DUNINO, a parish, in the district of St-Andrew's,
county of Fife, 4 miles (S. E.) from St. Andrew's;
containing, with the district of Kingsmuir, 471 inhabitants.
Dunino obviously derives its name from the
Gaelic appellation of a nunnery which was situated on
the highest eminence in the parish, 300 feet above the
level of the sea; and the foundation stones of which
were removed in 1815. The parish is about three miles
long and as many broad, comprising nearly 3275 acres,
whereof 2SS0 are arable, 270 woodland, and the remainder
waste that might be cultivated. Its surface approaches to
level, and is intersected by three streamlets, in which
are excellent trout, and which, after their junction, form
the burn of Kenly, and surrender their waters to the
German Ocean. The soil is mostly fertile, producing
good crops of wheat, oats, barley, peas, beans, potatoes,
and turnips, with the various grasses; and the pastures
are lu.xuriantly rich. The system of husbandry is advanced:
the lands have been drained, and inclosed with
fences of stone; the farm-houses are well built, and
roofed with slate, and on many of the farms are threshing-
mills of the most approved construction. In general
the cattle are of the Fifeshire black breed, with a few of
the Ayrshire; the sheep are the Linton or Northumberland,
and considerable numbers of swine are also fed on
the several farms. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £2965. The plantations on the banks of
one of the rivulets contain a great variety of hard-wood
trees, and those in other parts of the parish consist of
larch and Scotch fir, all in a very flourishing state.
Though Dunino is situated on the great coal basin of
Scotland, it has been found more profitable to obtain
that fuel from St. Andrew's or Anstruther than to work
it. The rocks in the parish comprise white sandstone,
of fine texture, and admirable quality for building; red
sandstone is found in regular strata, and limestone
forms the bed of one of the streamlets; disintegrated
trap, intersected with veins of felspar, occurs in one
place, and ironstone has been found in considerable
quantities. Fairs are held at Kingsmuir in May and
October. There are several post-oflices within less than
five miles of the church, and facilities of communication
with St. Andrew's, Anstruther, Cupar, and other towns,
are afforded by good turnpike-roads.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds of
the presbytery of St. Andrew's, synod of Fife. The
minister's stipend is £19i?. 16., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £28 per annum; patrons, the Principal
and Professors of the United College of St. Andrew's.
Dunino church is a handsome structure erected in 1826,
and contains 224 sittings. The parochial school affords
instruction to about forty children; the master's salary
is £34, with a house and garden, and the fees average
£16. Until within the last few years there were some
ruins of the ancient castle of Draffan, supposed to be
of Danish origin, and also of that of Stravithy. There
are still remains of the castle of Pittairthy, in the south
of the parish, commanding an extensive view of the
sea; the eastern, or more modern, portion of this building
has the date 16.53, and is supposed to have been
built by Sir William Bruce of Kinross: though unroofed,
the walls are in good preservation. Near the
garden of the manse are some remains of a Druidical
circle; and about a mile to the west is a farm called
Pittan-Druidh, or the grave of the Druids. Some copper
coins of Charles 1., Charles IL, and William and
Mary, were lately found in a grave in the churchyard:
two coins of Philip II. of Spain were also dug up in the
parish, one of gold and the other of silver, supposed to
have been originally found in the wreck of a vessel
belonging to the Spanish armada; and in 1836, an urn
containing ashes was ploughed up in a field on the
lands of Balcaithly. Among the most distinguished
characters connected with the parish, were, John Fordun,
author of the Scoto-chroiticoii; John Winram, sub-prior
of St. Andrew's; and the Rev. James Wood, who was
one of the commissioners that brought Charles II. from
the continent at the Restoration. Sir Robert Aytoun,
author of the celebrated poems, and secretary to the
queens of James VI. and Charles I., was a native of
Dunino: an improved edition of the poems was lately
published by the Rev. Charles Roger, also a native of
the parish.