Home Report Rosyth

Rosyth is a town on the Firth of Forth with a population of roughly 13,700 residents. It is just three miles south of the larger town of Dunfermline and about a mile to the west of the town of Inverkeithing which it is almost contiguous, only separated by the M90 motorway. The town was planned alongside the port in 1909 as a garden city with accommodation for the construction workers and dockyard workers. The port has played a significant part in the local area and even country, it has contributed significantly to the defence efforts of the United Kingdom for over 80 years, even during both World Wars, until it was privatised in 1987 and Babcock International took over. Today, the dockyard is almost 1,300 acres in size, a large proportion of which was reclaimed during construction.

As such, the dockyard is a significant local employer and many residents are employed there, or in related sectors. The MoD, Babcock and various freight companies are the major employers in the area. However, due to Rosyth’s location and easy transport links, many residents also travel to work in nearby Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath, Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay, Kirkcaldy and even Edinburgh. The proximity to the M90 motorway alone allows for easy travel by car further south into Edinburgh and the Lothians, south-west towards the greater Glasgow area, northwards into Fife, Angus, and further still to the Highlands of Scotland. Rosyth train station has regular services to Edinburgh, Dunfermline, and further into Fife as part of the Fife Circle line. Residents can also make use of Inverkeithing station just a short distance to the east of the town. Buses in and around the town are frequent both with local services for nearby travel and regional services for wider travel in Scotland. A ferry service used to transport people and freight to Zeebrugge in Belgium, however, this has since stopped. Scottish Enterprise Fife are looking at ways to expand the ferry services again to other European and domestic ports from Rosyth which in turn would bring economic benefits directly to the town and wider Fife area.

In terms of amenities and things to do, Rosyth has the usual chain stores, eateries, pubs and other shops you can expect in any town. Anyone interested in their history would appreciate a visit to the ruins of the 15th century Rosyth Castle, an impressive tower house and courtyard. The castle was built by Sir James Stewart of Rosyth. When built, it stood on an island connected by a causeway to the north shore of the River Forth only at low tide. Interestingly, all the land that surrounds the castle today was reclaimed within the last century as part of the development of the port. Residents also benefit from the various amenities in Dumfries, Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay, and Queensferry, all of which are just short travel times away.

Moving on to local education for children then, the local primary schools are Camdean Primary, King’s Road Primary, St Johns Primary, and Park Road Primary School. The local high school that most pupils attend is in the town of Inverkeithing, a short distance to the east.