Dunfermline City Chambers
The building was built on the location of an older Town House dating from 1771, which itself stood on the location of a yet older Town House built in the 17th century. The older of these two original buildings was demolished in the 18th century in order for Bridge Street to be built.
Dunfermline City Chambers at head of Kirkgate
The present Dunfermline City Chambers was built between 1875 and 1879, by James C Walker, who also designed the nearby Carnegie Library. The building was historically designed to be the focus of local government and it still holds the Dunfermline Council Chambers, the Burgh Court and the Registrar’s Office. It is composed of a mix of Scots Baronial, Gothic and French architectural styles, all of which can clearly be seen in the eye-catching clock tower.
Dunfermline City Chambers Clock Tower
The structure includes some heraldic stones which are thought to have originated from the now derelict Dunfermline Palace just to its south. Inside the building are some historic police cells, and a magnificent oak hammer beam ceiling oversees the main council chamber.
Dunfermline City Chambers from the Abbey graveyard
On the side of the Dunfermline City Chambers decorative turrets can be seen, with both protruding and supporting gargoyles.
Gargoyle supporting a turret on the Dunfermline City Chambers building
Just outside the main entrance to the chambers, there is an original old gas lamp (now probably lit by an electric bulb), which in Victorian times would have lit the corner of the Kirkgate and Bridge Street. All that’s missing now are a few horse drawn carriages, and men in top hats and tails, with lasses wearing bonnets and shawls, with corsets and evening gowns.
Old gas lamp outside Dunfermline City Chambers
Fife Photos & Art 
We really liked the city of Dunfermline. It buzzed with history and everyday life. Good photos.
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Thanks Diana. Dunfermline is one of my favourite cities, it reminds me of Truro in Cornwall in a strange sort of way. It has also got my all time favourite park. Pittencrieff Park, is to me, just magical. I think it reminds me of a park we visited when I was very young and I just have vague recollections of it.
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Have you ventured down St Margaret’s Cave?
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Sorry I took so long to answer Diana, it’s been a hectic couple of days. I’ve not been down to St Margaret’s Cave, always in Dunfermline too early, or in too much of a rush to stop. It looks quite fascinating, both historically and geologically. Not something you expect in the corner of a car park! Have you been down?
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Yes I certainly have. Many information boards on the way down explain the story – quite an atmosphere when you reach the end – if it’s quiet that is. D
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I’ll definitely make a special effort to go down there, next time I’m in Dunfermline 🙂
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A magnificent building, very nicely photographed. I didn’t know there were police cells and a fine ceiling inside, can anyone go in and have a look?
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Thank you Lorna. The one problem I seem to have when photographing buildings is the sides of them do not remain parallel, once I get a certain lens, that should get corrected (sometime in distant future). With regards to the City Chambers, I think if you phone up beforehand, they will let you look around inside.
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I sympathise with the photography problem. I use a point and shoot digital camera, so I can’t do anything about that with my photos, but if you get the right lens then you can sort it out, as you say. Photography can be a complicated business. Thanks for the tip about the City Chambers.
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