Inverkeithing town walls
| Inverkeithing town walls | |
|---|---|
| Inverkeithing, Fife | |
Surviving section of Inverkeithing town walls, Roman Road. | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Town wall |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1557 |
| Demolished | after 1773 |
Listed Building – Category C(S) | |
| Official name | Roman Road, Town Wall |
| Designated | 3 August 2004 |
| Reference no. | LB49954 |
Inverkeithing town walls was a set of defensive walls built after 1557 around Inverkeithing in Fife, Scotland.
Taken down by Inverkeithing Town Council in 1773 following long lasting peace and union with England, the surviving section of the walls is now category C listed by Historic Environment Scotland.[1]
History
During the medieval era, Inverkeithing's strategic position at the narrowest crossing point of the Firth of Forth gave it importance militarily and with trade. The town's defences were simple ditches, wooden palisade and wooden ports.[1][2]
In 1503, an Act of Parliament under James I charged the inhabitants of Inverkeithing with the building of "a wall seaward with ports of stone and lime".[3] The ports are thought to have been situated in what is now King Street, Hill Street and Hope Street.[2]
In 1557, the town was given a further mandate to build stone walls around Inverkeithing. These were to be further fortified with dykes, ditches and catapults.[1]
In 1773, following a long lasting peace with England and the union, Inverkeithing Town Council ordered the ports of Inverkeithing town walls to be taken down.[4][5][2]
Remaining wall and port
A remaining section of Inverkeithing town walls exists on Roman road. It dates to the late 16th century and is 35 metres long. It features a carved marriage lintel from 1618 with the initials of William Blackburn and Janet Bairdie.[1]
The remaining section of Inverkeithing town wall was granted category C listed status by Historic Scotland in August 2004 and has listing number LB49954.[1]
The East port of Inverkeithing town wall stood on King Street; a marker stone remains.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e "ROMAN ROAD, TOWN WALL". Historic Environment Scotland. 24 Feb 2026. Retrieved 24 Feb 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c "INVERKEITHING CONSERVATION AREA APPRAISAL and MANAGEMENT PLAN" (PDF). Fife Historic Buildings Trust. Feb 2019. Retrieved 24 Feb 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Simpson, Stevenson (1981). Historic Inverkeithing: the Archeological Implications of Development. Glasgow: University of Glasgow.
- ^ a b "Inverkeithing, East Port | Place | trove.scot". www.trove.scot. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ^ "Inverkeithing in Fife". Welcome to Fife - destination. Retrieved 2026-02-24.