History

Over the centuries, the Pittencrieff Estate had several owners. In 1902, the Hunt family, who had owned the estate since 1800, sold it to Andrew Carnegie for £45,000.

Born within sight of Pittencrieff Glen in 1835, Andrew Carnegie emigrated to America with his family in 1848, where he made his fortune in Pittsburgh’s steel industry. Upon retiring, Carnegie dedicated his wealth to philanthropic causes, funding libraries, universities, and other projects around the world. However, he never forgot his hometown of Dunfermline. To fulfill his vision of creating a recreational park that would bring “sweetness and light” to the hardworking people of Dunfermline, he established the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust.

Reflecting on this gift, Carnegie wrote in his memoir, “No gift I have made or can ever make can possibly approach that of Pittencrieff Glen, Dunfermline.”

In 1976, the Dunfermline Carnegie Trust entered into a management agreement with Fife Council, entrusting the Council with the daily management of the park.