The elaborate Louise Carnegie Memorial Railings and Gateway were installed in 1929 to honour Andrew Carnegie’s wife, Louise.
The design incorporates Louise’s initials, together with three letters ‘M’ for Margaret Morrison, Andrew Carnegie’s mother, Margaret Carnegie their daughter and Margaret Miller, their grand-daughter.
In February 1942, metal railings from around Pittencrieff Park were surrendered for use in the war effort but these rather special railings were subsequently given a reprieve by Dunfermline Town Council.
Today the Louise Carnegie Gates are paved with Caithness slabs and make a grand entrance to the park.
Pittencrieff Park (or The Glen as it is known locally) is a wonderful green space close to the heart of the city. The 80 acre park was gifted to the people of Dunfermline in 1903 by its famous son Andrew Carnegie who was born close by. As a boy growing up in Dunfermline, young Andrew had been banned from the then-private Pittencrieff Estate. After he made his fortune, he took great delight in buying Pittencrieff House and Estate and gifting it to the people of his hometown. He described it as ‘the most soul-satisfying public gift I ever made, or ever can make’. Look out for the beautifully illustrated information boards as you go round.
The name Pittencrieff comes from the Gaelic Pit-an-craib Pit in Gaelic and Pitt in English signify a hollow while in Pictish Pit may mean a parcel of land or an estate; craib is from the Gaelic craoibh, pronounced creiv, meaning a tree or of the trees. So Pittencrieff would mean land or estate of the trees.
As you go around the trail, tap the ‘previous’ and ‘next’ arrows to move between points. The picture at the top of the page is shows you where you should be.
If the map does not show your current position when you click “Show My Location” , check your phone browser setting and allow Location.
If there’s more than one of you with a smartphone, you can use the What3Words app to help you navigate. It’s free to download – type in the what3words location, tap “use compass” and it will help you find your way. Though remember, this will point to the exact location, not necessarily following the right path, so use the map on each page to help you.
