Dunfermline town square plans make historian cross

Bert McEwan took aim at the Fife Council plans, outlined in the Press last week, for the gap site between High Street and Queen Anne Street.

He said there were "so many flaws" with the performance area, the public toilets, information point and access to Bruce Street but reserved most of his ire for the idea of moving the category B-listed monument, a symbolic site in the town centre that is topped by a heraldic unicorn and Scottish shield.

Mr McEwan, who has written several books about Dunfermline's history, said: "The relocation of the Mercat Cross is sacrilege.

"I suggest that Councillor (Helen) Law should do some research on the heritage and history of mercat crosses and the Dunfermline cross in particular in the Annals of Dunfermline by Ebenezer Henderson."

The sandstone cross dates, in part, from 1626 but is mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries.

He continued: "The Mercat Cross by necessity was located in the centre of the town market and was the place where proclamations and public notices were read out.

"The Mercat Cross in Dunfermline has been in and around its present location for at least 400 years.

"When it was dismantled for safety reasons, the shaft was built into the corner of the building at the top of Guildhall Street, now Santander, such was the importance of the cross and its location."

Fife Council aim to apply for £10 million from the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund to re-lay High Street and hope the rest can be used for the gap site project.

While designs are at an early stage, a presentation to the City of Dunfermline area committee last week included a town square, a grassed terrace area, more planting and seating with a community orchard, a gateway feature and a community hub with toilets and an information point.

Mr McEwan said there was already a performance area at the Glen Gates that was "never used" and public toilets in the adjacent bus station.

He added: "Dunfermline has never had a civic square in its 1,000-year history, why now? Is it to satisfy one person’s ego?"

The historian said the proposals would consign Bridge Street and its shopkeepers to "oblivion" and asked if the public would get the chance to comment on proposals "dreamed up by Cllr Law and her fellow councillors".

Cllr Law, convener of the committee, said the gap site was only ever supposed to be a "temporary" measure, after the demolition of the old Co-op buildings that once stood there, but various commercial and leisure proposals for the area, including shops, restaurants and housing, had all fallen through.

She continued: "As the original idea for the site had failed to come to pass and, considering the current circumstances we find ourselves in, it was important to look at making the site more functional and more attractive within the town centre.

"Given how well-used the site is at the moment, making it into a town square seemed like an obvious choice.

"Formalising the area and including an access to Bruce Street would enhance both the appearance and connectivity of the site and can only be an improvement for the people of Dunfermline."

She argued that the large, hard-standing area just off High Street would be "ideal" for performance, markets and exhibitions and the grass terrace above "would also allow for performance, leisure and just sitting enjoying the view".

Cllr Law said: "With regard to moving the Mercat Cross to give it pride of place, rather than squeezed on the edge of the pavement, it is simply another proposal at this point.

"The cross needs significant refurbishment and that is the most important matter for now."