8000 BC (Ice Age ) - Lochs are formed by the gouging of the glaziers which swept south over the region
4000 BC (New Stone Age) - Neolithic Man began to settle, and farming settlements emerged to take advantage of the rich fertile till deposited by receding glaciers. Kinshaldy Beach at Tentsmuir was once occupied by these ancient people
2000 BC (Bronze Age) - Round Barrow burial sites in Fife date from this period
500 BC (Iron Age) - Celts migrated from the southeast, bringing with them the ability to make weapons and tools from iron. They first set foot on the shore at the estuary of the Tay, and they came inland to the hilly country of north Fife were they built forts, some of which are still visible
82 AD - Fife was initially rich in gold, but the Romans stripped the area of much of this together with many of the historical artifacts of the time. The Romans were quickly forced back beyond Hadrian's Wall into England by the local people who overwhelmed the invader by their numbers and savagry
250 - Pictish tribes are living in Fife
300 through 400 - In the troubled Roman centre of Constantinople, an early Christian nobleman, Regulus had the vision of an angel who instructed him to protect the three fingers, a kneecap and an arm bone that were the only remains of the apostle St Andrew. Traveling northwest in an ox cart, he eventually reached the East Neuk of Fife. Regulus was told to place those relics in a settlement there which was then known as Muckros. Later, Regulus was himself ordained a saint
500 - St Serf was born in the early part of the sixth century. St Serf's Island is on Loch Leven. At the time, this island would have been part of Fortrenn, the older Pictish Kingdom which later became Fife. St Serf, whose feast day is June 01, was a contemporary of St Kentigern
527 - St Kentigern (527-612), also known as St Mungo, patron and the First Bishop of Glasgow, was born. The illegitimate grandson of the English King Urien, his mother cast the infant Kentigern adrift in a coracle and he landed at Culross where he was taken in by missionaries. St Kentigern met St Columba with whom, the story goes, he exchanged pastoral croziers (religious staffs)
600 - Remains of a humble hallowed cell on St Serf's Island on Loch Leven dates the first signs of religion in the area
700 - During the reign of King Angus, St Andrew replaced St Peter as patron saint of Scotland
736 - It is said that all the people of Fife are descended from one man living around this time, Conall Cerr, a great grandson of Aiden, King of Forth (a contemporary of St. Kentigern)
800 - The Culdees ("Celi de" meaning companions of God) set up the first Christian community at St Andrews at the beginning of this century. Their first church was on Lady's Craig Rock (at the end of the present pier), their second church was built above the rocky headland (the ruins can still be seen). A new church was built by Constantine II before 877
838 - MacDuff became the First Thane of Fife. Several other Clans and Families sprang from this line of Celtic dignitaries eg the MacIntoshes and the Weems (Wemys). Later, they had special privileges bestowed by Malcolm Canmore (King Malcolm III)
Whenever the royal standard was unfurled in battle, they alone led the vanguard of the army
They crowned the all the Kings
If they committed murder, they could buy a pardon (kinbot) with 9 cows, plus an additional calf for the murder of a gentleman. Initially this was known as blackmail, which was paid to the relatives. However, when the amount was changed to 24 silver Merks, the practice became known as silvermail
843 - A religious house is founded on St Serf's Island on Loch Leven
906 - St Andrews became the seat of the Bishop of Alba
952 - Constantine III abdicated and became Abbot of the Culdees
954 to 962 - there were Viking raids up the River Eden at St Andrews
975 - The diocese of St Andrews was expanded from the river, Firth of Forth to include all the land southwards down to the river Tweed, and the Bishop of St Andrews was given seniority over all the Bishops in Scotland
1063 - Margaret, a Saxon princess, was shipwrecked in the Firth of Forth while fleeing from the Normans. She sought protection from Malcolm Canmore, the successor to Macbeth at Dunfermline.
