Kirkcaldy: Linoleum Capital, the Lang Toun, and Fife's Industrial Coast
Kirkcaldy was the linoleum capital of the world. The industry began in the 1840s and at its peak the factories along the waterfront produced the majority of the world's supply. The distinctive smell of linseed oil hung over the town for decades. The last linoleum factory closed in the early 2000s. Kirkcaldy is known locally as the "Lang Toun" for its long high street, which runs for nearly a mile along the coast. Adam Smith was born here in 1723. The population is around 50,000. Kirkcaldy is the largest town in the Fife council area after Dunfermline.
The A92 coast road connects Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh (via the Forth Road Bridge, twenty-five miles south) and Dundee. Kirkcaldy station provides ScotRail services to Edinburgh. The town centre has struggled with retail decline, though the waterfront esplanade remains a draw. For adult companionship, Kirkcaldy falls under Scots law, which operates as a separate legal system from England and Wales.
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Kirkcaldy was the linoleum capital of the world. The industry began in the 1840s and at its peak the factories along the waterfront produced the majority of the world's supply. The distinctive smell of linseed oil hung over the town for decades. The last linoleum factory closed in the early 2000s. Kirkcaldy is known locally as the "Lang Toun" for its long high street, which runs for nearly a mile along the coast. Adam Smith was born here in 1723. The population is around 50,000. Kirkcaldy is the largest town in the Fife council area after Dunfermline.
The A92 coast road connects Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh (via the Forth Road Bridge, twenty-five miles south) and Dundee. Kirkcaldy station provides ScotRail services to Edinburgh. The town centre has struggled with retail decline, though the waterfront esplanade remains a draw. For adult companionship, Kirkcaldy falls under Scots law, which operates as a separate legal system from England and Wales.
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