| Mayfield Cottage
sits on the hill, overlooking the Firth of Forth. It was built in 1643
by Sir Penfold Marchmont, the 3rd Earl of Clunie. Sir Penfold sailed
to the colonies and came back with 3 wives. The Church of Scotland condemned
and excommunicated the Earl and his 7 children were denied the right
to be christened. Always an eccentric man, the earl was said to enjoy
wandering the streets naked at nights, singing songs he'd learned from
his trips abroad. He took to wearing grass skirts and decorated his
house in the style of the islands he'd visited.
In 1686, aged 89 years, Sir Penfold divorced
his only surviving wife, and married Miss Emily Bryce, daughter of
Lord Eric Bryce of Kincardine, a man whose wealth and power came from
his ownership of most of the land in the neighbouring county of
Clackmannanshire.
The marriage ended in tragedy when Emily poisoned the Earl in 1691,
but not before they had 3 children together.
Emily was charged with murder, and was hung, the gallows erected next
to the Mercat Cross, on the 22 December 1692, as her 3 children looked
on.
Sir Penfold's body lies in a grave in the grounds of
the cottage garden. Emily's body was thrown to sea, as Christian
burials were denied to criminals and adulterers.
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