Dysart, Fife

Dysart () Retrieved on 3 August 2008 is a town on the south-east coast of Scotland, between Kirkcaldy and West Wemyss in Fife. A former royal burgh, Dysart is now a suburb of Kirkcaldy. Dysart was once part of a large estate owned by the St Clair or Sinclair family. They were given burgh of barony status for the town at the end of the 15th century.

The first written record of the town was in the early 13th century. During the middle of the 15th century, the town traded with the Low Countries, and exported salt and coal. In the 16th and 17th centuries, they began to trade with the Baltic Countries. Dysart got two nicknames: "Salt Burgh" and "Little Holland".

When the coal mine, the Lady Blanche Pit, closed suddenly use of the harbour almost stopped. The town was joined with the royal burgh of Kirkcaldy in 1930. Large parts of the historic town were pulled down in the 1950s and 1960's for new housing. People living in the town were able to protect some areas, most notably the 16th century and the 18th century houses of Pan Ha' opposite the harbour. These have been repaired and preserved for future generations. Today, Dysart retains an individual character within the boundary borders of neighbouring Kirkcaldy.

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Category:Towns in Fife