page_title: Crail
section_title: Architecture
hierarchical_section_title: Crail / Architecture
caption_attribution_description: English: Crail Tolbooth (left), Fife Scotland
context_page_description: Crail; Scottish Gaelic: Cathair Aile is a former royal burgh, parish and community council area in the East Neuk of Fife, Scotland.
  The locality has an estimated population of 1,630.
context_section_description: Built around a harbour, Crail has a particular wealth of vernacular buildings from the 17th to early 19th centuries, many restored by the National Trust for Scotland, and is a favourite subject for artists.  
  The most notable building in the town is the  parish church, situated in the Marketgate - from the mid 13th century St Maelrubha's, in later medieval times St Mary's, but now, as part of the Church of Scotland's ministry, known just as Crail Parish Church.  It was founded in the second half of the 12th century. From early in its history it belonged to the Cistercian Nunnery of St Clare in Haddington and remained the Nunnery's possession until the Reformation.  
  Though much altered, this is one of Scotland's most beautiful ancient churches.  According to Crail Parish Church's website  (see external link below) in its first form the church building consisted of an unaisled rectangular nave and chancel of romanesque design. In the early 13th century a fine western tower with small spire was added, and a double arcade of round pillars of variegated red sandstone in the nave.  It was in this form in 1243 that the church was dedicated to St Maelrubha by the Bishop of St Andrews. (In later times it was known as St Mary's probably after a later dedication in a later period that disliked vestiges of the Celtic Church.)  The side walls were rebuilt in Regency times, and the large pointed windows, filled with panes of clear glass held by astragals rather than leads, allow light to flood into the interior.  The unaisled chancel, now housing a huge organ, has been shortened.  The church retains some 17th-century woodwork. The early Christian cross-slab mentioned at the start of this article is on display in the church: it is of unusual form (perhaps 10th century), formerly set in the floor. The church building is open on some afternoons in the summer.  
  The large Kirkyard surrounding the building has a fine collection of monuments and stones dating from the late 16th century onwards. 
  Other historic buildings in Crail include the doo'cot (Scots for dovecot) of the town's otherwise vanished Franciscan Friary. 
  Crail once had a royal castle above the harbour (perhaps this was the site of the 'fort').  The site is still visible as an open garden attached, but little or nothing of the structure survives above ground.  A Victorian 'turret' jutting out from the garden wall recalls the Castle (visible in the photograph reproduced above).
  The Tolbooth is near the juncture of Tolbooth Wynd and the Marketgate. It stands on its own at the edge of the large marketplace with its mercat cross in the centre of the town - this is where the Sunday markets were once held. (The former marketplace is now used as a car park.)  The Tolbooth has a characteristic tower dating from about 1600 and a European style roof, similar to buildings in Holland. The weathervane on the spire is in the form of a smoked haddock (known locally as a Crail Capon) rather than the traditional cockerel form. The curved roof form on the tower evidences the European influence of the 16th century, and is architecturally described as a Dutch spire (several other contemporary examples exist in Scotland). The bell inside was cast in Holland and bears the date 1520, and is a permanent reminder of the town’s trading links with the Dutch. 
  The Crail Museum and Heritage Centre, largely staffed by volunteers and open every day in summer, is sited in a neighbouring building, also of historical interest, at the top of Tolbooth Wynd. (See external link below.) It houses temporary exhibitions and has a permanent exhibition on HMS Jackdaw. On permanent display in the Burgh Room is the ceremonial robe worn by the provost of the Burgh of Crail before the reorganisation of local government in Scotland in 1975. (Before 1975 each Scottish burgh was governed by a town council headed by a provost.)  Entry to Crail Museum is free but donations are accepted.  On Sunday afternoons in summer the museum is the leaving point for guided tours of Crail, led by volunteer guides. 
  The Customs House on the
caption: Crail Tolbooth (on the left)
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