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Pittenweem

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Pittenweem is a Village in the Fife area of Scotland, 48 miles north of Edinburgh, 11 miles south of St Andrews.

Pittenweem is popular for its Scenic Harbour, St Fillan's Cave, and Old Church. The top sections of the Fife Coastal Path are here, 2 miles north to Anstruther, 2 miles south to St Monans, 5 miles south to Elie.

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The image top is looking down to Pittenweem Harbour.

The second image shows the Fishing Boats, and third Harbour Buildings, a great area for Photos or Paintings.

There is a Diner and Ice Cream Shop just south of the Harbour, where there are views south to St Monans.

Back at the Harbour, Cove Wynd leads up to the High Street, with St Fillan's Cave on Cove Wynd. There are Shops on the High Street that have Keys for the Gate to the Cave. A small Donation for the Church is needed for a Key.

Saint Fillan was an Abbot from Fife and Perthshire in the 700s. St Fillan is said to have been able to heal the sick, with claims he used this Cave.

The Cave was later used for Smuggling before being filled in with rubbish and forgotten about. An excavation was carried out in 1935, with the cave opened to visitors in 2000.

A short walk up Cove Wynd from the Cave is the Library and Information Centre.

Next to the Library is the Church of Scotland, built in 1588. This Church was built on ground that contained a Priory from 1318. The Village grew around the Priory, with it being granted the status of a Royal Burgh in 1541.

The Tower at the Church is actually the Tollbooth from the 1500s, with the Market Cross at the front of the Tolbooth.

The Tolbooth is known for being used as the Council Chambers, and as a Jail for Women accused of being Witches from the 1500s to early 1700s.

1705 - Janet Cornfoot from Pittenweem, accused of being a Witch, was dragged by a Mob to the Harbour where she was hung from a ships mast while being stoned. She was then taken down and placed below a door with rocks piled on top till she was crushed to death.

The Tolbooth is claimed to be Haunted by a young woman held there as a Witch.

Pittenweem High Street runs south from the Tolbooth with a number of Cafes and Local Shops.

The most notable building on the High Street is a Tower House from the 1600s.

1770s - Pittenweem Harbour was enlarged for Sir John Anstruther, local landowner who had a Coal Mine and produced Sea Salt between Pittenweem and St Monans. Sir John married Janet Fall, known as Queen of the Gypsies, a Naturist that liked swimming in the sea at St Monans with no clothes.

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