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Ceres
 

You know what is said about pride going before a fall? The monument to the men of Ceres who fought at the Battle of Bannockburn, 21st. June 1314 was erected by the good people of the town in 1914 on the 600th. anniversary of the battle. Little did they expect what the next four years would bring.

The Bannockburn memorial The Bannockburn memorial

The curious toby-jug like figure is supposed to be the last provost of the local church. The Royal Commission for Ancient and Hysterical Monuments, only go as far as describing this as a Toby-jug figure probably 18th century. below the figure is a panel depicting a hunting scene, except it is a man that is being ridden down. Local tradition claims it is Duncan, earl of Fife, leading a decisive cavalry charge at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. However, he was really an prisoner in England in that year... never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

The Provost The Hunting Scene
The Provost The Hunting Scene

Another interesting thing to be found in the town is Bishops Bridge, which can be found beside the Fife Folk Museum. This is the only example of a packhorse bridge in Fife. The narrow bridge harks back to the days when goods were carried on the backs of horses.

Bishops Bridge Bishops Bridge


Lunardi

This roadside memorial is probably nearer Pitscottie than Ceres and can be found at a bend in the B940 road south of North Callanage Farm.

The memorial reads, "Vincenzo Lunardi, born in, Lucca, Italy, in 1759. He ascended in a hydrogen balloon on 5th October 1875 from the garden of Heriots Hospital, Edinburgh. He landed at Coalton of Callanage, in the parish of Ceres, having travelled 46 miles. This was the first aerial voyage in Scotland."

The story goes that he did not intend on going so far, but having drifted north of Edinburgh, he very little choice other than to overfly the Firth of Forth and land in Fife.

Lunardi memorial Lunardi memorial