Glenrothes
| |
|---|---|
| Administrative centre and town | |
From top, left to right: View looking west towards Glenrothes from St Drostan's Cemetery, Markinch 'Giant Irises' sculpture Leslie Roundabout, The White Bridge crossing Riverside Park, 'Rothes Remembered' sculpture, 'The Hippo' sculpture in town centre, Aerial view of Riverside Park, | |
  Glenrothes Location within Fife | |
| Area | 8 sq mi (21 km2) |
| Population | 38,360 (2022)[2] |
| • Density | 4,795/sq mi (1,851/km2) |
| OS grid reference | NO281015 |
| • Edinburgh | 32 mi (51 km) |
| • London | 444 mi (715 km) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GLENROTHES |
| Postcode district | KY6, KY7 |
| Dialling code | 01592 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Glenrothes (; /ɡlɛnˈrɒθɪs/, glen-ROTH-iss; Scots: Glenrothes; Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Rathais, pronounced [kʲlən̪ˠˈrˠahɪʃ]) is a town situated in the heart of Fife, in east-central Scotland. It had a population of 39,277 in the 2011 census, making it the third largest settlement in Fife and the 18th most populous locality in Scotland. Glenrothes is the administrative capital of Fife, containing the headquarters of both Fife Council and Police Scotland Fife Division and is a major service centre within the area.
Planned in the 1940s, following World War II, as Scotland's second new town[3] its purpose was to generate economic growth and renewal in central Fife. Initially this was to be done by providing new homes, industries, infrastructure and services needed to support the development of a newly established National Coal Board 'super pit', the Rothes Colliery.[4] The mine closed early in its life and the town's economy thereafter transitioned and diversified, establishing it as an important centre for industry and playing a significant role in establishing Scotland's Silicon Glen between 1961 and 2000.[5] The name Glenrothes comes from its historical link with the Earl of Rothes, who owned much of the land on which the new town has been built; Glen (Scottish for valley) was added to the name to avoid confusion with Rothes in Moray and in recognition that the town lies in a river valley. The motto of Glenrothes is Ex terra vis, meaning "From the Earth Comes Life", which dates back to the founding of the town.[6][7][8]
The town has won multiple horticultural awards in the Beautiful Scotland and Britain in Bloom contests for the quality of its parks and landscaping. It has numerous outdoor sculptures and artworks, a result of the appointment of town artists in the early development of the town. It is also a centre for excellence within the high-tech electronics and manufacturing industry sectors;[9] several organisations have their global headquarters in Glenrothes. Major employers include Bosch Rexroth (hydraulics manufacturing), Fife College (education), Leviton (fibre optics manufacturing) and Raytheon (defence and electronics).[10] Glenrothes is unique in Fife as much of the town centre floorspace is internalised within Fife's largest shopping centre, the Kingdom Shopping Centre. Public facilities include a regional sports and leisure centre, two golf courses, major parks, a civic centre and theatre and a college campus.
The A92 trunk road provides the principal road access, passing through Glenrothes and connecting it to the wider Scottish motorway and trunk road network. A major bus station is located in the town centre, providing regional and local bus services to surrounding settlements. Glenrothes lies on the edge of the Edinburgh–Dundee line and Fife Circle rail line with railway stations serving the town located at Markinch and Thornton.
- ^ "Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (AÀA) (Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland)". Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
- ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ "No. 16556". The Edinburgh Gazette. 2 July 1948. pp. 299–300.
- ^ Ferguson, 1996, p. 7.
- ^ Ferguson, 1996, pp. 24-32.
- ^ Ferguson, 1982, pp. 56–59.
- ^ Ferguson, 1996, p. 11.
- ^ Cowling, 1997, pp. 25–31.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Queensway Technology Parkwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Glenrothes Area: Economy and Employability Activity Update 2016/17" (PDF). Fife Council. 31 January 2018. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.