A severe storm in the winter of 1965 blew away tons of sand, exposing skeletons and long cists (ancient coffins) on the beach at Lundin Links. The site, at Masseney Braes, was first noticed by Mr Andrew Horne, proprietor of the garage in Woodielea Road, Lundin Links.  

Experts were called in and were keen for excavation work to be done before the busy summer season. So, during the Easter holiday period, a dig was carried out by Aberdeen College and Aberdeen University.  The East Fife Mail of 21 April 1965 reported that 22 diggers were working at the site and that...

"The site proved to be of great interest - more so than the diggers expected. The major discovery was a pair of long cairns linked by a paved and kerbed area, a type of structure that's unusual in the Iron Age."

At the time of the dig, the burial site was thought to be between 1,500 and 2,000 years old but there was debate as to whether this was an Iron Age or Bronze Age burial place. Months of analysis of the finds would follow - more on the findings in the next post.

This postcard was posted in 1949, so perhaps the photograph was taken shortly before then.  The view shows the back of the clubhouse, with the flag pole to the left and Largo Bay curving round towards Leven in the background.  The sender writes about the good number of visitors in the village.  The car park and course look busy enough on this day too - what a lot of good-looking cars!  The club house had been extended in 1912, expanding to the rear and seaward side.  The Evening Telegraph of 27 August 1912 ran the following update, under the headline 'Prosperity at Lundin Links'...

"Among the many clubs in the Kingdom of Fife, none is more flourishing than the Lundin Links Club. The report submitted at the annual meeting disclosed a very satisfactory financial position, with a substantial sum in the bank.  The clubhouse has been enlarged and greatly improved, while the course now offers as good a test of golf as could be desired, being well over 6000 yards in length.  While the drought of last summer did a good deal of harm to the sandy courses of the East, Lundin Links has recovered very well."

The club house has expanded further over the years and the car park has got busier still.

With summer on the way - here's a couple of views of Lundin Links beach at Masseney Braes - one in each direction.  The top image looks towards Lower Largo on a busy, warm day, probably around 1950.  The building on the left hand edge with the tiled roof was the old salt works panhouse (later a joiner's workshop).  The older postcard below shows the view from the same section of sea wall but looking towards Leven direction.  This early 20th century scene is even busier than the 1950 one. These people may have been a mix of summer visitors, locals and day trippers.  This spot was very close to the railway station and the iron bridge in the distance on the right took people over the rail track from the station to the beach. Although the bridge was removed over 40 years ago, some locals still refer to going for a walk 'past the iron bridge'.

After the Second World War, when mansions such as Largo House were handed back to their owners, they were often in a bad state of repair.  Moreover, taxation policies after the war made large houses impractical to maintain for some owners. As all structures with roofs had to pay substantial property tax, many owners opted to have roofs removed - and this was the fate of Largo House.   The Wikipedia page on Upper Largo suggests that Charles Brand (Dundee) Ltd, a demolition and housebreaking firm, were brought in to do this work.  Housebreaking firms would strip out timber, slates, lead, fireplaces, panelling, doors, bannisters, tiles, etc for selling on.  It was not until 1969 that the destruction of houses of architectural or historical significance was prohibited by law.

On 27 November 1951, this small and inconspicuous advert appeared in the Dundee Courier and, on 1 December, the last of the contents of Largo House were sold off at auction in Ladybank.  I wonder what became of the items sold that day - are any still in use?

Many local people must have felt great sorrow at the time when Largo House fell into ruin, particularly those that had worked there, had been inside the building or simply had admired it as they went about their daily lives.  Even today - over 60 years on - I know that many people still feel sadness about the fate of this estate.  Over the decades, various attempts have been made to look into restoration of Largo House but none have come close to fruition.  So, while the long-term future of the site is uncertain, the remaining shell of Largo House continues to deteriorate.  However, as we reflect on the building's past, perhaps there is some solace in the fact that it survived more than two centuries longer than its 'twin' Shawfield Mansion.

Perhaps it's not too late to dream of restoration or even rebuilding. Recently, a private individual took on a project to rebuild a replica of Shawfield Mansion. Built to the original Georgian design, using authentic materials, the images below give an impression, if not of what a possible restored Largo House might look like in the future, then at least an idea of what it might have been like as a new build around 1750.

