The village of West Wemyss began as a settlement around the site of
Wemyss Castle which developed into a centre for the salt industry in the area. In July 1501, the Wemyss family disputed ownership and costs of a share of the coal and saltpans with the Livingstones of Drumry. The rights to a share had been granted by David Wemyss of Muthill in November 1428. An epidemic of
plague arrived in Scotland in July 1584, brought to West Wemyss in a ship called a
crayer. A harbour was later built in 1621 by the Wemyss family for the use of coal exportation from the
pits on the lands of their estate. The industry, which saw trade with
England and
The Low Countries, started to struggle once the new docks were opened in
Methil further along the Fife coast. Gradually, the demand for the harbour began to fall and it went into decline. The manse in the village was rebuilt in 1894 to a design by
Robert Lorimer. ==Present day==