The 'Milk Walk' or 'Milk Path' (or sometimes Milk Road or Milk Run) links Upper Largo to Buckthorns Farm. Already a clearly marked "Foot Path" on the 1850s map below, the path begins at the gate pictured above at the east corner of South Feus and runs east to Buckthorns Farm. Historically, the farm kept dairy cows and so was an important local source of milk. The section of path shown below links (through the Buckthorns farmyard) with the onward path south to the coast, where it then connects to the Fife Coastal Path (along the former railway line).

Still clearly marked on more recent maps, like the one below, the path follows the stone wall which marks the boundary of the properties to the south east of the village. The other side of the path is bounded by a fenced field, often used for arable crops. Open views south across the fields to Largo Bay can be enjoyed. 

The above snippet from the 1 July 1916 St Andrews Citizen relates to a World War One military service tribunal, where applications for exemption from conscription were heard. In this case, it was the dairyman at Buckthorns whose case was heard. From this case we gain an insight into the dairy operation at the farm at this time. There were 18 cows, attended to by David Blyth, from 4:30 each morning till 6pm. The milk was sold from house to house in Lundin Links and Largo. John Bisset was the tenant farmer at Buckthorns at that time. Moving forward to 1928, the piece below from 17 November Leven Advertiser advertises John Bisset's "displenishing sale" at Buckthorns where, among other things, 31 milk cows, were available. 
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Scotland has thousands of heritage paths, which were used for a variety of purposes (trading, funeral processions, postal delivery, pilgrimage or military for example (read more here). As an important part of our rural heritage, foot paths like the Milk Walk should be walked regularly and the history recorded, in order to prevent them being lost. In 1971, the Largo Field Studies Society published a booklet named "Suggested Walks for the Visitor to Largo District", giving notes and directions on interesting local walks on country paths. If you have a copy of this booklet, please get in touch. It would be helpful to revisit this information and bring it up to date. The Milk Walk has been included in the Fife Core Paths interactive map.

The drone photograph below shows the Milk Path running diagonally through the centre, between the harvested field and the partially tree-lined former 'Grove' bleaching green. According to the Largo Village Book of 1932 by Leonora Rintoul, the Grove had a well which was "much used for watering the linen which was bleached there". Once the need for a bleaching green ceased, it was only a matter of time until the ground was developed. Evelyn Baxter built her home, named The Grove, there in 1914 and her lifelong friend and fellow ornithologist Leonora Rintoul built adjoining property Balsusney there in the 1930s. Since then a number of other dwellings have followed in this tranquil corner of Upper Largo. 
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Above is a 'then and now' comparison of the entrance to Upper Largo Church, looking towards East Drive. The older image at the top appeared on a 1920s postcard, upon which someone had written the following on the reverse:

"The ancient Largo stone is under canopy at left of view and the avenue leads to Largo House."

The avenue of tall, mature trees is prominent in the black and white image but absent from the present day view. There are still some trees there today but they are younger, smaller ones. The passage of time between the two views of Largo Church has resulted in a few other changes. Most noticeably, the two yews, one either side of the top of the steps, are no longer manicured into neat cone shapes. Iron gates have been removed from the top of the steps (a handrail is now in place in the centre of the steps). A small hard rail has also been added at either side of the church door and an electric light has been installed to illuminate the entrance. A metal boot scraper remains on either side of the entrance door.

The East Drive Gates, including the fluted urns with swagged bands, can be seen in both the 'then' and now' images (although only one urn remains today). The tree-lined avenue that once extended along the east drive to Largo House is clearly shown on the 1912 map below. This map also shows the detail of the two small buildings which flank the steps leading up to the church west entrance (just above the letters W.T.). These were likely once a session house and offeratory house (the latter a place where the church collection was received). The photograph at the foot of this post looks back up the steps between these two buildings towards the west entrance.

William Thomson Dawson was born in Buckhaven in 1876 to shoemaker John Dawson and Elizabeth Thomson. The family lived at Harbour Head. By the age of 14, William was employed as a clerk. A decade later in 1901, the census still described his occupation as 'clerk'. A keen sportsman, he was considered one of the finest footballers in the district. William was also active in the local lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars (I.O.G.T.). The newspaper piece below from 23 October 1902 Leven Advertiser tells of an I.OG.T. social which was attended by both William and his future wife, Grace Williamson of Largo. Both William and Grace were musically talented and likely became acquainted through this shared interest. On Christmas Day 1903, William was married to Grace, the third daughter of Drummochy plasterer Alexander Williamson, in Edinburgh by Reverend James Robert Burt of Largo Parish Church.
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At the time of the 1911 census, taken in April, William was recorded as living in Balmoral Cottage, Buckhaven with his wife and two children, six-year-old John and one-year-old Grace. William's occupation was 'Tramway Accountant', for the Wemyss and District Tramways (a scheme initiated in 1906 by Randolph Wemyss extending from Leven to Kirkcaldy). Later the same year, on 7 October 1911, Dawson was promoted to the position of General Manager, following the retiral of his predecessor. Under his management, the company both flourished and weathered various storms. He would remain General Manager for the remainder of the existence of the tramway.