Largo House, like many other mansions across the country, was requisitioned (i.e. its use was demanded by official order) by the Government during the Second World War.  Such large houses were used for things like the billeting of military personnel, government operations, hospitals, schools and a range of other uses far removed from the purpose for which they were designed.  According to 'Largo - An Illustrated History' by Eunson and Band, the requisitioning of Largo House took place in 1939 and was first occupied by the Middlesex Regiment.  Subsequently, Polish military personnel arrived and in the Spring of 1941 the grounds ans some outbuildings of Largo House were converted into a training ground for Polish paratroopers.  The 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, as they would become, were led by Major General Stanisław Sosabowski and in his memoirs 'Freely I Served' he records that the training ground was...

"...what some mild-mannered soldiers called "A Hell on Earth"; others were more outspoken.  The engineers, with great ingenuity, had built a set of ropes, planks, jumps, walls, cat-walks and leaps in the park and through the woods, which had been christened "The Monkey Grove". [or in Polish "Małpi Gaj"].

Many officers who joined the Brigade had escaped from Poland and survived amazing journeys before reaching Britain. One of them had his recollections of Largo House quoted in Sosabowski's memoirs, as follows...

"...the following day I reported to Monkey Grove....some macabre humorist had painted above the entrance: All hope abandon, ye who enter here.  An instructor told us the course lasted two weeks.....For raw recruits, men whose feet had never left the ground, there came P.T.:  Jump, skip, hop. Stand, lie, fall.  Arms, legs, heads. Swinging, bending, stretching.  Aching, sighing, moaning, groaning.  Into a mad Monkey Grove, shouted at by monkey-lie men.  Jump from fallen trees; somersault forwards, backwards, sideways...fall out of windows, swing from trees, get thrown from trees.... "

The pièce de résistance of the pre-parachute training was 'The Tower', sited at nearby Lundie Tower. According to Sosabowski's memoirs, this had been built with a £500 grant from Headquarters.  Standing at 100 feet high, it was a good way to simulate a parachute drop, without the dangers of the real thing.  An arm protruded from the top and under it was an iron circle on a  cable upon which a parachute canopy was stretched.  

"After climbing the long ladder to the top, a man was fitted into a harness and then hung under the stretched silk, the top of which was attached to a cable.  At the press of a button, the cable ran out and the man floated down, just like a normal jump, but without the initial sensation of falling. The instructor could stop the cable halfway, or whenever he pleased, correcting faults during flight and preparing the men for landing."

Many of the techniques and ideas used at Largo were later copied with success at Ringway parachute training school near Manchester. Indeed, upon completion of the two week pre-parachuting course at Largo House, the trainees were sent to Ringway, for a four-week course.  This course included actual jumps from planes and ended with being awarded your wings - in the case of the Polish paratroopers, a silver diving eagle badge.

The Sikorski Archives in London hold images of the 'Monkey Grove' at Largo House, some of which can be seen on the following blog:

http://marysiaphotos.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/sikorski-archivesmuseum/

By July 1941, 5,470 troops had been trained at Largo - mostly Poles, but also trainees from several other countries.  After the pre-parachute training work had been completed, Polish personnel continued to be based at Largo House throughout the war - both within the house and in huts within the grounds.  The Polish Military Geographical Institute remained until 1946.

When Lieutenant Charles Makgill Maitland Crichton took on the Largo Estate in 1901, he immediately set about making a number of improvements to Largo House.  The Dundee Courier of 29 May 1902 reported that he and his wife were to take up residence at Largo House while repairs were made on their mansion at Lathrisk.  It stated that "extensive alterations have lately been made".  Presumably, once Lathrisk was also brought up to scratch, they returned there, because in 1904 Largo House was leased to a family that would remain there for the next 20 years and become active members of the local community.

This small statement in the Dundee Evening Post of 2 May 1904 announces that Mr Benjamin Cox is to  become the new tenant of Largo House.  He would remain there until his death in 1924. Mr Cox came from Selkirk where he had been involved in a family woollen mill at Philiphaugh.

After the death of Mr Cox in 1924, Largo House became occupied by Captain and Mrs Jeffrey (seen above seated on either side of the man standing at a Unionist Fete held in the grounds of the house) (Courier of 10 Aug 1926).  By 13 February 1928, the Dundee Courier reported Largo House as "tenantless".  However, in 1930 a new long-term tenant arrived that would see Largo House through until the outbreak of war in 1939.  This was Mr John Key Hutchison and family.  Mr Hutchison was described as a 'maltser' - in other words he was involved in the brewing of beer.  This family also became very much involved in local life but by the end of 1939 had moved to Kinloch House, near Ladybank.

