This village was referred to as the High Binn while a similar settlement down by the main road was referred to as the Low Binn.
The village was originally built to house workers for the Burntisland Oil Works which started mining and processing shale in 1878. At it’s peak the Oil Works had an average daily output of 500 tons of shale which produced 15 000 gallons of oil.
The Oil Works had a relatively short life span and closed down in 1893.
The Binnend village was part of an expansion plan for the Oil Works around 1881.
Results of a census completed ten years later show the High Binn had a population of 564 people living in 95 mainly two roomed houses.
The village also had a Free Church Hall, school and probably more importantly it’s own football pitch where the mighty Binnend Rangers played.
With the closure of the Oil Works the population started to decline, but the village remained and was used during the First World War as billets for troops and dockyard workers. After the First World War major industries in Burntisland thrived and the village was used as housing for incoming workers for the Aluminium Works and the Shipyard.
During the interwar years the population continued to decline, but with Burntisland’s status as the “Playground Of Fife” or “Scottish Rivera” the cottages were used as holiday homes for city dwellers, with people traveling from all over Scotland to sample the delights of clean air, country side and coast line the Kingdom has to offer.
However, due to the lack of basic amenities (no piped gas or water, no electricity and the lack of sanitation) the village was formally closed around 1931. This did not mean total closure and some residents insisted on staying put rather move into Burntisland (some might say a wise move).
The last resident left in 1954 and the village was left to the mercy of the elements.
The village can be accessed from either the west or east of the town. As there are a few caches around the Binn area I would recommend a walk from the East side and continue over the Binn and back down into Burntisland from the West.
Parking can be found opposite the golf club on the B923 (enough space for a couple of cars) or further down the road into Burntisland.
Beware the path up the Binn is often muddy so you’ll need decent boots/shoes/wellies for this.
Follow the path and the arrow.
There is no need to enter any of the derelict buildings to get the cache.