Editing Aberdour (section)

== Landmarks ==
[[Image:Aberdour Castle from dovecote.jpg|thumb|[[Aberdour Castle]]]]

Virtually between the two former settlements, though actually part of Easter Aberdour, lies [[Aberdour Castle]]. This started life as a modest [[hall house]] on a site overlooking the Dour Burn in the 13th century. The oldest part of the present semi-ruin constitutes one of the earliest surviving stone castles in mainland [[Scotland]]. Over the next four hundred years the Castle was successively developed according to contemporary architectural ideas. Notable are the parts, still largely roofed, built by the Earls of Morton, with refined [[Renaissance]] detail, in the second half of the 16th century.

A fire in the late 17th century was followed by some repairs, but in 1725 the family purchased 17th-century Aberdour House, on the west side of the burn and in Wester Aberdour, and the medieval Castle was allowed to fall into relative decay. Aberdour Castle is now in the care of [[Historic Environment Scotland]] and open to the public (entrance charge). After a period of dereliction Aberdour House was developed for residential use in the early 1990s.

[[Image:St Fillans Church -Aberdour -Scotland2.jpg|right|thumb|St Fillan's Church]]

Neighbouring St Fillan's Church is one of the best-preserved medieval parish churches in [[Scotland]], dating largely to the 12th century and originally under control of [[Inchcolm Abbey]]. A south arcade was added to the nave in the early 16th century (open in summer). It was controversially considered for closure by the [[Church of Scotland]] in 2022, but a campaign was mounted to keep it open.<ref>{{cite web |title=Villagers fighting to save Fife church thrown lifeline ahead of its 900th anniversary |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/fife/3855295/st-fillans-church-plan/ |website=The Courier |date=7 November 2022 |access-date=10 November 2022}}</ref>

The Aberdour obelisk was built by [[James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton|Lord Morton]] on his departure from the village to relocate to a large home in Edinburgh, it was built so he could see his former hometown from his new house when he looked through binoculars &ndash; it stands in a cowfield between the castle and the beach.