DUNFERMLINE, dfin-f&elin (Gael., fort of the alder-tree pool). A royal burgh and city. and the chief town of the western district of Fifeshire. Scotland. lirmiles northwest of Edin burgh (Map: Scotland, E 31. It a place of note before the end of the eleventh century, and some interesting fragments of its ancient regal and ecclesiastical magnificence still re main. What is called Malcolm Camnore's tower is a mass of shapeless ruins. but the south wall of the palace of the Stuarts still exists. over hanging the romantic glen of Pittencrief. Of the abbey. the frater hall or refectory and a tower and arched gateway still remain. The Romanesque nave of the abbey church, con secrated in 1150. is 106 feet long and 55 feet wide. Among the noteworthy buildings are the Carnegie Library. Carnegie lk,ths. Saint Marga ret's Hall. the Abbey Church, high school. county and eorporat ion buildings. The staple trade of the town is damask linen weaving. which took its rise about the beginning of the eighteenth cen tury. There are establishments for the spinning of linen yarn, and several large factories where steam and hand loom weaving is carried on. There are also large collieries and lime-works, iron-foundries. breweries. dye-works, and fire
clay work.. Population, in 1901, 25.250. At Dunfermline. Malcolm Ca in founded a Benedietine abbey. which was greatly enlarged by David 1. in 1150. The palace, of which but few vestiges remain. was frequently visited by the Court. while the abbey been nie the burial-plaee of the Scottish kings. Charles I. was horn in the palace in 1600. Dunfermline was made a royal burgh in 15:-1R. In the seven teenth century the town was burned by the sol diers of Cromwell. The modern history of Dunfermline is ehiefly remarkable in connection with the rise of Ncotti-h di--c•nt: Ralph Erskine, brother of F.Iwiiescr I I.v.). and one of those who joined the latter in the secession utoventent in 1737, was assistant minister there; and fifteen yea is latcr the resistance of the presbytery of Iluufcrucline to the attempt to torte a minister upon a sou •rcgatinn led to the forutatiot of the lb-lb-f Church, ( See PRESIIYTERLtNISM.) Con '-nit (i'h:tlumrs, llistorirut .leeount of Dunfcrut linc (Edinburgh, 1844-5a).