The previous post looked at the Eagle Gates which once provided access to Largo House from the South. Now they provide access only to the Eagle Gates Lodge. Pictured above, the Lodge has outlasted its 'parent' mansion by many decades. The annotated aerial image below shows the Lodge in context within the grounds of the now derelict Largo House. The photograph highlights the following features:

1. Eagle Gates Lodge            2. East Drive Entrance             3. Cricket Ground           4. Largo House (ruin)
5. West Drive Entrance        6. Walled Garden                      7. Wood's Tower             8. Largo Home Farm

​A more detailed view of the Lodge's location is shown below, with Largo Burn flowing past it, through a small valley to the east, before it passes under the road to continue its route alongside the Serpentine Walk, ultimately discharging into the sea at the Temple car park. A Lodge appears on this site in an 1827 map and originally had a simple rectangular footprint. Over the years it has been extended and modernised. 

The earliest mention of the name 'Eagle Gate' dates to 1851, when the census return (above) lists a 59-year-old widow named Susan Low as the "Lodge Keeper". The 1841 census a decade before described the building as simply "Largo Lodge". Between 1840 and 1850, the ownership of Largo House had changed multiple times. General James Durham died at Largo House in 1840 and was succeeded in his Largo estate by his nephew Thomas Calderwood Durham of Polton. The latter died only two years later, also at Largo House, and was succeeded by his brother Admiral Sir Philip Charles Henderson Calderwood Durham. Philip died in 1845 in Naples and his estates at Largo and Polton passed to his niece Lilias Dundas Calderwood Durham (the daughter of Thomas Calderwood Durham). She was the widow of Robert Dundas of Arniston, who had died in 1838.

The Eagle Gate Lodge name was used in the census from 1851 onwards. In 1861 an Alexander Imrie (farm servant) lived there with his wife, children and sister-in-law. The detail of the 1861 census return is shown below. In fact the Largo Parish census that year begins with Eagle Gate Lodge which is listed number 1, ahead of the Mansion House of Largo, followed by the Stables, Gardens, Bothy and Home Farm.
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The Eagle Gate Lodge gets a mention in the newspaper archives in the 1860s when the Dundee Advertiser piece below from 16 October 1866, names the location in a snippet about a rifleman shooting a goose.

The 1871 census records 'Lodge Eagle Gate', occupied by John Sibbald, age 42, wood forester plus his wife and nine children. Ten years on another forester - Robert Simpson - lived there with his wife. By 1891, the forester living there was Thomas Millar, along with his wife and child. In 1901, John Cameron, forester plus his wife, children and a boarder inhabited the dwelling.

The year 1901 brought big changes to Largo House, and upgrades to the Eagle Gate Lodge. Owner of Largo Estate George Johnston had died on 29 December 1900. His heir was Charles Julian Maitland Makgill Crichton, who was only 20 years old at the time. In 1901 he reached his majority (turned 21) and in 1902 he married Sybil Twynihoe Erie in London. The ​20 February 1902 piece below from the Leven Advertiser describes this whirlwind period in the heir's life. The newlyweds intended to take up residence at Largo House and set about arranging a number of changes at the estate, including extensions to Eagle Gate Lodge and its connection to the water supply.  The maps above illustrate the expansion of the building, showing difference at the site between 1856 and 1912.
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The Leven Advertiser local news snippet above from 8 May 1902, anticipates the arrival of the recently married couple (in their steam launch Shelda) and reports on the works being undertaken. An update was given, below, in the 14 June 1902 St Andrews Citizen. Although the couple had hoped to moved into Largo House in mid-June, the renovations had overrun. As they were "anxious to be on the coast", they rented a house in Lundin Links short-term.

