Clish-Clash

The e-newsletter of the Scottish Local History Forum

Our Storied Firth

2 Jan 2026 | ,

Thursday 15th January 2026, 7:30pm

The Abbey Church Halls, Dunfermline

Dunfermline Historical Society

Our Storied Firth: One Thousand Years of Literature and Storytelling in the Forth Estuary. Following the success of his book “Our Storied Town” for Edinburgh’s 900th anniversary, Donald Smith widens his focus north and south of what was once called the Scottish Sea. The dramas of nature and history combine in a way that resounds today. He will highlight Dunfermline’s part in the literature as well as the history of Scotland.

Donald is a founder member of the Scottish Storytelling Centre and has visited us before. In 2019 he spoke on “Ye Jacobites by Name”.

As always visitors will be made very welcome.

Sir Walter Scott: The Man Who Invented Scotland

30 Nov 2025 |

Markinch Heritage Group

Thursday 4th December 2024 at 7pm

Sir Walter Scott: The Man Who Invented Scotland

by David McClay

The world’s first literary superstar who reinvented the novel. Scott captured Scotland’s soul, shaping how the world sees the nation. His legacy? A country reimagined through words.

Christmas refreshments from 6.30pm

252 Memorial Hall, Betson Street, Markinch     (£2 entrance fee for non-members)

Dunfermline Abbey St Andrew’s Day Lecture

20 Nov 2025 |

Sunday 30th November at 2pm in the church.

Professor Dauvit Broun, chair of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow, is our guest speaker. Professor Broun is a specialist in medieval Scottish and Celtic Studies.

Tickets are £10, and can be purchased from the church office, after the service on a Sunday, or on www.trybooking.com/uk/FJBK.

November 2025 Meeting – The CWGC: Architecture and Conservation

13 Nov 2025 | ,

Thursday 20th November, 7:30 pm

The Abbey Church Halls, Dunfermline

The talk will give an overview of the Commission and show examples of cemeteries and memorials all over the world, and from both world wars. It will also discuss how they are maintained and conserved today.
“It’s an amazing project, the Imperial War Graves Commission, it faced an impossible job to try and give some dignity and some sense of order to the meaningless and vast killing of the First World War”, Dan Cruikshank, Iconic War Memorials

Dave is a volunteer and researcher with the commission and has won a Spotlight Award for his work with them.