Torryburn

Tuilyies standing stones, beside the A985 road above Torryburn

Torryburn is a village in Scotland, lying on the north shore of the Firth of Forth. It is one of a number of old port communities that have existed on this coast and at one point even served as port for Dunfermline.^[1] It lies in the Bay of Torry in South Western Fife.

History

Torryburn grew around coal mining in the 19th century.^[2]

Edited from Westwood's Directory for the counties of Fife & Kinross published 1862: "Torryburn parish is bounded by the Firth of Forth, Perthshire, Saline, Carnock and Dunfermline. It measures about 5 miles by 3. There are small piers at Crombie and Torryburn, but their importance is not so great as when they formed the port for Dunfermline. The village of Torryburn stands on the coast. A number of the inhabitants are weavers, producing damasks for Dunfermline and cotton goods for Glasgow. The parish church is at Torryburn, and there is a Free Church at Torry. "

Miscellaneous

In 1822 Alison Cunningham was born in Torryburn. She later became the nurse to Robert Louis Stevenson.^[2]

Torry Bay is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Intertidal mudflats are an important estuarine habitat for birds and thousands are attracted to the reserve every year. The apparent barrenness of the shore is deceiving. It has been estimated that one square metre of mud may contain up to 60,000 Laver Spire Snails or thousands of Ragworms. These invertebrates provide essential food for the birds that overwinter at Torry Bay. In the winter you can see large numbers of Great Crested Grebe, Shelduck, Wigeon, Curlew, Redshank and Dunlin. Others like Sandwich Tern, Ringed Plover, Ruff and Greenshank occur on migration during the Autumn. Washed up on the beach, you can also find Cockles, Mussels, Periwinkles and Tellins. Rockpools often contain Butterfish, Gobies, Sea Anemones, Shore Crabs and Shrimps. Pockets of Saltmarsh contain colourful flowers such as Sea Aster, Thrift and Scurvy Grass. One plant that grows in the soft mud is the uncommon Eelgrass, an important food source for the Wigeon. http://www.fifecoastandcountrysidetrust.co.uk/Torry-Bay-Nature-Reserve_77_78_81.html

References

1. ^ Gazetteer for Scotland - [1]
2. ^ ^{a b} Gazetteer for Scotland

• Westwood's Directory for the counties of Fife & Kinross published 1862
• Gazetteer for Scotland

See also

• List of places in Fife

Coordinates: 56°03′N 3°33′W / 56.05°N 3.55°W / 56.05; -3.55