Craigtoun Park: appeal for old photos and memories for park’s 75th anniversary

Craigtoun Country Park, near St Andrews, attracts around 250,000 visitors every year, and has been a go-to destination for generations of families.

As part of its landmark anniversary, the Friends of Craigtoun Park plans to turn photos and cine film footage into a 3D virtual tour, and it has released a number of images of visitors which it wants people to help identify. They show families enjoying the 47-acre ark’s facilities - which include the Rio Grande miniature railway, Puffin’ Billy tractor ride, boating, putting, and crazy golf.

The park was also renowned for its Dutch Village - a petite island with its own pond and ornate buildings, located by one of the lakes where visitors made great use of pedalos and rowing boats. The once picturesque but now ‘at risk’, white-walled island village has distinctive conical tiled roofs and a continental-style architecture. A significant amount of work has gone into saving the landmark, and the friends are now keen to return the Dutch Village to its former glory and re-open the island attraction to visitors.

Henry Paul, funding director, said: “In the 1950s and ‘60s, visitors used to flock to the Dutch Village for dances and family occasions. We know that it will hold special memories for many people across Scotland and perhaps further afield, and we’d love to gather any cine film of people enjoying themselves here. “He added: “It wasn’t just day trippers who visited the Dutch Village - these were the days before people went abroad for their holidays. Lots of visitors from the west coast of Scotland flocked to Fife during the summer months, often staying in caravans in St Andrews and the East Neuk, so we’d love to hear from them too.

“It would be absolutely magical to bring these happy memories to life and now is the time before they’re gone forever, to show how important the Dutch Village and park have historically been to today’s visitors. We’d also love to save the Dutch Village before the building deteriorates further and costs escalate.”

Across the generations the park has hosted many galas, Sunday school outings, concerts and miners’ galas. It was also the venue for two Fife Aid music festivals curated by environmental campaigner and botanist, David Bellamy. Held in 1986 and 1988, the line-ups included Van Morrison, The Sugarcubes, Marillion and Runrig.

The park, set within Mount Melville Estate, dates back to the late 1860s. It was purchased by Fife Council in 1947 and, since 2013, has been run by Friends of Craigtoun who signed a 25-year lease with the local authority in 2022.

The group at the heart of the venue now want to tap into its rich history by appealing to people to share their photos and archive film. If you have any memories, especially from the1950s and 1960s, email [email protected] or telephone (01334) 472013.

Margo Sproson (67) from St Andrews, who visited the Dutch Village with her parents as a young girl.

She said, “I was no more than 10 years old and was one of the hoards of people who either cycled or bussed it up to Craigtoun. Very few people had cars at that time. I remember my dad rowing the boat to take my mum and I around the Dutch Village, hearing the lapping of the oars and paddles, and the sun shining.

“I remember sitting at one of the wee tables while my mum and dad got up to waltz at the afternoon tea dances. As an only child, I remember enjoying the company of other children and just loving the atmosphere there. There was something magical about this beautiful building standing in the water and rowing around it.”

Now as a mother of three and grandmother of eight, Margo still goes to Craigtoun County Park almost weekly.

“Some of my grandchildren live locally and have annual passes to the park. When I ask where they want to go, the answer is always the same - Craigtoun! It always had a special feel to it and it still does all those years later. There’s nothing quite like it in Scotland.”

The Dutch Village and two connecting lakes were commissioned by the Younger family in 1920 and designed by Manchester-born Paul W Whitehouse. It closed due to disrepair in 2020. Friends of Craigtoun commissioned a condition survey and viability study which outlined issues across the site including a damaged roof, and internal fixtures from dampness, vegetation growing inside the structure and birds roosting within the buildings. The Dutch Village will shortly be entered into Historic Environment Scotland’s ‘Buildings At Risk’ register.