Inverkeithing

Coordinates: 56°01′54″N 3°23′50″W / 56.0318°N 3.39713°W / 56.0318; -3.39713

Inverkeithing (/ˌɪnvərˈkiːðɪŋ/  listen ) is a town and a royal burgh in Fife, Scotland, located on the Firth of Forth. According to population estimates (2006), the town has a population of 5,265. The port town was given burgh status by King David I of Scotland (1124–53) in the 12th century and is situated about 9 miles (15 km) north from Edinburgh Airport and about 4 miles from the centre of Dunfermline. Modern Inverkeithing is almost continuous with Rosyth and Dalgety Bay. Inverkeithing is a developing town and has many new housing sites including one next to the town's railway station.

Origin of name

The name is of Scottish Gaelic origin, Inbhir Céitein. Inbhir means 'confluence, inflow' thus 'mouth of the Keithing/Ceitein. The Keithing is the name of a small river or burn that runs through the southern part of the town. Taylor (2006) notes that the name Keithing probably contains the Pictish (Brythonic) *coet, 'wood', so the Keithing burn would have meant 'burn that runs through or past or issues from woodland'.

Inverkeithing (Parliament of Scotland constituency)

Inverkeithing in Fife was a royal burgh that returned one commissioner to the Parliament of Scotland and to the Convention of Estates.

After the Acts of Union 1707, Inverkeithing, Culross, Dunfermline, Queensferry and Stirling formed the Stirling district of burghs, returning one member between them to the House of Commons of Great Britain.

See also