As one of the largest towns between Edinburgh and Dundee, and as the largest town in Fife, Kirkcaldy carries a certain amount of clout in Scotland. Over two hundred thousand citizens live in and around Kirkcaldy and the abnormal layout of the town makes its population seem even more pronounced. Kirkcaldy is longer than it is wide or narrower than it is long, and thus it has been given the colloquial nickname of Lang Toun, or Long Town to our English ears.
Kirkcaldy is far older than many people suppose and its roots extend back to the dawn of the first millennium. It was during this time that Malcom III gave the land to the monks of the Holy Trinity and in no time the stellar Dunfermline Abbey helped to shape Kirkcaldy into the town it would become. The first few centuries were a bit troublesome, though, as the town tried in vain at crafting a dominant economy by making nails, panning, and even producing textiles. It wasn't until the 1800s that Kirkcaldy managed to get its finger on the pulse of the nation and the trade in question just so happened to be the production of linoleum.
The production of linoleum before the twentieth century was incredibly foresighted of the workers in Kirkcaldy. Linoleum didn't truly take off around the world until the 1900s and when Kirkcaldy first set about crafting the material it was a rather niche market that was desired of by the few individuals who could afford it. Fortunately, the forward thinking of these people helped to make a name for Kirkcaldy and the town soon saw its fortunes improve in other economical areas including printing, making flour, coal mining, and furniture production. As the years went on Kirkcaldy only grew in prominence and it was one of the few towns in Europe that managed to come out of World War II on top. While much of the continent were struggling to rebuild after the disastrous toll of the war, Kirkcaldy saw its income rise even more as people flocked to the still standing town in order to get necessary goods and services. Many people ended up moving to Kirkcaldy permanently and new housing structures were erected all over town to accommodate the tens of thousands of new residents that moved in over the next decade.
Unfortunately, the peak of the immigration into the town happened to coincide with the crash of the linoleum industry and Kirkcaldy saw its fortunes decrease once again by the middle of the 1960s. Fortunately, the town managed to crawl back on its feet and it is once again a town filled to the brim with happy citizens and comfortable lifestyles. Kirkcaldy is sometimes overshadowed by other parts of Scotland that offer more gorgeous lochs and scenic hills but no place in the country can claim to be as unique as Kirkcaldy when it comes to charming architecture and beautiful streets. If you plan on roaming through Scotland this year you would do well to set aside a little time to lay eyes on one of the most beautiful towns on the continent.
| 
+44 (0)1592 261635
