Condition

2
Salt Pans
Post-Medieval
35345
Fife

Description

Walling and burnt debris have been reported eroding from the 6ft (2m) cliff face. The site was visited and photographed. Sponsor: Fife Archaeological Index. E Proudfoot 1990c. Revetted wall. Site recorded by Maritime Fife during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, Kincardine to Fife Ness 1996 References Kenworthy, J B (1980 c) 'Coastal survey', Discovery Excav Scot, 1980, 5, Proudfoot, E (1990 c) 'The Pans, E of (Crail parish), salt pans, remains', Discovery Excav Scot, 1990, 16, Note NO60NW 38 is nearby NO 606 065 At this place was formerly carried on the maltings of salt. and excepting the (one) or two cottages the works are in ruins. Name Book 1855. Two roofed buildings and one large partially roofed building are shown on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Fife and Kinross 1855, sheet 20). One roofed building and three enclosures are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1972). Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 5 August 1999. Sept 2013: The roofed and un-roofed buildings shown on the OS are not related to these remains eroding out of the coastal section. Substantial remains of one or more stone buildings with internal structures associated with quantities of fuel slag, coal and ash indicate an industrial building(s), almost certainly a salt pan. Cartographic evidence show they are 18th century or earlier. October 2019 As described. Stone walls and deposits visible in coast edge
2 April 2022 Clearly a pair of pan houses, perpendicular to coast edge. Probably around a third of the seaward (pan chamber) end eroded away. Walls and fragments of probable stone furnace structures visible in coast edge. Some collapse of masonry has occurred since previous visit. 28 February 2024 Recent high tides and storms have eroded and undermined much of the interior stonework of the northern building and more clearly exposed the walls of this pair of panhouses. The north building appears slightly larger, circa 6m in diameter (external dimensions). The south building is between 4 and 5m in diameter. This could be due to the erosion face being located further towards the gable end of the south building, if it had a curved gable. Large, vitrified stone and large concretions of fuel slag are also visible in the section.

Location

360798.00
706754.00
27700
56.2516747
-2.6342561

Submitted photographs

Image Date Caption User
Close up of south wall of north pan house showing fuel slag against inner wall face 28/02/2024 Close up of south wall of north pan house showing fuel slag against inner wall face joannahambly
Close up of south wall of north pan house showing fuel slag against inner wall face
General view looking south 28/02/2024 General view looking south joannahambly
General view looking south
View looking south showing undermining of north wall of north pan house 28/02/2024 View looking south showing undermining of north wall of north pan house joannahambly
View looking south showing undermining of north wall of north pan house
Close up view of north wall of north pan house showing undermining of wall 28/02/2024 Close up view of north wall of north pan house showing undermining of wall joannahambly
Close up view of north wall of north pan house showing undermining of wall
View of eroded cross section across north pan house, with tumbled masonry in foreground 28/02/2024 View of eroded cross section across north pan house, with tumbled masonry in foreground joannahambly
View of eroded cross section across north pan house, with tumbled masonry in foreground
View of eroded cross section across south pan house 28/02/2024 View of eroded cross section across south pan house joannahambly
View of eroded cross section across south pan house
Vitrified sandstone and fuel slag inside south pan house 28/02/2024 Vitrified sandstone and fuel slag inside south pan house joannahambly
Vitrified sandstone and fuel slag inside south pan house
Looking south along eroding section 02/04/2022 Looking south along eroding section joannahambly
Looking south along eroding section
North wall of the northern pair of buildings 02/04/2022 North wall of the northern pair of buildings joannahambly
North wall of the northern pair of buildings
South wall and internal structures of northern pair of buildings 02/04/2022 South wall and internal structures of northern pair of buildings joannahambly
South wall and internal structures of northern pair of buildings
North wall of southern pair of buildings 02/04/2022 North wall of southern pair of buildings joannahambly
North wall of southern pair of buildings
Detail of either south wall of south building or part of a pan hearth with vitrified sandstone 02/04/2022 Detail of either south wall of south building or part of a pan hearth with vitrified sandstone joannahambly
Detail of either south wall of south building or part of a pan hearth with vitrified sandstone
South building 02/04/2022 South building joannahambly
South building
North building 02/04/2022 North building joannahambly
North building
Pair of  eroding pan houses 02/04/2022 Pair of eroding pan houses joannahambly
Pair of  eroding pan houses
Pair of eroding pan houses with walkers for scale 02/04/2022 Pair of eroding pan houses with walkers for scale joannahambly
Pair of eroding pan houses with walkers for scale
April2020, bucket pot in foreground, site in coast edge, looking west 05/01/2014 April2020, bucket pot in foreground, site in coast edge, looking west joannahambly
April2020, bucket pot in foreground, site in coast edge, looking west
April 2020 looking northwest 05/01/2014 April 2020 looking northwest joannahambly
April 2020 looking northwest
43922 05/01/2014 43922 joannahambly
43922
Site in 1992, looking northwest 05/01/2014 Site in 1992, looking northwest training1
Site in 1992, looking northwest
Current view of site, looking northwest 05/01/2014 Current view of site, looking northwest training1
Current view of site, looking northwest
General view to show site context, looking southwest 05/01/2014 General view to show site context, looking southwest training1
General view to show site context, looking southwest
Sketch section, drawn 2010 05/01/2014 Sketch section, drawn 2010 training1
Sketch section, drawn 2010
North wall 05/01/2014 North wall training1
North wall
Possible salt water reservoir or 'bucket pot' in front of the site, looking east 16/09/2013 Possible salt water reservoir or 'bucket pot' in front of the site, looking east joannahambly
Possible salt water reservoir or 'bucket pot' in front of the site, looking east
General view to show settiing of the site which is located in the section in the foreground, looking north 16/09/2013 General view to show settiing of the site which is located in the section in the foreground, looking north joannahambly
General view to show settiing of the site which is located in the section in the foreground, looking north
Internal wall and features, northern half 05/01/2014 Internal wall and features, northern half training1
Internal wall and features, northern half
Interior wall and features, southern half 05/01/2014 Interior wall and features, southern half training1
Interior wall and features, southern half

