Earlsferry, a decayed coast village possessing the status of a royal burgh, in Kilconquhar parish, Fife, immediately W of Elie. It is traditionally said to have been constituted a burgh by Malcolm Ceannmor. at the request of Mac du, Earl of Fife, who, in his flight from the vengeance of Macbeth,. was concealed in a cave,. at Kincraig Point, and thence was ferried over the firth to Dunbar by. fishermen of the place. The legend on the face of it is false; but, whatever its date, the original charter having been accidentally destroyed by fire in Edinburgh, James VI. granted a new one in 1589, which speaks of Earlsferry as ' of old, past memory of man, erected into ane free burgh. ' Then and afterwards it seems to have been a place of considerable trade, with two weekly markets and two annual fairs, the privilege o4f7 levying dues and customs, and the right of returning a member to Parliament. These are all things of the past; but Earlsferry still is governed by a chief magistrate, a bailie, a treasurer, and six councillors, and has its new town-hall (1872), a branch of the National Bank, a local savings' bank, a gas company, and a public school. The annual value of real property was £924, 11s. in 1882, when the municipal constituency numbered 45, whilst the corporation revenue for 1881 was £86. Pop. (1841) 496, (1861) 395, (1871) 406, (1881) 286. See Elie

(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)