This page should be the natural starting point for any one wishing to carry out research into the Milnathort 
area history. 

The Associate Congregation of Orwell and Muckart,Notes from the Kirk Session Records, 1764-1796 
 
     1764--A Roof Over their Heads 
     1766--A Case of Adultery 
     1796--A Church Divides--Painfully 
     1796--A New Congregation in Kinross  
 
 
 
Old Postcard, Milnathort Looking North
Burleigh Castle (General view)

The Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network

The King's opportunity to alert his nobles came when they were in Milnathort, they had left him on the green with the ass while they went in to a house to drink. The James managed to write a note on a slip of paper and give it to a local boy with half a crown asking the boy to run with it to Falkland, and give it to his nobles saying that he was in a state of captivity. On receiving the note the nobles quickly rode the 10 miles back to Milnathort. 

The king been released ordered the two tinkers who had been the most harsh and severe to be hanged immediately, but he let the third one go free. The two tinkers were hanged a little to the south West of the village which is called Gallows Hill. 
James V after this event made a law that whenever three men tinkers were found together, two of them should be hanged but the third set at liberty. 
 
Taken from Small pp 185 186 

Prankster Uses Magic To Stop Orwell Minister's Plough 
In 1756 Peter Pairny, servant to Mr Thomas Mair, Minister of the seceding congregation at Orwell, who worked his wheel-plough, was the the accused before the session of using pranks somewhat like enchantment, in pretending to stop, or render unfit for service, a wheel-plough by touching the beam with a rod, and biding the plough to stop until till he should lose it. The session agreed to declare him under scandal, to bar him from sealing ordnance, till the offence be purged, and to ordaining  him to appear and be publicly rebuked; at the same time leaving room for further inquiry into the matter, and for inflicting what further censure may be judged necessary. This sentence was intimated from his pulpit by Mr Mair on Sunday September 12; 
 
From the Scots magazine, vol. xviii. p. 464. 
 

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