Culross
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Image:Culross Palace.jpg The Royal Burgh of Culross (pronounced "Coo-ros") is a burgh in Fife, Scotland. Originally a port city on the Firth of Forth, the town is said to have been founded by Saint Serf in the 5th century, and to have been the birthplace of Saint Mungo.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the town was a centre of the coal mining industry. Its secondary industry was salt panning. There was a considerable export trade by sea in the produce of these industries. The town's role as a port declined during the 18th century.
During the 20th century, it became recognised that Culross contained many unique historical buildings and the National Trust for Scotland has been working on their preservation and restoration since the 1930s.
Notable buildings in the burgh include Culross Town House, formerly used as a courthouse and prison, the 16th century Culross Palace, 17th century Study, and the remains of the 13th century Culross Abbey.
Culross is twinned with Veere which was formerly the port through which its export goods entered the Low Countries.
It is part of the Dunfermline and West Fife Westminster constituency.
When the British princess (and future saint) Theneva became pregnant before marriage, her family threw her from a cliff. She survived the fall unharmed, and was soon met by an unmanned boat. She knew she had no home to go to, so got into the boat; it sailed her across the Firth of Forth to land at Culross where she was cared for by Saint Serf; he became foster-father of her son, Saint Kentigern.