Local History - 800 Years of Crail 2

More now from the Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving booklet...

Milestones across the Centuries.

1150-2: Charter of David I contains reference to 'the Burgh of Crail'.
1160s: Crail belonged to the Countess Ada, daughter-in-law of David I and mother of Malcolm IV and William the Lion.
1178: The Countess died and Crail reverted to the direct dominion of the Crown and so became what would later be called Royal Burgh.
1310: Charter by King Robert the Bruce conferring the Burgh's ancient privileges. This is the first Charter for which there is indiputable evidence.
1357: Oldest known impression of the Burgh Seal.
1371: King Robert II granted another Charter.
1553: 10th May. A Charter by Mary, Queen of Scots, confirming the two earlier Charters. The original is in the Burgh archives. "Mary, by the grace of God, Queen of Scots . . . to the Burgesses of our Burgh of Crail, both present and future, that they may have, hold and possess the town of Crail in free burgage with thol and theme and a market day every Sunday, with all liberties, commodities adn easements . . . from teh middle of the water of Leven to the burn of Putekyn (Pitmilly)."
1587: King James VI gave to the Bailies, Council and Community of Crail the revenues of the College Kirk of Crail.
1587: Act of Parliament expressly forbidding Sunday markets in Crail.
1598: The Town Council decided to build a new Tolbooth.
1607: Petition to the Convention of Royal Burghs-"craifeing supporte for helpeing the ruife of thair kirk, thair herbere and bulwark and with the biging of thair tolbuith."
1610: 4th, 5th and 6th July. The Convention of Royal Burghs met in Crail.
1645: Outbreak of the bubonic plague in the Burgh.
1652: Because of extreme poverty, the Burgh is excused from sending representatives to the Parliament in Edinburgh.
1672: Petition to the Privy Council-"Through the late troubles, this ancient and Royal Burgh has become involved in debt . . . consequently no one can be found to accept the offices of Bailie or councillor and because of the rigidity of these creditors all the men competent for these offices are removing out of the Burgh to other places."
1702: The Public Clock and Clock Bell removed from the Kirk Steeple to the Tolbooth Steeple with the consent of the Kirk Session.
1711: First constitution granted to the Town Council: Three magistrates, a Treasurer, the Convenor of Trades and 16 other councillors-21 in all. Of these 15 were "merchant councillors and 6 were craftsmen or "trades councillors".
1731: Important amendment to the constitution: "No magistrate or treasurer, hereafter chosen, shall continue in that station above two years successively."
1814-15: The Town Hall, with the exception of the Tower, was rebuilt.
1833: Burgh Reform Act. Method of election revised. Election took place in November, seven councillors retiring each year by rotation, but each had to be elected by the small number of persons entitled to vote.
1852: Legislation reduced the Council to its present strength of nine-Provost, two Bailies, Honorary Treasurer and five other Councillors.
1852: The title of Provost was reintroduced. There had been Provosts of Crail up to the 17th Century, but for some reason the title lapsed, and for many years the Senior Bailie was called the Chief Magistrate.
1887: The restored Market Cross was unveiled by Provost Peattie on its present site.
1938: The Burgh Motto: IN VERBO TUO LAXABO RETE ("At Thy word I will let down the net"-St. Luke 5,5) was officially matriculated in the Lyon Court. The Motto was accepted on the suggestion of the late Professor J. H. Baxter of St Andrews University.
1952: Mrs Catherine Arrighi, widow of the late Bailie W. F. Arrighi, presented a handsome Provost's Gold Chain to the Burgh. In 1953, the same fonor presented the Provost's robes of scarlet and ermine.