Shipwrecks, Outlaws and Farmers
How Did Tentsmuir Get Its Name?
Watch the animation to find out!
Can you think of a better name for the area based on what you know about the people who came before?
The Landscape Before Farming
From the 1100s, Tentsmuir had a reputation for being a dark and scary place, home to outlaws, beasts and shipwrecks. After the vikings left, there were few people until the 1600s and the landscape was still very open and wet.
How Did Farming Change Tentsmuir?
In the 1700s Leuchars and Morton were drained to dry the soil and the farming of oats, barley and vegetables began. Maps from the 1500s and 1700s shows how farms and houses began to appear in the area, and lochs and pools disappeared.
Most of the houses were small with turf roofs. Farmers burnt heather and replaced it with grass to feed animals and cut down trees and shrubs to plant food. It would have looked a bit like this!
Have you been paying attention? It’s time for a quick question!
What did farmers in the 1700s use to roof their houses?
Click on the question mark to find out!