While residing in Buckhaven, William was instrumental in the establishment of the local Boy Scouts' movement, eventually becoming secretary of the District Scout Association. He was also a founder of the Buckhaven Musical Association, which evolved into the East Fife Musical Association. He was well-known as a vocalist and was also treasurer and secretary of Leven Dramatic Society. He was session clerk of Buckhaven Parish Church for a time. By 1921, William, Grace and their three children (the youngest being Betty) were living at Stein Cottage, in Drummochy. This was next door to Coventry Cottage where Grace's parents and several of her siblings resided.
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Inevitably, local transport evolved and the trams were increasingly challenged by omnibuses. The Wemyss and District Tramways Company invested in some bus stock of its own (and a few charabancs). One model was the Tilling-Stevens bus pictured above, navigating the bridge over the Keil Burn, with Drummochy in the background, including Stein Cottage. During the 1920s the Dawson family moved to Leven, living in 'Lyndhurst' on Links Road. In November 1927, William was elected to Leven Town Council. By then he was aged fifty and a keen golfer and bowler. The previous year he had been elected vice-president of the Scottish Tramways Managers' Association and subsequently became its president.
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At the end of 1928, William and Grace celebrated their silver wedding anniversary. The occasion was marked at the annual dinner and dance held by the staff of the Wemyss and District Tramways Company in Leven's Caledonian Hotel. Mr Dawson presided over a gathering of around 190 people. After talking about how there was a greater need for co-ordination between buses and trams in order to ensure efficient public service, Mr Dawson and his wife were presented with a silver tea and coffee service. Below is an extract from Mr Dawson's speech, as published in 22 December 1928 Leven Advertiser. In this he joked about how he and Grace decided to get married to save in shoe leather, due to all the walking he did between Buckhaven and Largo during their courting days.
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​William was also the General Manger of the Caley Motor Engineering Company during the late 1920s (see advert above from 19 November 1927 Leven Advertiser). By 1930, the Dawson family had moved to Upper Largo, to the house shown below, which they named 'Lyndhurst', after their former Leven home. This house on the St Andrews Road had originally been the manse of the United Free Church in Upper Largo (the congregation of which dissolved in 1924). Now a listed building, the listing for Lyndhurst states:

Circa 1850. 2 storeys, a symmetrical. Stugged coursers with polished chamfered margins and quoins. Whin rubble flanks and rear. Shallow advanced gabled bay to right. All windows bipartite with 8 or 10-pane glazing; raised panel over centre 1st floor window, steeply pointed gablet to left window. Coped skews, end stacks, slate roof; rear wing. Modern lean-to conservatory.

​On 3 January 1931 the Dawsons held a party at Lyndhurst for forty children of the employees of the tramway, who were conveyed to Upper Largo by bus. After a "sumptuous tea" there was "an impromptu programme of songs, dances and games". Many of the children gave "delightful songs and recitations". Each was given a gift before being returned to their homes (6 Jan 1931 Leven Advertiser). On 30 January 1932, the Wemyss tramway system ceased running and was replaced by a service of buses run by W. Alexander and Sons. William Dawson had been General Manager for 21 years and four other employees had been with the tramway since its beginning in 1906. William continued to live at Lyndhurst, working for Fife Electric Power Company for a time, becoming a Justice of the Peace and acting as a director of East Fife Football Club.
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William Dawson died in Edinburgh on 7 June 1943 and his wife Grace died on 13 August 1944 at the Leven home of her daughter Grace. Both William and Grace were buried at Upper Largo cemetery where the gravestone proudly tells of William's management of the Wemyss and District Tramways.
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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.