1070 - Malcolm Canmore, fell in love with Margaret and they married in about 10xx. Queen Margaret had 8 children, three of whom became kings. Later Queen Margaret became St Margaret
1097 - Edgar, son of Queen Margaret was crowned King
1107 - Alexander, son of Queen Margaret was crowned King Alexander I
1124 - David, son of Queen Margaret was crowned King. King David I was the last to succeed to the throne by descent from the mother's line. During the reign of David I there was a great reformation of society. He introduced a feudal system (which was rejected by the Highland Clans), built a merchant navy, and ports to service the ships, and established trade links with Flemish and Dutch merchants. At this time Scotland became rich by exporting wool, raw materials, minerals, hides, and salt. The ships returned with red pan tiles from the low countries as ballast. These were then used to roof the houses of the coastal villages and towns
1144 - St Andrews achieved Burgh status
1160 - The construction of St Andrews Cathedral was started, it was 98 m (320 feet) in length, but later extended to 120 m (391 feet) It is the second longest church in Britain after Norwich Cathedral
1200 - January - Earthquakes were felt every day in Fife throughout the month. Work on St Andrews Castle was started as a residence for the Bishop. It suffered many sieges and changed hands many times
1217 - Culross Abbey was founded
1230 - St Andrews Cathedral was usable, but unfinished
1250 - June - The body of Queen Margaret was reburied in Dunfermline Abbey, which became a place of pilgrimage for the rest of the Middle Ages
Sometime between 1271 and 1279 - the west gable end of St Andrews Cathedral was blown down in a great storm
1286 - March - King Alexander III died just 3.2 km (2 miles) from his castle, when his horse carried him over a cliff at Kinghorn
1314 - Ceres Highland Games, was first organized to welcome back the men who defeated the English at Bannockburn. It is still celebrated
1318 - July 05 - St Andrews Cathedral was consecrated in the presence of Robert the Bruce
1329 - Robert the Bruce was buried in Dunfermline Abbey
1378 - A great fire caused much damage to the choir and transept of St Andrews Cathedral
1409 - The south transept of St Andrews Cathedral was thrown down in another great storm
1413 - St Andrews University recognized by the Papal Bull of Antipope Benedict XIII. It is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in Britain
1457 - The Parliament of Scotland decided that futeball and the golfe be utterly cryit down, because it interfered with the archery and sword practice of the yeomen. Henry II of England tried to ban cricket in England for the same reason
1527 - February - the heretic Patrick Hamilton was burnt at the stake at Northgait
1533 - The heretic Henry Forest was burnt at the stake at Northgait (so the people of Forfar could see the flames as a warning)
1546 - George Wishart was burnt at the stake for heresy
1546 - May 28 - a group of Protestants took St Andrews Castle and murdered Cardinal David Beaton
1558 - Walter Myln was burnt at the stake for heresy. Culross became a Royal Burgh
1559 - June 14 - John Knox preached in Holy Trinity Church after which a mob went out and ransacked St Andrews Cathedral, bringing to an end 400 years of worship
1567 - The Reformation threatened the existence of all Holy relics, and St Margaret's head was smuggled out and given to Mary Queen of Scots
1568 - Mary Queen of Scots abdicates whilst a prisoner on Castle Island on Loch
1597 - The construction of the Palace of Culross was started
1614 - St Andrews becomes a Burgh of Regality
1620 - St Andrews becomes a Royal Burgh. King James VI honored the famous seven trades
Bakers
Fleshers
Shoemakers
Smiths
Tailors
Weavers
Wrights
1643 - The Solemn League and Covenant was signed, over 40 witches were burned
1644 - Kirkcaldy became a Royal Burgh
1646 - Thomas Cadell moved from Methil to Doune in Perthshire to start pistol making (Doune pistols became the finest in the world at that time)
1651 - A Pittenweem shipmaster took Charles II to France after his defeat at Worcester
1655 - St Andrews Long Pier collapsed in a storm. Alexander Selkirk (the inspiration for the story of Robinson Crusoe) was born in Lower Largo
1730 - The Anstruther Dining Club, The Beggars Benison was founded. It closed in 1836
1754 - The Society of St Andrews Golfers was formed, when 22 noblemen and gentlemen decided to move their golfing activities from Edinburgh to St Andrews
1773 - Dr Samuel Johnson and Boswell visited St Andrews
1819 - A hoard of treasure was found by a Tinker in Norrie's Law
1834 - The Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded
1835 - Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, he became an American industrialist and philanthropist, By the time he died in 1919 he had donated more than 350 million US dollars to various educational, cultural and peace institutions
1847 - Kirkcaldy begins to specialise in linoleum production for floor coverings, and the linen industry was beginning to thrive all over Fife, making fine hard wearing fabrics from flax imported from Holland
1848 - The Plague struck St Andrews, claiming 400 lives
1878 - The Tay Rail Bridge completed
1879 - The Tay Rail Bridge collapsed disastrously during a December storm
1887 - The Forth Rail Bridge is completed
1896 - At this time there were 57 working coal mines in Fife
1948 - The town of Glenrothes was founded as one of the first new towns to provide better quality housing for miners. However, the mining industry did not develop, and following a pig farming scam, the high technology manufacturing sector expanded rapidly
1964 - Queen Elizabeth II opened the Forth Road Bridge
1966 - The Tay Road Bridge opened
1975 - Fife almost disappeared in the local government reorganisation ordered by Westminster. It was to be split half to the north and half to the south, but The Kingdom of Fife fought a vigorous campaign backed by an ancient Royal Charter. Fife was the only part of the UK reverse the intentions of the Westminster parliament
1985 - Freuchie Cricket Club won the UK National Village Cricket Championship at Lords the home of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) All but one of the working coal mines in Fife were closed down by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, following the miner's strike which took place during 1984-1985
1998 - June 30 - Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the 50^th anniversary of Glenrothes new town
1999 - June 30 - Queen Elizabeth II opened the new Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh