Monday 25 October 2010

Dunino Parish and Halloween

Last weekend I again visited Fife and explored  Dunino Parish which is only 5 by 3 miles in area and home to the remains of an old WW II airfield stationed by Polish airmen.Known as HMS Jackdaw II it was a branch of the larger HMS Jackdaw at Crail. http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/DuninoAirfield

Both airfields were used for anti submarine patrols and planes from here took part in the attack on the Tirpitz.

Passing Dunino Law, the only hill of any consequence in the parish leads to the parish church and manse. This site has long been associated with worship.The current church stands on a site which originally was surrounded by a stone circle and within the graveyard there is a monolith. This standing stone has indistinct carvings,possibly Pictish and a much later sundial inscribed on the top.However the site of  modern coins left scattered on the stone is totally unexpected and a precursor of other incongruous objects deposited close to a Christian site of worship.



 Continuing through the graveyard a short walk through a blue gate leads to Dunino glen. Here a large rock promontory has a carved baptismal font and  a hollowed out footprint in the rock.These footprints were often the sites of ancient inauguration as found at Dunadd in Argyll.

From the rock a set of stone steps lead down into the glen and Kinaldy burn. Here there are mysterious Celtic carvings of uncertain date possibly depicting the Green Man and a 'Clooty well' were strips of clothing and other votive offerings are tied to the trees. It is an atmospheric place of mixed messages and yet clearly demonstrates the continual link between pagan and christian places of worship in Scotland. Not a place to visit on All Hallows Eve !


Dunino Parish District No:  425 
County. Fife
Old Parish Records.


Births:  1643-1690 
            1689-1855 

Marriages: 1643- 1689
                 1689-1855

Deaths:      1750-1854 (burials)

Kirk Session Records:

Minutes 1647–1805; 1848–1948


Collections and Disbursements 1805–1874

Note: Available at St. Andrews University Library, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, record CH2/405

Commissary Court  St Andrews 1596  and Edinburgh 1580

Sheriff Court  Cupar









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