Fascinating Fife Folk Museum
The Fife Folk Museum was established in 1968, and is housed in a tollbooth that was constructed in 1673 and consists of weigh house and a dungeon. Originally built by the barons of Ceres, the buildings were in a terrible state of disrepair by the 1960’s. In 1964, the tollhouse was donated to the Central and North Fife Preservation Society. The society acquired the buildings next to the tollhouse and set about restoring the buildings, in the aim of establishing a museum. Architect, Murray Jack, was recruited for the restoration work and later, terraced gardens were purchased and added to the museum grounds. The Fife Folk Museum has become a very popular attraction in Scotland, as it focuses on the daily lives of earlier inhabitants of Fife and the surrounding areas. It allows visitors a historical glimpse into the history of Fife.
The exhibits that are spread out across the buildings, can be
divided
into ten basic categories, namely Transport, Trades and Craft, Weights
and
Measures, Sports and Pastimes, Agricultural, Costumes and Accessories,
Toys,
Gardening, Linen, Lace and Embroidery and Domestic. Generous donations
from
local citizens in regard to funds and items have supported the
renovations
and the exhibits of the museum. It is through the dedication of the
community and the various societies that the Fife
Museum
has grown to receive awards such as the Tennant Caledonian Community
Award,
the Europa Nostra Award and many others that include the National
Heritage
Museum of the Year Award.
In the Trades and Craft division, visitors will be able to view the
tools
of the trade that were used by farmers, bakers, blacksmiths and
weavers,
together with a tradesman’s cottage. Gadgets of the past are also on
display, such as the first invention of an iron pressure cooker and
vacuum
cleaner. The Costumes and Accessories exhibit has a beautiful
collection of
evening gowns, daily clothing and maternity wear that was worn by the
woman
of Fife in the earlier years. There is also various toys such as dolls
with
handmade clothing and children’s books that tell the tales that many of
the
Fife community had grown up on, including bicycles, doll prams and
various
other items such as soap and even a steam engine. The Weight and
Measures
division still resides in the Weigh House where many different weights
and
measures can be seen, used to measure the worth of a specific item that
is
being traded. The prison, which is located in the dungeon, only has one
inmate that patiently waits for visitors.
Over the past years, since its establishment, the Fife Folk Museum has
drawn
many visitors not only for their displays on the early rural life of
the
Fife communities, but also for the beautifully restored buildings.
Together,
this attraction in Scotland, brings the past back to life and reminds
us of
everything we have to be thankful for.
