Kinross (, gd, Ceann Rois) is a
burgh
A burgh is an autonomous municipal corporation in Scotland and Northern England, usually a city, town, or toun in Scots. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burg ...
in
Perth and Kinross
Perth and Kinross ( sco, Pairth an Kinross; gd, Peairt agus Ceann Rois) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland and a Lieutenancy Area. It borders onto the Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Fife, Highland and S ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, around south of
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
and around northwest of
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
. It is the traditional
county town
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
of the
historic county of
Kinross-shire
The County of Kinross or Kinross-shire is a historic county and registration county in eastern Scotland, administered as part of Perth and Kinross since 1930. Surrounding its largest settlement and county town of Kinross, the county borders Per ...
.
History
![High Street, Kinross (geograph 6830848) (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/High_Street%2C_Kinross_%28geograph_6830848%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Kinross's origins are connected with the nearby Loch Leven and its islands whose history goes back to the 5th century AD. Kinross developed as a staging post on the Great North Road from
North Queensferry to
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
. In time, local industry developed and by the early 18th century the town had grown to a population of around 600 people. By the mid-19th century, a thriving wool weaving industry had emerged.
Kinross Town Hall
Kinross Town Hall forms part of a complex of municipal buildings in the High Street, Kinross, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The town hall, which has been converted for residential use, is a Category B listed building.
History
The oldest part of ...
was completed in 1841.
Location and transport
The site of the original Pre-Reformation parish
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* C ...
and churchyard are located down a small
wynd
In Scotland and Northern England, a wynd () is a narrow lane between houses. The word derives from Old Norse ''venda'' ("to turn"), implying a turning off a main street, without implying that it is curved. In fact, most wynds are straight. In m ...
overlooking
Loch Leven, a little away from the town. The church was dedicated to
St. Serf
Saint Serf or Serbán (''Servanus'') () is a saint of Scotland. Serf was venerated in western Fife. He is called the apostle of Orkney, with less historical plausibility. Saint Serf is connected with Saint Mungo's Church near Simonburn, Northumbe ...
and was under control of
Dunfermline Abbey
Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...
. Noteworthy ministers included John Colden from 1593 to 1640 and his son George Colden who served until 1665. The notorious
Henry Christie
Henry Christie, M.A. (1655–1718) was a college bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the early eighteenth century.
Early life and family
Born in 1655, he was the youngest son of Henry Christie of Craigton., ''Scottish Episcopal Clergy'', p ...
was minister of Kinross 1679–89.
[Fasti Ecclesiastae Scotina]
Rev Robert McGill served 1698 until 1726 and recorded supernatural events in the
manse in 1718. Rev Robert Stark was initially unpopular but served 1732 to 1783.
Kinross was originally linked by railway to
Perthshire
Perthshire (locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, ...
,
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
and
Clackmannanshire
Clackmannanshire (; sco, Clackmannanshire; gd, Siorrachd Chlach Mhannainn) is a historic county, council area, registration county and Lieutenancy area in Scotland, bordering the council areas of Stirling, Fife, and Perth & Kinross and the hi ...
until the rail links gradually disappeared. At one time three independent railway companies had their termini at the town. The
Fife and Kinross Railway
The Railways of Kinross were a local network of three rural railways which made the town of Kinross in Scotland their objective in the 1850s.
They were:
* the Fife and Kinross Railway from Ladybank to Kinross;
* the Kinross-shire Railway from n ...
came from the east, the
Kinross-shire Railway
The Railways of Kinross were a local network of three rural railways which made the town of Kinross in Scotland their objective in the 1850s.
They were:
* the Fife and Kinross Railway from Ladybank to Kinross;
* the Kinross-shire Railway from n ...
came from the south and The
Devon Valley Railway
The Devon Valley Railway linked Alloa and Kinross in central Scotland, along a route following the valley of the River Devon. Its construction took 20 years from the first section opening in 1851, to the final section in 1871. Three railway ...
came from the west.
Kinross Junction railway station
Kinross Junction railway station served the burgh of Kinross, Perth and Kinross, Scotland from 1860 to 1970 on the Fife and Kinross Railway
The Railways of Kinross were a local network of three rural railways which made the town of Kinross i ...
once stood on the line between Perth and Edinburgh, which was closed to make way for construction of the
M90 motorway
The M90 is a motorway in Scotland. It runs from Junction 1A of the M9 motorway, south of the Queensferry Crossing, to Perth. It is the northernmost motorway in the United Kingdom. The northern point goes to the western suburbs of Perth at ...
.
Since this time, many people working within a commuting radius of Kinross have settled in the town owing to its central location and local amenities. Locals and
Members of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; gd, Ball PÃ rlamaid na h-Alba, BPA; sco, Memmer o the Scots Pairliament, MSP) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.
Electoral system
The add ...
