Denmuirhill, Firing Ranges

The firing ranges appear on the 2nd epoch OS map and lie about 8km from both the Cupar and Newburgh drill halls. Likely to have been in use in the First World War.

Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 1 October 2013.

NO31NW 61 30726 19586 and 30574 19790

Range targets have been identfied on the lower S-facing slopes of Norman's Hill (information to RCAHMS via e-mail from D Payne, Fife Council Environmental Services, 19 November 2009).

The targets for the firing range are substantially built of stone with an earthen bank immediately to the S. The stone or revetment wall is set at the foot of a trench or ditch in which are several metal target frames. The frames may have supported a system of targets which could be raised by pulleys to the required firing height (ibid D Payne 2009). The ditch is about 25m long with huts at the E end and the earth bank is about 31m long. This is shown on the current OS digital maps.

The OS Revision 6-inch map (Fifeshire, sheet vii ne, 1914), depicts the targets, but only as a raised bank. No targets are shown on the 2nd Edition (ibid). It has to be asumed that there was more extensive firing points in the area as the OS Edition of 1914 also shows a set of targets at NO 30574 19790 about 251m NW from those at the foot of Norman's Hill. The targets to the NW are still visible on the ground as a mound along with a 100 yard marker shown on the 1914 map, visible as a low mound at c.NO 309590 19694. The current OS digital map shows this target as a curved feature.

The ranges may have been for Volunteer Regiment tarining.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), February 2010; D Payne, Fife Council Environmental Services, November 2009