In the northwest corner of Largo Kirk churchyard is the headstone shown in the photograph above. It appears again below in a black and white image which featured in the East Fife Mail in July 1976. The gravestone stands out because of the shells which are scattered around its base. The stone features a carved "winged soul" effigy (representing the flight of the soul from one realm to another). The date appears to be 1817 and the fading words begin: HERE LYES ANDREW SELKIRK NOTAR PUBLICK. Notar Publick was a public official who would witness the signing of important legal documents - see Dictionary of Scots Language entry - https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/notar. This man must have been an important figure in the community. 
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On the other side of this same headstone are the initials of the parents of the famous Largo-born inspiration for the character Robinson Crusoe, Alexander Selkirk:

JS (for John Selcraig) and EM for his wife Euphan Mackie

Selcraig is a variation of Selkirk. This side marks an earlier burial as the pair likely died at least a century before Andrew Selkirk. Their side of the stone is shown above (image from the book 'The Story of Largo Kirk' 1990 edition). The J looks like an I because J was not differentiated from the letter I until comparatively recent times. For example, John and James appeared as Iohn and Iames (see examples below). The exact relationship of the Andrew Selkirk on the reverse side of the stone to John Selcraig and Euphan Mackie is unclear - he could be 3 or 4 generations further down the family tree.

The stills below are from an episode of Weir’s Way filmed in Largo in 1985, showing Tom Weir visiting the grave of John Selcraig and Euphan Mackie while on the trail of the life story of their famous seventh son, Alexander, who was born 1676. As there is no memorial to Alexander Selkirk himself (he was buried at sea in 1721), over the years people have brought shells to the grave of his parents, acknowledging the family's connection to the sea and to pay tribute to the man who inspired the famous Crusoe story. Comparing the 1980s image below to the more recent one at the top of the post, the number of shells seems to have grown in recent years.
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Above is a partial photograph of the frontage of Mackie's Glasgow chemist shop (image from Glasgow City Council's Virtual Mitchell). Note the elaborate window display of branded and mass produced goods, which increasingly became a part of the offering of chemist shops during his years in the business. However, Mackie would also have been using old-fashioned dispensary tools and pill-making machines - such as those shown below.

James Bowie, Mackie's predecessor, had been local chemist throughout the 1920s and early 1930s.  On 25 May 1935, the Fife Free Press reported that "Mr Bowie, who has carried on a chemist's business at Upper Largo for a great many years, is leaving the district.  The premises will be opened soon under new management."  Prior to James Bowie there had been a chemist named Peter Cowie in Upper Largo, who had died in 1917 at the age of 46. Mackie sold more besides typical chemist products - the advert below highlights that cigarettes and tobacco were available, along books and stationery.

After six years in Upper Largo, George Mackie died, aged 77, in 1941. Outside of his profession, he had been "an authority on music, having one of the finest collections of high-class musical recordings in the District", according to the Kirkintilloch Herald, which reported his death on 14 May 1941.  It also noted that Mackie made musical instruments as a hobby and "for some time conducted the Players' Club Orchestra with great success".  He was also an elder at Largo St David's Church. The Upper Largo Pharmacy continued to operate under his name for many years and it was only in 1975 that the business was wound up. Betty Mackie, who continued the chemist shop, died in 1983. The shop at 14 Main Street, Upper Largo, became a hairdresser, see below, before being converted into a dwelling.

The above advert, from the 3 November 1948 Leven Mail, is for Largo Roses, which were grown at Kirkton Nurseries on the edge of Upper Largo beyond the cemetery. The 1940s aerial photo below shows the nurseries in the central rectangle, to the north of the cemetery and the school. The proprietor of Kirkton Nurseries was David Strathearn Abernethy. Born in 1900 in Dalkeith Parish, Midlothian, David was the son of David Alexander Abernethy an Inland Revenue Officer and Margaret Nisbet. By the time of the 1921 census, aged 20, David was already a 'nurseryman' working for Dickson & Co Nurserymen and living in Liberton. 

By 1923, David Abernethy had relocated to Largo and was owner occupier of 'greenhouse, office and land' at Chesterstone Farm. The nursery would continue to operate from this site for more than four decades, David living on site for much of this time. He would become known locally as an authority on roses, acting as judge at local flower shows such as the St Andrews Rose Show. 

Above is an advert from the 23 November 1935 Leven Mail. Note that David is a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society. Roses were hugely popular at this time, with most gardens featuring the "Queen of the Garden" amongst their displays. Being easy to grow, coming in many varieties and blooming long and lavishly, the rose was seen to provide a good return for its cost. Being able to visit a nursery to view roses in bloom and having the option to order a catalogue, made it easy for customers to confidently place an order. The nurseryman would give advice on the best varieties for a garden's situation and soil type. The Kirkton Nurseries would have had a wide range of varieties and its reputation grew quickly. Below are example adverts for the "widely known" Largo Roses from the early 1950s, available via Thomas Oswald, Florist and Fruiterer, Shorehead, Leven.

