Not much is known to us about the Lochhead Farm ruins up at Little Raith where the Industrial wind farm is being developed, but we have found a few interesting facts covering the entire area, which gives a hint of our past heritage.

At one time the ruins were known as Lochhead Farm and had a Lime Kiln in the area. Lime would have most likely have been used for building mortars and as a stabiliser in mud renders and floors. With the discovery of coal in the area, this allowed the Lime to be used for agricultural usage.

The primary reason to apply Agricultural Lime is to correct the high levels of acidity in the soil. Agricultural Lime is high in calcium which is beneficial to soils where the land is used for breeding and raising foraging animals.

In 1924, it was noted by A.M. Houston that there is an Earthworks which he notes as ‘A fort on Lochhead Farm with a dug-out moat around it’ 1. Close to the Lochhead Farm there is another site of interest, which is currently unclassified due to lack of information, but is stated as:’ A concentration of large stones in an otherwise mainly stone-free field, appears to be artificial rather than natural.’ 2

Going closer to Lochgelly, near the burn that flows into the Gelly Loch, known as Colvin’s Knowle, there is records that give a glimpse into our Celtic origins, specifically;

Near the top of Colvin’s Knowe, were found three coffins, formed of long stones and containing human bones. They were about ten inches under the ground.
Name Book 1855.

Near the north border of the parish, on the farm of Lochhead, there is the site of the ancient church of St. Finnan.
No history of the church survives, but several stones coffins which have been found would seem to indicate that the church had been one of importance in Celtic times.
W Stevenson 1908.

There is no trace of a mound or building at the point indicated – a low knoll in an arable field overlooking the Lochgelly Burn, a position which suggests a tumulus rather than a church as suggested by Stevenson (W Stevenson 1908).
Visited by OS(WDJ) 11 March 1959.

Unfortunately there is a lack of information regarding these historic sites and the older past of Lochgelly, unless you are willing to pay for that information through the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. We can purchase a commercial licence to access and distribute some of the reports but it is very costly.

We have seen other tit-bits of information, so one of the volunteers is going to collate all the wee bits and add them to the site. If you are interested in the mining history of Lochgelly you can view our Community Info & History section.

If anyone can add any other information or provide links to more information online, please post in the comments below, thanks.

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