However, the pair did not stay in Largo House for long and by 1904 they had relocated to Lathrisk House. Largo House was leased to Benjamin Connell Cox, who remained there for twenty years. In the 1911 census, the Eagle Gate Lodge was occupied by George Smith, estate forester, plus his wife, son and lodger (a teacher). Meanwhile, in 1913, the Maitland Makgill Crichtons left Fife and bought a ranch in California. While developing that property, the Great War broke out. Mr Maitland Makgill Crichton offered his services and was given a Captaincy in the 11th Cameron Highlanders. Later he transferred to the 10th Gordons and was given the rank of Major. He was killed on 25 September 1915 in the advance on Loos. Pictured below, from the Fife News Almanac, his name was later inscribed on the Largo War Memorial.

The Eagle Gates (pictured above) and Eagle Gates Lodge (shown below) are situated at the south east entrance to Largo House. This is a great example of a gate lodge which has outlasted the country mansion which it once served. A gate lodge is a small building at an entrance to a grand country house, where originally a gatekeeper would have lived and controlled access to the property. While many large mansions fall into disrepair, associated lodge houses can still survive, being of a much more manageable scale.

Situated where the road to Upper Largo from Lundin Links meets the top of the Serpentine Walk (see map above) both the lodge and the gates were listed in 1984. In its listing, the lodge is described as follows:

Late 18th/early 19th century, with alterations. Single storey. Pinned whin rubble with large droved long and short ashlar dressings. Bowed south end, originally with tripartite, now narrow outer lights blocked. East elevation with door and 3 windows (enlarged to right of door). Piended slated roof and 2 corniced ashlar stacks. Rubble and harled.

The gate piers are described as follows in their listing:

Later 18th century. 2 large square vermiculated ashlar piers with Greek key pattern bands below cornices capped by eagles. Very low rubble quadrant walls housing cast-iron railings.
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The dates given for the lodge and gates are estimated but the Greenwood and Fowler map below (which was surveyed 1826-7 and published in 1828) clearly shows a building on the site of the lodge and a driveway from it up to the main house.
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It was circa 1830 that James Durham (1754-1840) made a number of upgrades to Largo House. He had married for the second time in 1827 and shortly afterwards had two rear wings added to the main house as well as the conservatory built to the west. The Durham Coat of Arms was added above the main entrance (shown in the Canmore image above). This has a date of 1830 just visible to the lower right beneath the word 'terras'. It seems likely that the Lodge would have been upgraded around this time too. This may have included the addition of the pair of eagles - shown below as they were in 1973 (image from the Canmore collection) when both eagles were still in place. In recent times the eagle on the right has gone missing. 

The question is - why were eagles chosen to cap the gate piers?

The use of the eagle as a decoration for gate piers was not uncommon. The eagle symbolises power and strength and is visually striking. Duff House in Banff, Coneyhill House in Bridge of Allan and Thirlestane Castle near Lauder in the Borders had similar examples. However, there is usually a rationale for their use. The example shown below, at Thirlestane Castle, has gate piers capped with eagles for a specific reason. The Castle is the historic home of the Earl of Lauderdale, whose Coat of Arms includes two eagles with wings inverted as supporters. 

Is it possible that a similar reason applies at Largo? While there are no eagles on the Durham Coat of Arms, a pair of falcons appear on the Anstruther Coat of Arms - see image below. James Durham's 1827 marriage was to Margaret, eldest daughter of Colonel John Anstruther. Conceivably, Durham may have wished to represent her family in this way. In the absence of an obvious reason for the choice of eagles, could the stone carvings at Largo House actually portray falcons?  What do you think? Do you have further information about the origin of the stone carvings or their meaning? Please leave a comment. Likewise, if you know when one of the birds disappeared and where it went, please comment. The next post will look in more detail at the Eagle Gates Lodge and the people who inhabited it over the decades.

Last week was exactly one decade since this blog started and the anniversary post looked back at ten blog posts on local people. This week we revisit ten images which offer a real window into the past. The first image below is a circa 1900 photograph by William Easton of St Monans which features Bridge House on Largo Road and the back of the former Keilside Bakery - read more here.
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Image number two is Crescent Road, Lundin Links, in the late 1890s before the houses on the south side of the street were built. The ground was used at that time for golf. However, this was gentle golf of the type considered more suitable for women and children. The players look very smart in their fine clothes and hats. This image was captured by photographer James Gay of Elie.