In the summer of 1955 there was a fire at the Nurseries - the 20 July Leven Mail reported on the incident below. The fire started on the roadside, close to the wooden house of Mr Smith who worked at Kirkton Nurseries. Fortunately, the blaze was noticed quickly and was extinguished by a unit from Methil Fire Brigade before it reached the house. The Smith family were unharmed but a bed of roses was destroyed. A discarded cigarette was presumed to have led to the fire.
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The photograph above of the former Church Rooms associated with Largo Parish Church was taken in 2021. Dating back to the early 18th century, the facility was for much of its history an ancillary building linked to Largo House. Note the traditional forestair leading to the upper entrance and the thackstane at the chimney base (suggesting an original thick thatched roof). The building was given to the Largo Kirk Session in 1935, by then owner of Largo Estate David Maitland Makgill Crichton. Presumably the building had become surplus to the requirements of the estate. During this era, Largo House had been let to a series of long-term tenants and at the time was occupied by John Key Hutchison, flour merchant.
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When Largo Parish Church completed the renovation of The Stables in 1970, the Church Rooms became a secondary hall space and was less in demand. In 1984 it was designated a category B listed building. Its listing description is as follows:

​Early 18th century with alterations. 2 storeys, 3 bays. Harled with some ashlar dressings. Entrance front originally 2 doors in left ground bay, one now window; central forestair to 1st floor door. 2 later 1st floor windows. South front altered fenestration to ground floor, 3 windows in weathered stone architraves to 1st. Straight skews with simply moulded skewputts, crowstepped skew to south-east. End stacks. Pantiled roof with straight skew and skewputt left and right (mutual with adjoining building). Rendered left and brick right end stacks.

Below are two 1970s black and white images of the property, front and back, from the Canmore Collection.
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Largo Cricket Club made use of the facility as a pavilion in more recent decades before switching to a portacabin adjacent to their ground. When the Church undertook significant renovation work during 2016-17, it was recognised that the Church Rooms were not being used. Plus, when Largo Parish Church came into being on 15 November 2017, a result of a union between the linked charges of Largo and Newburn and Largo St David’s churches, the Church had the use of both The Stables and the Durham Hall. Accordingly, the Church Rooms building was handed back to Largo Estate. After nine decades of community use, the Church Rooms were in need of maintenance. The estate applied for planning permission to convert the facility into a dwelling house, replace the roof and carry out a series of renovations inside and out. Now residential accommodation for estate workers, the building has moved into the next chapter in its story.

 
The 30 July 1969 East Fife Mail reported on the gift given to Largo Kirk of a model of The Yellow Caravel (the 15th century ship of Admiral Sir Andrew Wood). The man pictured working on the model is Dan Marshall, who lived in Westora on The Promenade, Leven. Sir Andrew Wood had been a boyhood hero of Dan's and his model making idea had begun as far back as 1934. It was then that he visited the Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street in Edinburgh, to view their model of the Yellow Caravel.  He gained permission to examine and sketch the model and take measurements, with a view to creating a replica.

Dan was home on leave from China and he intended to follow up the preparatory work by embarking upon his own model on his subsequent visit home. While in the museum, an older man sat down next to Dan and asked him about his plans. He turned out to be the maker of the museum's model, Richard Paterson of Lasswade. Mr Paterson had undertaken a number of commissions for the Museum. His other works included the Great Michael and a Viking longboat. Richard Paterson's original 1926 Yellow Caravel model can be viewed here.

Dan Marshall made a start on his version of the Yellow Caravel but progress was slow and, after some time had passed with only the hull completed, he scrapped the model and the project ground to a halt. More than three decades later, while working in the Gas Board Offices, Mr Marshall had a conversation with Upper Largo minister, Reverend Douglas Lister. Dan explained that he had long dreamed of making a model ship to hang in a church. Nothing happened for six months, until the pair talked again and Rev. Lister asked when Dan was going to start on his model.

