Royal Burgh of Culross

It is believed that Culross was founded by St Serf, and is located in the south west of Fife, overlooking the Firth of Forth.

Wandering around this charming town is about as close to stepping back in time to the 16th century as possible. The whitewashed, red-tiled buildings are well preserved, such as the Town House, where witches were tried and held while awaiting execution.

The nearby ochre-coloured Culross Palace, built by wealthy coal merchant George Bruce in the late 16th century, is in fact not a palace but a grand and impressive house. You can explore the small rooms and connecting passageways, with wonderful painted ceilings, pine panelling, antique furniture and curios. The garden is planted with grasses, herbs and vegetables of the period.

Take a stroll up a cobbled alleyway known as Back Causeway, which is complete with a raised central aisle that was formerly used by noblemen to separate them from the ‘commoners’. This leads up behind the magnificent Town House to the Study, a restored house, built in 1610, that takes its name from the small room at the top of the corbelled projecting tower.