This 1890 image of Largo House by a photographer named Cowie was reproduced in the East Fife Mail in the 1970s so that people who had visited the ruins could see the country mansion "in all its splendour".  It certainly would have been splendid during the late 19th century and indeed was a regular destination for excursions.  The newspaper archives document a range of groups and societies that chose to visit the grounds for a grand day out, sometimes combining it with a walk in Keil's Den or up Largo Law. One such visit was described in the Fife Herald of 1 July 1869, when around 200 of the Anstruther Baptist Church Sabbath School took the train to Largo, where...

"The grounds of Largo House were thrown open with the utmost cordiality by Sheriff and Mrs McKenzie....Mr Fyfe, the head gardener, courteously acted as guide. The chaste and beautiful manner in which the gardens are laid out, and the flourishing condition of the plants, flowers, etc excited universal admiration."

After a walk in Keil's Den, followed by games and sports, the children "were conducted to the front of Largo House, and sung a selection of appropriate pieces".  As well as a venue for excursions, Largo House gardens became the site of the Largo and Newburn Horticultural Society's Annual Show from 1874 (taking over from Keil's Den as the venue).  In 1895, the Courier of 16 August said that "...a large number of visitors passed through the Eagle Gates....The marquee was replete with a rare collection of fruit, flowers, vegetables, etc."

In winter, the Largo Curling Club would often play at Largo House's Curling Pond.  One meeting was described in the Fife Herald of 16 December 1885...

"The ice was in very fine condition though a little biased on both rinks. Twenty members of the club entered with great spirit and in great form into the competition. General Briggs' kettle was tied for at nine points between John Wallace and James Forgan; and after four rounds at "outwicking", John Wallace became the winner.  Then Mr Baxter's jog was tied for at seven points between John Wallace and Alexander McGregor, and after several rounds at "outwicking" Alexander McGregor became the winner.  Mr Wood's medal was won by John Wallace by nine points."

Largo House passed out of Durham family ownership in December 1867, when William Johnston of Lathrisk purchased it for £130,000.  Mr Johnston died only eight months later, at the age of 90, leaving his many properties to his only son, George Johnstone.  George owned Largo House (along with a host of other estates) until his death at Lathrisk House, Freuchie, on 29 December 1900 at the age of 78.  The death of the unmarried George, believed to be the wealthiest man in Fife at the time, sparked a spate of newspaper articles about the fate of the 'Lathrisk Millions' and the bogus claims made on it.  The estates ultimately went to a Lieutenant Charles Makgill Maitland Crichton, ushering in a new era for Largo House.

Details of what life was like at Largo House during its first century are hard to find.  I intend to keep looking, but this post contains what I have come across so far. On 1 March 1812 the Scots Magazine contained a small feature tantalisingly entitled "Description of Largo House".  It reported the house as being an "elegant mansion" which "lies on the west side of Largo Law, at a distance of a mile from the sea, and commands one of the finest and most extensive prospects in Scotland. A little to the North are the remains of the old house, which consist almost solely of a single round tower."  Unfortunately, further details were scant and no information was given about the interior or grounds of the house, or the daily routines that went on there.  The interior of the house would surely have been impressive.  This was a boom era for interior design where it became fashionable for the decoration, fittings and furniture inside a house to be integrated with the architecture of the building itself.

Some of the best clues to the early days of the building come from old maps.  The 1775 map suggests a main entrance into the house and grounds directly facing the house frontage (on the A915 mid-way between Durham Wynd and the corner turning up to Upper Largo).  However, by 1828 the map shows that the driveway had been remodelled to enter close to the corner of the A915 and the road up to Largo Home Farm (the tree-lined track of which can still be traced today).  An 1854 map shows a lot of detail of the grounds. The sketch below (based on the 1854 map) illustrates the key features of Largo House and grounds in the mid-19th century.

