CRAIL (formerly Karel), royal burgh and parish, Fifeshire, Scotland, 2 M. from Fifeness, the most easterly point of the county, and II m. S.E. of St. Andrews by the L.N.E.R. Pop. (1931), 1,058. It is said to have been a town of some note as early as the 9th century; and its castle, of which there are hardly any remains, was the residence of David I. and other Scottish kings. It was constituted a royal burgh by a charter of Robert Bruce in 1306, and had its privileges confirmed by Robert II. in 1371, by Mary in 1553, and by Charles I. in 1635. Of its priory, dedicated to St. Rufus, a few ruins exist. The ancient church is dedicated to Maelrubha, the patron saint of Crail. Many of the houses are massive and picturesque. The public buildings include an unusual town hall with a Dutch tower. The chief industry is fishing, especially for crabs. Crail is in favour as a summer resort.
Balcomie castle, about 2 M. to the north-east, dates from the 14th century. Here Mary of Guise landed in 1538, a few days be fore her marriage to James V. in St. Andrews cathedral. The East Neuk is a term applied particularly to the country round Fife ness, and more generally to all of the peninsula east of an imagi nary line drawn from St. Andrews to Elie.