I thought Dunfermline Abby and Palace were important in Scottish history, but both the RS guide book and tours never mention this place. It's very close to Edinburgh and can take a local train service to get there. If you are familiar with this area what else is there to see? I'm heading there in late May/early June this year.
Posted by
US
191 posts
Hello Galavanter
We visited the area and really enjoyed it. In addition to Dunfermline Palace & Abbey there is Carnegie's birthplace museum, St Margaret's Cave, and the Carnegie Library and Galleries where we had a nice lunch in the cafe. Dunfermline seems a nice little town.
Historic Scotland. Look into the What to See and Do Section.
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/dunfermline-abbey-and-palace/overview/
Undiscovered Scotland's web site .Dunfermline on the left side near the bottom of the page.
https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usmapindexes/perthstandrews.html
Posted by
OP
Nevada
5 posts
Thank you DianeSLA.
Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
11362 posts
I loved Dunfermline and would recommend visiting there. You can see Dunfermline Abbey and Palace, as mentioned above, but I would also recommend strolling through Pittencrieff Park (donated by Andrew Carnegie who was born there). The park is huge (76 acres) and is really beautiful. It has a number of memorials there, along with the Pittencrieff House Museum, and the statue of Andrew Carnegie. It's also known for its resident peacocks, and the entrance is very close to Dunfermline Abbey..
Make sure you stop in the Abbey Church, right next to the abbey and see the tomb of Robert the Bruce. Just look for the brass monumental marker that's set into the floor. https://dunfermlineabbey.com/robert-the-bruce/
Posted by
TX, USA
5944 posts
The website says Dumfermline Palace is currently closed - it doesn’t say when it’s expected to be open.
Posted by
Lake District, England
11278 posts
The Palace has been closed for a long time now, like too many Historic Environment Scotland properties, ever since Covid.
In most cases it is for masonry inspections, which are taking for ever. In the case of Dunfermline Palace this isn't just a technical nice to do tick box matter. Although I'm a steel construction man, even my non professional eye can see that the Palace has a significant masonry problem, which is a real visitor risk. I don't expect a quick resolution without funding. It would be 100% hard hat and toe caps to access the Palace.
But the Abbey is totally worth the visit.
Posted by
Duluth, MN🌲
11362 posts
Yes, it was closed when I was there, although you can see the outside; especially if you are in Pittencrieff Park. It's usually linked with the Abbey, which is why I put it in there, although I probably should have clarified that. 😊