The map paints a picture of self-sufficiency, with the grounds containing wells and water pumps, a series of walled gardens, a dove cot, a quarry and lots of ancillary buildings.  Most references to Largo House in the newspaper archives from this period relate to the gardeners there, who frequently won prizes at various horticultural events.  The map confirms that the gardens were extensive and well-organized.  A Mr Thomas Stewart was a long-time gardener at Largo House.  When he left in 1840, a report in the 12 November Fife Herald stated that:

"a select party of gardeners and others met in Anderson's Inn, Colinsburgh, and gave a supper to Mr Thomas Stewart, gardener, Largo House, on his leaving this neighbourhood for Edinburgh, in order to testify their respect for him as a professional gardener, and their esteem for him as an intelligent companion and an agreeable friend. Mr S. has lived for 25 years at Largo, and all present expressed their regret on account of his leaving Fife, and their best wishes for his welfare."

1840 had also been the year of the death of the James Durham whose birth notice was included in the previous post .  This notice was listed in the Morning Post of 18 February.  


During his lifetime, General James Durham had the stable block built (in 1815), the two wings constructed on the rear of the house, had the conservatory added and had the Eagle Lodge and Gate added with a new driveway (all 1831) (source 'Largo: An Illustrated History' by Eunson and Band). 

On 6 April 1837, the Fife Herald ran this short story about a cannon which had been installed at Largo House.  It seems to have drawn many people to the house to inspect it.  Eunson and Band record that the cannon was moved in 1868 to Polton House.

The site of Largo House (just north of the A915 between Lundin Links and Upper Largo) has a long history, some of which was covered in an earlier post about Sir Andrew Wood's tower.  Wood's tower is all that remains of an earlier grand building on the site.  The estate was purchased by the Durham family in the 1660s and the construction of Largo House (now itself a ruin) took place in the early 1750s.  I'd like to cover the history of the Largo House building in a series of posts, starting with its original design and construction.

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) has suggested that the design of Largo House could be based upon Shawfield Mansion in Glasgow (see pair of images on left). Shawfield had been built in 1712 on the Trongate for Daniel Campbell (who went on to become a controversial MP for the city), to a design by Colen Campbell (1676-1729), who was a pioneering Scottish architect and architectural writer, credited as a founder of the Georgian style. His major published work, Vitruvius Britannicus (or the British Architect) appeared in three volumes between 1715 and 1725.  

It doesn't seem too far-fetched to believe that the design of Largo House was inspired by Campbell's only Scottish work. An engraving of Shawfield was included in Campbell's seminal architectural guide, along with detailed measurements and descriptions. The two buildings share a symmetrical seven-bay front, with the three central bays projected to form a pedimented pavilion. Both are two stories over a raised basement.  The corners of the buildings are emphasised with quoins.  The main entrance to each is at first storey level, with a curved pediment, and is approached by a flight of steps. The roof of each house has a central platform with balustrades and there are globe-like ornaments on the roofs.

The original Largo House (before its extensions and conservatory were added) must have been incredibly similar to Shawfield (which was demolished in 1792) and although built four decades later, Largo House would have still been a fashionable style, given that Shawfield was such a trailblazing design and its architect had become so renowned.

It appears unproven that Largo House was built to a design by John Adam or one of his brothers, as it often cited. There may be similarities in style to other Adam brothers' buildings, but could that be because certain architectural features were simply prevalent at the time?  It does seem to be certain that John Adam provided a chimney piece for Largo House (according to RCAHMS), so perhaps his involvement was limited to that particular element.  If you know more about the connection between Largo House and the Adam family of architects, please comment.

Although the date 1750 is clearly carved above the front entrance, it is not clear whether this was actually the date of completion, the date of laying the foundation stone or an approximate build date which was added later. We know that Largo House was built for James Durham and construction in the early 1750s would tie in neatly with key events in his life.  James Durham married Anne Calderwood in 1753 and the pair had their first child the following year - see notices below from the Caledonian Mercury and the Scots Magazine respectively.

I've posted before about this pair of boarding houses, built at the turn of the century.  This different, face-on, view clearly shows the number of large windows that were designed into the building in order to maximise the superb sea views.  Laid out over three floors, with impressive front entrances and only a short walk from the old Lundin Links station, these houses look like mini-hotels.  The horizontal dark line visible among the rough grass in the foreground is in fact the railway line.  The track made its way between the foot of the back gardens of the Station Road houses and the road down to the Lundin Golf Club House.  The garden wall to the right in the foreground belongs to Manderlea - another of the original boarding houses.