Submitted updates

Update id Date User
4710 28/02/2024 joannahambly
Tidal state High
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion
Access accessible on foot (footpath)
Local knowledge has local associations/history
3646 02/04/2022 joannahambly
Description 2 April 2022 Clearly a pair of pan houses, perpendicular to coast edge. Probably around a third of the seaward (pan chamber) end eroded away. Walls and fragments of probable stone furnace structures visible in coast edge. Some collapse of masonry has occured since previous visit.
3306 30/10/2019 training1
Description October 2019 As described. Stone walls and deposits visible in coast edge
1301 16/09/2013 training1
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion; has eroded in the past
Threats structural damage/decay
Visibility above ground Not visible
Visibility in section Limited visibility in section
Access easily accessible - no restrictions; accessible on foot (no footpath)
Local knowledge is not locally known
Description Walling and burnt debris have been reported eroding from the 6ft (2m) cliff face. The site was visited and photographed. Sponsor: Fife Archaeological Index. E Proudfoot 1990c. Revetted wall. Site recorded by Maritime Fife during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, Kincardine to Fife Ness 1996 References Kenworthy, J B (1980 c) 'Coastal survey', Discovery Excav Scot, 1980, 5, Proudfoot, E (1990 c) 'The Pans, E of (Crail parish), salt pans, remains', Discovery Excav Scot, 1990, 16, Note NO60NW 38 is nearby NO 606 065 At this place was formerly carried on the maltings of salt. and excepting the (one) or two cottages the works are in ruins. Name Book 1855. Two roofed buildings and one large partially roofed building are shown on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Fifie and Kinross 1855, sheet 20). One roofed building and three enclosures are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1972). Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 5 August 1999. Sept 2013: The roofed and un-roofed buildings shown on the OS are not related to these remains eroding out of the coastal section. Substantial remains of one or more stone buildings with internal structures associated with quantities of fuel slag, coal and ash indicate an industrial building(s), almost certainly a salt pan. Cartographic evidence show they are 18th century or earlier.
The site is in extremely poor condition and very vulnerable. Information it contains will be lost in the short-term. This would be an ideal community excavation project. Reassign priority 2.

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