History Levenmouth

1 history

1.1 toponymy
1.2 history
1.3 19th century

history
toponymy

the area named after mouth of river leven. word leven comes pictish word flood , given loch leven, flood lake @ head of river.

early history

the first mention of town of leven made in 2 separate records in mid-15th century, urgent need repair work @ monastery @ levynnis-mouth , george durie – estate owner – became keeper of harbour @ levynnismouth .

19th century

until 1821, bridge across river cameron brig on main kirkcaldy - cupar road. in year pedestrian suspension bridge built @ leven, replaced three-arched stone bridge in 1840. toll cross bridge scottish halfpenny, or bawbee. though stone bridge replaced single-span bridge in 1957, still known locally bawbee brig .

in 1854 leven railway opened, linking town thornton junction on edinburgh - aberdeen main line. helped become tourist resort popular visitors west of scotland, , particularly glasgow. later in 19th century leven railway became part of loop line of north british railway linking thornton junction , leuchars junction via st andrews. railway between leven , st andrews closed in 1964/65. railway between leven , thornton junction closed freight in 1966 , passengers in 1969.

with growth of coal mining , activity @ methil docks, 2 towns of buckhaven , methil expanded until merged single burgh in 1891.