•  Milton of Balgonie, Fife

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In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Milton of Balgonie like this:

Balgonie, two villages and an estate in Markinch parish, Fife. Balgonie proper or Milton of Balgonie stands on the left bank of the river Leven, 1½ mile ESE of Markinch station; and has a post office under Markinch, and a former chapel of ease, with 650 sittings, erected in 1875 into a quoad sacra church. ...

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Flax-mills are adjacent, and form three sides of a rectangle, 160 by 140 feet.-Coalton of Balgonie village stands near the North British railway, 1½ mile S of Markinch, and has two suburbs called West Coalton and Lady's Square. A bleachfield is on the Leven, a little N of Lady's Square, and nearly a mile W of Milton.-In 1823 Balgonie estate, having belonged to the Earls of Leven from the reign of Charles I., was purchased for £104,000 by James Balfour of Whittinghame, whose son, Charles Balfour (1823-72) was owner of 919 acres, valued at £1763 per annum. The ancient mansion on it, Balgonie Castle, stands on the banks of the Leven, about 36 feet above the bed of the stream, in the western vicinity of Milton; is an edifice of different ages, large and massive, strong and picturesque; comprises two sides of a quadrangle, with a strong wall on the other two sides, enclosing an oblong area of 108 by 65 feet; and includes a donjon or keep, 45 feet long, 36 wide, and 80 high. Rich coal mines are on the estate, and have been worked for centuries. The title of Baron Balgonie (cre. 1641) is still borne by the Earls of Leven, the first of whom, Alex. Leslie, the celebrated Presbyterian general, died at Balgonie in 1661.

Milton of Balgonie through time

Milton of Balgonie is now part of Fife district. Click here for graphs and data of how Fife has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Milton of Balgonie itself, go to Units and Statistics.

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