AN ‘OLD DUNFERMLINE’ calendar has been produced for 2023 featuring archive images of the city of Dunfermline over the past century, many of which have featured in Memory Lane over the years. The photographs highlight many of the changes that have taken place in the ancient capital of Scotland.

The first picture in this week's trip down West Fife's Memory Lane is of a view looking up Holyrood Place in 1961 looking towards St Margaret’s RC Church, taken from where the Sinclair Gardens roundabout is today. The buildings in the foreground have long since been demolished. The church itself has undergone extensive remedial work recently.

In the early 19th century, the Catholic population in Dunfermline was very low, as noted in Chalmers History of Dunfermline: "Roman Catholic congregation founded 1823. Having no resident priest, they meet in the houses of two of their number who conduct the usual services but of course do not perform mass."

As numbers grew subsequently, a missionary priest, a native of Dunfermline who came from a well-respected family of business people, Father George Mullen, embarked on a visionary project, the construction of a national memorial church to St Margaret. He appealed to the nobility of Scotland for help and the Marquess of Bute responded by providing funds to commence the scheme.

The original idea had been to open in time for the 800th anniversary of St Margaret's death in 1893. However, difficulties encountered in raising the £30,000 required delayed the opening until June 17, 1896. It was constructed in 12th-century style and its interior elevation resembles Dunfermline Abbey Church built for St Margaret by her son, King David (for which French stonemasons were brought up from Durham to create a striking Norman church similar to Durham Cathedral).

Our next photograph is from the Press archives showing how the church looked in 1996 when it was floodlit against the night sky. The Shrine of St Margaret, and Dunfermline Abbey, were popular places of pilgrimage many centuries ago and this tradition was revived by the Catholic Church in 1899, which opened with Mass in the new church, followed by a procession to St Margaret’s Cave and the tomb of St Margaret. The next pilgrimage did not take place until 1930 after which it became an annual event attracting between 8,000-10,000 pilgrims when held in November, but up to 20,000 when held in June. St Margaret’s Church could no longer accommodate such large gatherings, so with the co-operation of Dunfermline Athletic Football Club, the use of East End Park was secured.

The final photograph shows the area at the top of the Public Park in 1961 before the Sinclair Gardens roundabout was constructed as well as the dual carriageway through the park. The Park Tavern can be seen before it was later demolished.

More photographs like these can be seen in the local studies department of Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries and also at facebook.com/olddunfermline. The ‘Old Dunfermline’ calendar is available in the shops in Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries and Abbot House, as well as online at olddunfermline.com/shop. It is also available in the Small Business Market on the ground floor of the Kingsgate Shopping Centre, situated outside where Debenhams used, to be until Christmas Eve.

With thanks to Frank Connelly.