Cupar

Fife Folk Museum at nearby Ceres

Cupar is an old Market Town situated at a crossing of the River Eden. Many roads lead from Cupar to all parts of Fife. Cupar was the home of the Thanes of Fife, and later Sir David Lindsay of the Mount. Lindsay was a playwright whose most famous work, 'Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Three Estaits' is still popular today and is performed locally and at the Edinburgh Festival.

Cupar was first mentioned in documents dating from 1381 when Robert II granted the people of Cupar a free port at Guardbridge at the mouth of the River Eden.

A tolbooth once stood in the centre of the town, but was demolished to make room for the widening of St Catherine Street. The Mercat Cross in the town centre dates back to 1897 and was erected to mark Queen Victoria's Jubilee.

In the late 1600's, Cupar was renowned as a centre of Covenanter activity. In 1680, Archbishop Sharp was murdered by the Covenanters at nearby Magus Muir. David Hackston of Rathillet was identified as the leader of the gang and was sentenced to death. His right hand was cut off and displayed in Cupar as a deterrant to other Covenanters. The Covenanters heads were also displayed a year later. The parts were later buried in the churchyard and marked with a stone that is engraved with a hand and two heads.

The town became an important administrative centre for the county of Fife and the county buildings are still in use today.

Attractions in and around Cupar include the Douglas Bader Disabled Gardens, Hill of Tarvit Mansion house and Scotstarvit Tower, and the Fife Folk Museum can be seen in the nearby village of Ceres.