Markinch, United Kingdom

The provincial importance of Markinch under the MacDuff Earls of Fife is likely to account for the very high architectural quality of the early 12th century church tower. The church was originally dedicated to St Drostan but later in the 13th century a re-dedication to St John the Baptist took place. Both saints fair days were celebrated up until the 19th century. The Norman-style tower and the east and west gables date from this early period and chip-cut stone carving can be seen surrounding the tower as well as in reset stones on the south wall. The Hepburn coat of arms was inserted into the west gable by Prior John Hepburn in the early part of the 16th century but none of his work is now visible. The south wall was rebuilt from mainly 12th century masonry when the church was enlarged in the 17th century. Further enlargements to the north took place in the 19th century (1807 and 1884). The octagonal spire on the Norman tower dates from 1807 and is now lacking its four corner pinnacles. 19th century Brunton Church and Balbirnie Church have both been converted for domestic use and the parishes of Thornton and Markinch have been merged.

On the northern outskirts of the town beside the East Lodge of Balbirnie House stands the ancient Stob Cross which may be a Pictish Class II symbol stone defaced during the Reformation.

The town is built on the top and sides of a low ridge, which was once high ground surrounded by marshes (innis in Scots Gaelic). The height of this ridge is greater at its northern and southern extremities than at the centre. Markinch Hill has six terraces on the northern side cut into the sand and gravel. These are thought to be either medieval or Neolithic in origin. Recent rhododendron clearance has made them visible once more, and the view from the top of the hill to the south has been restored. The trees on the hill were planted by General Balfour of Balbirnie around 1820.

During the Industrial Revolution in the middle of the 19th century, the village started to adapt to spinning and weaving production. The use of water wheels of the corn and meal mills encouraged new industries to begin along the River Leven on land between Auchmuty (now part of Glenrothes) and Milton of Balgonie in the form of paper mills, bleach mills and ironworks. Papermaking was an important local employer based on the town's close proximity to the River Leven, until one of the two paper mills in the town, Sappi Graphics, closed down in 2001. The Tullis Russell paper mill, however, was still in operation, with a 474 strong workforce, until it went into administration in April 2015. Markinch's former Haig's Whisky bottling plant is now used as a business park and is split into small units. This is where Fife radio station Kingdom FM was based until October 2016. Haig's operated here for over a century until 1983 before moving to modern premises at Banbeath, Leven. It provided employment to a large workforce drawn from the town and from various parts of Fife. A queue of buses would be waiting for them at finishing time. Even in 1983 the workforce comprised some 500 employees. Many local residents still have connections with the firm, now absorbed into Diageo.

Markinch war memorial was erected in 1920 to a design by Sir Robert Lorimer. Further names were added to the memorial following the Second World War.