KINGS AND KILNS Ian Neilson takes a look around Limekilns
It is often the case that the most interesting architectural features of small villages are not necessarily the most prominent ones on view. Tucked away in the north corner of Academy Square, off the main street in Limekilns on the south-west coast of Fife, the King’s Cellar is a hidden gem with a fascinating history. This two-storey, stone building is thought to date from around 1362, and was probably built for, and by, the monks of Dunfermline Abbey. Despite its name, it was very probably not constructed solely as a wine cellar for Scottish kings whose seat was then at Dunfermline, but as a place in which to house the rents and tithes paid in grain and other goods to the church, plus the provisions brought ashore at the nearby harbour. Limekilns, of course, would not have its name without the lime kilns that the area is famous for. Of the numerous kilns that were constructed, some 14 remain today. Although no longer intact, they give a great impression of the 60ft tall monsters that they originally were. The remains of these sturdy structures are worth a close look and the modern-day visitor to Limekilns will find a village with a lot of charm and history.
