Enjoy the Tranquility of Pittencrieff Park
Pittencrieff Park was given as a gift by Andrew Carnegie to the people of his hometown, Dunfermline, in 1903. Referred to locally as “The Glen”, the park offers beautifully manicured gardens and pathways between towering trees, as well as playgrounds for children and a large greenhouse. The main gates, located on the north-east of the park, were built in 1928 and named for Carnegie’s wife, Louise, and a prominent statue of the generous patron is positioned on the northern boundary.
Pittencrief Estate was bought by Carnegie from Colonel James Maitland Hunt in 1902. The house on the property was built as a laird’s house in 1635 by Sir Alexander Clerk of Pittencrieff. Constructed of stone and consisting of two stories and an attic, the house was converted into a museum by Sir Robert Lorimar in 1911 and currently houses the Pittencrieff House Museum. Forming the centerpiece of the park, Pittencrieff House Museum features an exhibition on the ground floor detailing the history of the park, going back 350 million years. Called “Magic of the Glen”, the exhibits include fossils, information on dinosaurs and wildlife, as well as photographs and a 3D interactive model highlighting the geographical features of The Glen.
Andrew Carnegie established the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust in 1903 to assist the people of his home town in various ways, one of which was to maintain Pittencrieff Park for the benefit of the public. By the time he established the trust, he had already opened the town’s first public library and public baths. In addition to caring for these properties, the trust supports and initiates projects related to the arts, sport, education, recreation, heritage, welfare and community. The trust also cares for the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum, dedicated to the millionaire philanthropist who improved the lives of countless numbers of people by establishing libraries in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Serbia, Fiji and the Caribbean. The Carnegie Dunfermline Trust is one of more than twenty such foundations around the world and is governed by Royal Charter with a Board of Trustees.