(MSPs) have also asked the
Scottish Government to publish a Feasibility Study into re-establishing the Perth–Edinburgh Direct Rail Link.
, no such document has been published.
Kinross is served by local and long-distance bus services including Megabus services M90, M91 and M92 which call at the Sainsbury's Park & Ride site off Junction 6 of the M90 motorway.
Tourism
The burgh is located on the shores of
Loch Leven. There are boat trips around the
loch
''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots language, Scots and Irish language, Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is Cognate, cognate with the Manx language, Manx lough, Cornish language, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh language, Welsh w ...
and to
Loch Leven Castle
Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296†...
where
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...
was held prisoner in 1567.
Up to 2014 the annual
T in the Park
T in the Park festival was a major Scottish music festival that was held annually from 1994 to 2016. It was named after its main sponsor, Tennents. The event was held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire, until 1996. It then moved to the disused ...
music festival. which was officially replaced by
TRNSMT festival in Glasgow Green, was held nearby, at the former
RAF Balado Bridge
Royal Air Force Balado Bridge or more simply RAF Balado Bridge is a former Royal Air Force station located west of Kinross, in central Scotland. It opened in 1942 as a satellite airfield to RAF Grangemouth, and closed in 1957. It has since serv ...
airfield.
RAF Balado Bridge
Royal Air Force Balado Bridge or more simply RAF Balado Bridge is a former Royal Air Force station located west of Kinross, in central Scotland. It opened in 1942 as a satellite airfield to RAF Grangemouth, and closed in 1957. It has since serv ...
was also the locale of a now decommissioned
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
ICBM
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons c ...
early warning radar
An early-warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as ''early'' as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the air defences the maximum t ...
and up until the late 1950s was a training base for the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
.
Climate
As with most of the
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
, Kinross has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
: ''Cfb'').
Sport and recreation
The Loch Leven Trails offers 21 km (13 miles) of walking and cycling heritage trail around the shoreline of Loch Leven. It begins at
RSPB
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...
Vane Farm Nature Reserve via Findatie to Kinross Pier/Kirkgate Park.
There is a
leisure centre
A leisure centre in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia (also called aquatic centres), Singapore and Canada is a purpose-built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people ...
located in Kinross, called Loch Leven Leisure.
Kinross Trout Fishery situated just on the edge of the village is one of Scotland's premier trout fishery giving fly and bait anglers the opportunity to catch some of Scotland largest trout.
Kinross Colts FC is a community football club and registered charity with over 400 boys, girls, men and women playing in 16 teams within the club. They have two grounds locally, The Myre at Smith Street in Kinross and Donaldson Park in Milnathort.
Kinross is also home to
Kinross Rugby Club, who play their games at King George V ground alongside Kinross Hockey Club. Locally the ground is known as KGV.
Notable people
*
Andrew Barlass, American politician and farmer, was born in Kinross.
['Wisconsin Blue Book 1876,' Biographical Sketch of Andrew Barlass, pg. 475]
*
Steven Caulker
Steven Roy Caulker (born 29 December 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Süper Lig club Fatih Karagümrük. Born in England, he represents and captains the Sierra Leone national team.
Caulker started his profe ...
lived with his aunt and uncle in Kinross when playing for
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland, founded in 1893. The team are nicknamed "The Dark Blues" or "The Dee". The club plays its home matches at Dens Park.
The club was formed after a merg ...
*Rev
Henry Christie
Henry Christie, M.A. (1655–1718) was a college bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the early eighteenth century.
Early life and family
Born in 1655, he was the youngest son of Henry Christie of Craigton., ''Scottish Episcopal Clergy'', p ...
minister
*Dr
Adam Kelso Fulton, Scottish rugby union internationalist
*
Peter Leitch, recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
*
George Thompson (VC)
George Thompson VC (23 October 1920 – 23 January 1945) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces ...
whose posthumous Victoria Cross in 1945 is often cited as the best merited of the entire air war. He was the wireless operator in a Lancaster of No. 9 Squadron on a dawn raid against the Dortmund-Ems Canal when the plane was struck by a salvo of two 88 mm shells.
*
William Whyte (banker) (1878-1945)
Twinned Cities
*
Gacé
Gacé () is a commune in the Orne department in Lower-Normandy, north-western France.
Population
Heraldry
Administration
Twin towns
* Kinross, Perth & Kinross, Scotland
See also
* Communes of the Orne department
The following is a ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
*
Traunstein
Traunstein (Central Bavarian: ''Traunstoa'') is a town in the south-eastern part of Bavaria, Germany, and is the administrative center of a much larger district of the same name. The town serves as a local government, retail, health services, ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
Education
*
Kinross High School (Now located in Loch Leven Community Campus as of 2010)
* Kinross Primary School
References
External links
Kinross Community CouncilKinross Primary SchoolKinross A.F.C
{{Authority control
County towns in Scotland
Parishes in Kinross-shire