Hidden Scotland
Sign in
A stone church with a conical spire stands above a graveyard, a fishing village and the sea visible beyond the wall.
Fife

St Monans Auld Kirk

An old church right on the shore at St Monans, founded after King David II survived a shipwreck in 1326, now cared for by the village community.

Welcome

St Monans Auld Kirk stands right on the rocky shore at the west end of the village, its sturdy tower and short stone spire rising above a graveyard of weathered headstones.

People have worshipped on this spot since at least 1265.

The church as it stands owes its life to a shipwreck. In 1326 King David II was nearly drowned in the Firth of Forth, and in thanks for his escape he gave money to build a new church beside the shrine of St Monan. Later centuries saw it fall into disrepair, and it was restored in the 1820s.

Today the kirk is in the hands of the village, whose charity is working to keep it open to all, for services and celebrations and as a quiet place to sit. It holds regular open days, and the Fife Coastal Path runs past its door along the shore.

The Daily

Arrives at 5am every day.

A free morning email to see what’s on this week, catch up on what’s happening in Scotland and find somewhere new to go.

The Daily for 31 October, from Scotland with love. A ring of standing stones set among mist and autumn birch
Not farSteampunk CoffeeA coffee roastery and coffee bar in an old joinery warehouse in North Berwick, roasting single-origin coffees on site, open every day.10 milesSee itSteampunk Coffee
Before you go

The kirk is open on the community's open days; the kirkyard and the coastal path beside it are open at any time.

Where
Burnside, St Monans, KY10 2BX.
Worship
Since 1265.
Care of
The village.

Been here? Tell others what you know, and the best go on this page with your name.

Add your review
Where it is

On the shore at the west end of St Monans, on the Fife Coastal Path, KY10 2BX.

Close bySt Monans.
  1. The front of Craig Millar @ 16 West End in St Monans: its sign above white-framed windows hung with flower baskets, behind a whitewashed wall.Craig Millar @ 16 West EndUnder a mile as the crow flies
  2. St Monans Welly Boot GardenSt Monans Welly Boot GardenA garden of wellies by the harbour.Under a mile 1 min by road
  3. St MonansSt MonansThe fishing village beside it.Under a mile 2 min by road
  4. FuttleFuttle1 mile 4 min by road
  5. BowhouseBowhouse1 mile 4 min by road
  6. Elie Ness LighthouseElie Ness LighthouseThe lighthouse along the coast.3 miles 7 min by road
Directions
Bàern Cafe, FifeCafeBàern Cafe1.2 miles
Hand carries a crate of loaf cakes and lidded jars outdoorsAttractionsArdross Farm Shop1.9 miles
Terraced houses with red pantiled roofs line a coastal lane beside a stone harbour wallAttractionsPittenweem1.9 miles
Fifies, FifePittenweemFifiesSleeps 2 · 2.1 miles
The Crow’s Nest, FifePittenweemThe Crow’s NestSleeps 4 · 2.1 miles
An orange leather sofa draped with a sheepskin faces a stone fireplace beneath a timber ceiling, a staircase rising behind.PittenweemThe Old StableSleeps 2 · 2.1 miles
Golden angel statue against a terracotta wall beside framed pictures and wooden tablesCafePittenweem Chocolate Company2.1 miles
Narrow lane winding past whitewashed houses beneath a sandstone cliff faceAttractionsSt Fillan’s Cave2.1 miles
Shop window display of framed paintings, patterned ceramics and heart-shaped dish, harbour reflected in glassRestaurantsThe Dory, Pittenweem2.4 miles

Recommend to a friend

Stay nearby

Places to stay near the kirk, and when each is next free.

An orange leather sofa draped with a sheepskin faces a stone fireplace beneath a timber ceiling, a staircase rising behind.The Old Stable
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Pittenweem
  • 2 miles from St Monans Auld Kirk
Free 31 Oct – 2 NovThe Crow’s Nest, FifeThe Crow’s Nest
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Pittenweem
  • 2 miles from St Monans Auld Kirk
Free 2–5 NovFifies, FifeFifies
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Pittenweem
  • 2 miles from St Monans Auld Kirk
Free 1–3 NovA stone cottage with red pantiled roofs and a gabled dormer sits behind a gravel courtyard, an apple tree in the foreground.Maybell Cottage
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Pittenweem
  • 2 miles from St Monans Auld Kirk
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay in FifeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
Hidden Scotland, the magazine

Scotland, in print.

We want to show you the best that Scotland has to offer. The makers and the creatives, the enduring experiences, the evocative tales, the concealed corners. The roads less travelled that take you to places that matter. The adventures that gather you up and sweep you away. The blend of the wild and the artistic that makes Scotland what it is. We’d love for you to join us.

Get Issue 13Read it here
Find out more

For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .