Pattiesmuir

Originally Pettymuir began as an agricultural hamlet in the 17th century although there has been evidence discovered of prehistory settlements from the Bronze Age. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries Pettymuir underwent a spike in population as the hamlet expanded to house hand weavers, with linen becoming a growing industry in West Fife during this period. The advent of the industrial age and the invention of the power loom then sent the Pattiesmuir population, from a peak of 190 in 1857, into decline. At its peak the hamlet had a blacksmiths, a college and three public wells. The hamlet was assigned conservation status in 1974.

For more than 200 years a building known as The college has existed in the hamlet. One of its members, Andrew Carnegie known as The Professor, was grandfather of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie who later was to emigrate to America and make his great wealth in the steel industry during rapid industrialization. Until recently it acted as a community hub. The college was repurposed in 2022 and is now rented to a business.