Once
described as 'the most attractive village in both Fife
and Scotland.' Ceres was mentioned as early as the
12th century, it was created a burgh of barony in 1620 under
the Hopes of Craighall, developing as a centre of farming,
weaving, and brewing. Unlike most Scottish villages its
attractive pantiled cottages stand round a green which is
the scene of annual games which are the oldest in Scotland.
These games celebrate the return of the men of Ceres from
the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.
There is a Bannockburn Memorial by the village green and
an old bridge over the Ceres Burn leads to the Fife Folk
Museum which was opened in 1968 by the Central and North
Fife Preservation Society. Built into a wall in the main
street is the seated figure of the Rev. Thomas Buchanan,
the last Church Provost in 1578.
The Parish of Ceres, of which Ceres is the principal village,
lies to the South and East of the Parish of Cupar, in
North Fife. Its total length from North--east to South--west
is 6 miles. Its breadth varies from half a mile to three
and three-quarter miles. The ground rises to 622 ft. at
Waltonhill, the highest point in the Parish, but in other
parts is at sea--level. Craigrothie Burn, Glassiehow Burn
and Craighall Burn, along with 2 other small rivulets
unite to form Ceres Burn which becomes a tributary of
the River Eden, a section of which marks the boundary
between Ceres and Cupar.
Ceres is first mentioned in the reign of William the Lion
(1165-1214) when the lands belonged to the family of "Syras".
A daughter of this house married Sir Michael Scott, the
famous warlock and thus the lands of Ceres became part
of the barony of Strathmiglo which belonged to the lineal
descendant of Sir Michael till 159g. They then belonged
to the family of Kinninmond till the time of Charles I
when they were acquired by Sir Thomas Hope, King's Advocate,
whose descendants still own some property in the parish.
There is much argument as to the origin of the name "Ceres".
Was it a survival of the Roman invasion because of being
identical with the name of the "Goddess of Harvest"? However,
the spelling was not always the same. Before the 17th
century it was "Seres", whilst the oldest known form is
"Syres". St. Cyrus, to whom the Church was dedicated,
is also given credit for the name. Another suggestion
is the Latin word syrus, which means marshy
ground near a running stream. There is also the possibility
that the "Syras" family are responsible. Who can tell?
The population of Ceres Parish, which includes the villages
of Baldinnie, Ceres, Chance Inn, Craigrothie and Pitscottie,
has fallen very considerably over the last hundred years,
chiefly owing to the decrease of the linen and other industries.
In 1755, there were 2,540 inhabitants in the Parish. By
1841 the number had risen to 2,944. The census of 1931
showed a population of only 1,425 and that of slight increases
to the present day.
Westwood's Directory for the counties of Fife &
Kinross published 1862.
"Ceres parish, containing the villages of Ceres,
Pitscottie, Craigrothie, Chance Inn and Baldinnie, is
bounded by St Andrews, Cameron, Kemback, Largo, Scoonie,
Kettle and Cults. It measures about 7 miles by 4 miles.
Fully one half of the land is highly cultivated. There
is plenty of limestone, which is extensively worked, and
coal is found at Ladeddie. The village of Ceres is 2.5
miles south of Cupar on the road to Largo. The hand-loom
weaving of linen has long been carried on here and in
Craigrothie, but is now in decline. One bleachfield remains,
and there are spinning mills at Tarvit Mill and Pitscottie.In
the rural areas, the inhabitants are employed in agriculture,
and in mining limestone and coal. Ceres village has a
parish church, a Free Church and 2 United Presbyterian
Churches (East & West). The latter was the earliest
seceeding congregation in the centre of Fife, a number
of its members living 10 to 15 miles distant."