Next is a superbly detailed view of Turbayne's shop at the corner of Hillhead Street and Emsdorf Crescent. Read this blog post on the history of the shop and some of the products that were sold there.
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​The fourth image features a group of people rather than a scene. These are the five founders of Largo Field Naturalists' Society - an influential and very active group, instituted in 1863. This photograph, taken by St Andrews photographer Thomas Rodger, dates to circa 1870 and is now part of the St Andrews University Library special collection.

Do you recognise the house in Lower Largo below? Then known as number 1 Seaview, this house played host to summer visitors in the early 1900s but looks quite different today. See this house in context here.  

Another close up view of a bygone shop - Andrew Somerville's grocer shop on Leven Road, Lundin Links. Purpose built in 1900 for Andrew's father John Somerville the Leven grocer, this shop still retains many original features today.

The view below looking towards Largo Bay provides a different perspective on Upper Largo - from the Birsays. The cemetery is prominent in the centre but look beyond and buildings such as Wood's Hospital can also be made out.

The circa 1910 photograph shows a typical delivery to Jimmie Brown's Fruit Shop at the west end of Emsdorf Street. To find out who all the people are in this shot - read here.

One of the oldest photos around of Largo is the one below by John Patrick, dated 1872. By then Patrick had moved from Leven to Kirkcaldy but had yet to move on to Edinburgh. Perhaps if he had remained in Leven, we would be able to enjoy more images of Largo from this era.
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​The final of the ten images is from more recent times and shows multiple generations "enjoying" Largo Pier . While their faces don't exactly reflect that summer holiday vibe, the image is full of character.

Over the past ten years there has been no shortage of vintage images of Largo to discover and share. Undoubtedly, there are many more out there to be discovered. If you have a local view from the past that you think others would enjoy seeing, please get in touch.
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Today marks exactly a decade since the first post was published on this blog. The initial post was very short and featured the image which is still used as the main banner for the website (shown below). This photograph remains a firm favourite as it presents such a familiar view and yet there is much in the detail that differs from the same scene today. Cars are absent, so people can casually use the unsurfaced road. There's a sense of incomplete development, with no houses yet built on the section of road between Crescent Road and Victoria Road. The block of shops awaits it completion with spaces for fireplaces and cupboards at the ready.

The image also poses questions. What is being delivered by the young woman on the left? Who is the man with his back to the camera (who may be carrying a tripod - a photographer's assistant)? Are the cycling women off to play golf? What did the old Lundin Mill locals make of these large villas and the fancy new hotel?  This blog has been fuelled by similar images and such questions, in a quest to better understand how we used to live.

Thank you to everyone that has joined the Vintage Lundin Links and Largo journey - especially those who have been readers since the early days, those who have made contact to offer memories and images, those who have spread the word and those who have generally offered encouragement. To celebrate, this month will offer a bit of a retrospective on some notable local characters, historic images, stories and events. Listed below are ten people (or groups of people) who have inspired blog posts that I have really enjoyed writing. Presented in no particular order, this is just a small selection of the many admirable local characters who have gone before us. You can find about more Largo folks by selecting the 'people' category from the blog category list on the side menu.

1. James Methven 

​Jumpin' Jimmy Methven was born in in Lundin Mill in 1831 into a large family of weavers, He reached the ripe old age of 91 but in his younger days was a famed athlete who travelled widely to local games winning prizes for running, jumping, throwing and vaulting. Incredibly, Jimmy would travel all over the lowlands on foot in order to participate. Walking huge distances must have been worth the effort, judging by the number of medals and cash prizes that he won. Full blog can be read here: lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/jumpin-jimmy-methven

2. Margaret Bethune

It's often the local doctors who are remembered long after their deaths. However, for women in the past, who often had many children, it must have been their midwife who lived long in the memory. For more than three decades, Margaret Bethune answered the call of women in labour across Largo parish, whatever the time or the weather. Not only that but she meticulously recorded her deliveries, starting before official records became compulsory. She left a fascinating resource which provides a midwife's perspective on local births. Full blog here:   lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/margaret-bethune

