Home Report Cupar

Cupar, Fife, is a lovely town of some 9000 residents. It is a former Royal Burgh, believed to have developed around the site that was Cupar Castle, a one-time seat of the Earls of Fife. Being a former Royal Burgh, it was once a bustling market centre. Today, this picturesque town has retained much of its medieval character.

Cupar sits between Dundee to the north, Glenrothes to the south-west, and St. Andrews to the east, taking roughly under 20 minutes to reach Glenrothes and about 20 to 25 minutes to reach Dundee and St. Andrews. Perth is a bit further away but can still be reached well under an hour’s driving time.

Cupar then is primarily a commuter town with it being perfectly placed to reach these other towns and the city of Dundee, as well as other towns and villages throughout the wider local area. As such, transport links as one would assume are well developed. There are regular local bus services for transport around the surrounding area as well as an express service every hour to Edinburgh and St. Andrews, as well as Glasgow to St. Andrews. The town has its own dedicated train station on the East Coast Main Line, offering regular services to Dundee, and onwards to Aberdeen and Edinburgh. For drivers, the A91 and A92 roads offer good connections onward to the nearby towns and cities, and eventually to the M90, M80, and M876 motorways if travelling further.

While many residents do commute elsewhere, that’s not to say there are no major local employers or sectors. Actually, Cupar has quite a diverse range of jobs sectors available to residents. For instance, agriculture plays a significant role in the local economy, along with food processing and retail. Fife Council is a significant employer in the town, as are Elmwood College, Scotsfruit Ltd, Quaker Oats Ltd, and Fisher and Donaldson. Combine this with all the nearby towns and city of Dundee it provides residents a good range of employment options.

In terms of attractions and amenities, because Cupar was once a bustling market centre it has retained much of its medieval character. The town has several fine examples of historic buildings including the 17th century Preston Lodge, Chancellor’s House, the Corn Exchange, Old Parish Church and the Mercat Cross. The Scottish Deer Centre is nearby and offers a lovely day out for families where children can feed deer and learn about other animals’ native to Scotland. Also great for families is the Cairnie Fruit Farm and Mega Maze. A long-established family-run businesses and farm shop with fresh fruit to pick as well as a nice tearoom. The Edwardian mansion “Hill of Tarvit” and its estate is worth a mention too. It was bequeathed to the National Trust for Scotland in 1949, and the house contains an impressive collection of 18th century Chippendale and French furniture, Dutch paintings, Chinese porcelain and a restored Edwardian laundry. One of the property’s major attractions is the original 9-hole hickory club golf course – the oldest in the world – which is now completely restored, giving golfers a unique opportunity to play the game as it was done back in Edwardian times with original hickory clubs.

As for amenities, Cupar has many great pubs, cafes, and restaurants, many of an excellent quality offering eats made from locally sourced ingredients from the surrounding area. Cupar Golf club can be found to the south of the town and has a rich history, believed to also be the oldest 9-hole club in the world, offering a fine hillside parkland course.

In terms of local education, Cupar two primary schools: Castlehill Primary and St. Columba’s Primary. The local secondary school is Bell Baxter High School and there is also a local special needs school called Kilmaron School. Additionally, Elmwood College, a rural further education institution is based in Cupar and has a strong reputation for excellence.