Around 500 hours of intricate work later, Marshall's model was presented to Upper Largo Parish Church on 3 August 1969, at a service televised by the BBC for Songs of Praise. The Church still has this special memorial to Wood on display today. Built at a 1:48 scale, the Yellow Caravel is positioned on a small table against a wall next to the main dais so that all members of the congregation looking at the communion table and pulpit will see the little ship as well. The black and white photograph below shows the model (to the right) in context.
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Here is a description of the model:

Scale: 1:48
Length Overall: 1000mm
Breadth: 250mm
Height: 960mm
Material: wood, paint, cotton thread and metal fittings
Construction: Block built with built up topside
Description: Hull is painted black below the waterline and yellow and blue above. The stern castle and forecastles are both built up in the style of the fifteenth century warship, painted yellow, blue and red stripes with shields depicting the Scottish red lion rampant, the saltire and one bearing the oak tree family crest of Sir Andrew Wood. A saltire is also picked out in blue lines on the lugsail at the foremast and in decorations around the crows‐nest on the main mast. Two yellow metal carronades are on each side of the main deck.
Transom: painted blue, yellow and red stripes with two Scottish lion shields and a central saltire shield.
Masts and Spars: painted yellow with blue bands.
Rigging: fully rigged with sails set. Main sail is painted with two images of ships carrying saltires and a large oak tree, the family crest of Sir Andrew Wood.
Flags: Large tin saltires fly at the bow, stern and mainmast. 
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This model represents a typical armed merchantman of the 15th century rather than specifically the Yellow Caravel, no illustration of which survives. It carries seven guns, crossbows and pikes. The mainmast has a fighting top. The coat of arms on the mainsail are those of Sir Andrew Wood. Wood began his naval career as a privateer under James III and prospered under James IV. By 1489 he owned the Flower and the Yellow Carvel, both fighting ships, which fought and captured five English ships close to Dunbar.

The English launched a larger offensive the following year under Stephen Bull, which attacked Wood's ships in the Firth of Forth. After two days of fighting, Wood triumphed, capturing the English ships, despite having been outnumbered. James IV knighted Wood following this battle, granting him land in Largo. Wood built a fortified tower house there, married Elizabeth Lundie and had several sons. In 1511, he took command of the Great Michael, the flagship of the Royal Scots Navy, said to be the largest ship in Europe, weighing 1,000 tons and measuring 240ft (73 metres) long.
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The Upper Largo Church model is one of many ship models found in Scottish Churches. If you would like to find out more about ship models in Scottish Churches, click here, to read a thesis on the topic by Meredith Clare Greiling (June 2019).
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The stables associated with Largo Parish Church and its manse date to the 1830s. Originally, the building would have provided the minister with stables, a gig house and possibly a byre for any livestock kept. It likely also would have provided stabling for the horses of some of the worshippers for the duration of Church services. While the majority of the congregation would have walked to Church (some covering long distances) a few would have brought horses. 

The building's original use became redundant long ago but it was not until the late 1960s that it was repurposed as a hall facility. In 1965, renovation work had taken place in the Church itself. It was redecorated, new lighting was installed and a new communion table was gifted. That same year, the pulpit and baptismal font from Newburn Church were moved to Largo. With those changes completed, attention focussed on the need to renovate the old stables. The objective was to create a new hall facility with good car parking facilities. The challenge was how to achieve this in a cost effective manner.

Assistance came in the form of a work party of thirteen young people from different parts of Europe, led by David Cowan from Farnham, Surrey. The Christian Movement for Peace group arrived in the summer of 1969. As the East Fife Mail reported, "the clatter of bulldozers and cement mixers announced that they had made a start on the projects". Staying in the nearby Church Rooms and Scout Hall, the seven females and six males, aged between 20 and 22, came from Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Norway and England. During their three week stay, the work party began work at 7 a.m. and worked until 1 p.m. each day, after which, their time was their own.

As well as making a start on the conversion of the stables and the laying out of a the car park, the group carried out redecoration work in the public rooms of the manse and in the homes of some of the old folk in the village. Mechanical equipment had been loaned for the project and a cement mixer was used to concrete the floor of the stables. Most of the group were new to building work but professional supervision was on hand.

The photograph above appeared in the 30 July 1969 East Fife Mail and shows some of the work party in action on a sunny day. The Christian Movement for Peace (now known as Volunteer Action for Peace) was founded by Etienne Bach an army officer from Alsace. Originally, it was formed to help reconciliation between France and Germany but it expanded following the Second World War to cover many countries in Europe. After 1950, an emphasis was placed on practical work and discussion to promote greater understanding between denominations and nationalities. The group's visit to Largo, ​coincided with two services being recorded in the Church for BBC television's Songs of Praise on 3 August. The image below shows Reverend Douglas Lister, minister at the time, right of centre, on the day of filming.