3. Evelyn Baxter and Leonora Rintoul

While both impressive people in their own right, Baxter and Rintoul were a force to be reckoned with as a duo. Still referred to as "the good ladies" in the world of ornithology, where their work remains influential today. They were knowledgeable on many topics aside from birds, giving talks and demonstrations far and wide as part of their roles in the Scottish Women's Rural Institute. Hard-working and practical individuals, these ladies wartime efforts are also well remembered, when they mobilised work parties to support agricultural activity such as potato planting and flax harvesting. Read more on Evelyn Baxter and Leonora Rintoul. 

4. Doctor Goodsir

One of the most documented Largo lives of the 18th century is that of Dr John Goodsir. Not only was he in medical practice for 46 years, travelling far and wide on horseback, but he was also preacher at Largo's Baptist Church. The house he once lived in at the Orry still bears his name - read more here: lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/dr-john-goodsir-largo-surgeon

​5. The Artistic Ballingalls

Many artists have been inspired to capture scenes of Largo over the years but one local surname stands out for having multiple artists from the one family capturing the area in days gone by (long before the days of colour photography). From engraver William to painters John and Alexander, the talent among the Ballingall family was remarkable. The fact that their father William was also a highly regarded amateur astronomer only adds to the allure.

6. The Paxton Family

The legacy of the Paxton family is still prominent in Lundin Links today in the shape of Homelands Accessible Self-Catering Holiday Accommodation and the Paxton Centre. Each member of this family was remarkable in their own right and you can read about Robert, Jessie, Margaret and Isabel in a series of blog posts. The original Homelands building was one of the earliest villas built on Leven Road shortly after the arrival of the railway in 1857.

7. Largo Fishermen and their families

For centuries there have been fishermen operating out of Largo harbour and at the height of the era of the deep sea fishing boats there were upwards to twenty such vessels. Some fishermen, like Thomas Lawrie, lived long lives, while others lost their lives at sea in their prime, undertaking their hazardous occupation. One of Largo's darkest days was when fishing vessel The Brothers was lost with all hands. The brave and hardy fishermen of Largo deserve to be remembered, as do the families that supported them and waited patiently for their loved ones to return home time after time. Clicking on the 'Fishing' category will take you to all the blogs on this topic - ​lundinlinks.weebly.com/blog/category/fishing

8. Isabella Lawrie (nee Sime)

The history of Largo is packed with strong and resourceful women. Their stories are often hidden behind the lives of their husbands, fathers and sons but when you look closely, they are of equal interest. Among them are many examples of women who found themselves widowed suddenly, with children to support. Seeking out whatever opportunities they could, these women set up as dress makers. landladies, sack makers, net guarders and various other occupations which could be done from home.  A prime example is Isabella Lawrie (mother of Thomas mentioned above). Her husband James was lost at sea in 1865 leaving her with several young children to support. She lived for almost another half a century, working for much of that time as a washerwoman. More information on her can be found here.

9. Ebenezer Coutts

The further back in history you explore, the harder it is to unearth fine detail on an individual's life, as records become more sparse and photographs non-existent. However, for a more prominent member of society, it can be possible to piece together a picture of the person and the life they led. One example was Ebenezer Coutts who lived between 1744 and 1822 and was overseer at the Drummochy salt works, an intriguing part of Largo's history.

10. Thomas Graham Wishart

Largo has had its fair share of inventive and resourceful people over the years and a great example of such as person is Thomas Graham Wishart. Showing a flair for engineering from his teenage years, Thomas developed many strings to his bow. Motor engines and cycles were a speciality but he also fitted electric bell systems, invented a wringer attachment to assist with laundry and installed an innovative electric lighting system at Largo Curling Pond. ​Read more about him here.


Thank you for joining the journey so far. Watch this space for many more tales of vintage Lundin Links and Largo.​