the Firth of Forth, Perthshire, Saline, Carnock and Dunfermline. It measures about 5 miles by 3. There are small piers at Crombie and Torryburn, but their importance is not so great as when they formed the port for Dunfermline. The village of Torryburn stands on the coast. A number of the inhabitants are weavers, producing damasks for Dunfermline and cotton goods for Glasgow. The parish church is at Torryburn, and there is a Free Church at Torry. " edited from Westwood's Directory for the counties of Fife & Kinross published 1862.

Torryburn has secondary and primary schools and interesting buildings include Craigflower, a house remodelled in Scottish baronial style by David Bryce in 1862. Alison Cunningham, the nurse of Robert Louis Stevenson, was born here in 1822.

In Torryburn, the Reverend Allan Logan the local minister was famed throughout Scotland for his skill in the detection and hunting down of witches. During his communion services he would suddenly glare fiercely down at his assembled congregation then, pointing his finger, would loudly and dramatically shout : 'You witch - wife, rise from the Tables of the Lord. "So confident was his accusation that on almost every occasion some terrified old woman would instantly hurry from the church to be met and arrested outside by the local bailie and his armed men. McVicars Family From Torryburn.

Return to Fife