City Chambers

Carved stone male head beside window, detail.

Fiona: Perfect timing.  We won’t take the stairs down to the cave right now, but we will tackle those steps off to the right from the cave, between the buildings.  They take us up to the High Street where there’re lots of places for a coffee stop.  Can you manage the climb? If not, we can retrace our steps to the park gates and walk up to the High Street from there.   

Thomas: I think I’ve still got enough energy to manage the steps.  Which way do we go at the top?

Fiona: We turn right at the top and go to the end of the street because there’s a rather nice building that’s worth taking a look at as we pass by.  You can’t miss it, it’s the tall tower with a clock and green roof right opposite the corner we reach.

(SFX general outdoor) 

Thomas: Oh yes, that looks impressive.  But a bit too modern for one of Margaret’s buildings.

Fiona: Yes, this is the City Chambers, built much, much later, in the 1800s.  But there is a nod to her influence, and its design has references to all sorts of people and symbols of Dunfermline.  See the windows on the first floor, look at the stonework. Can you find the faces of a man and a woman around the left window? They are meant to be Malcolm and Margaret.  It’s a grand looking building, isn’t it? And it’s still important for the daily life of Dunfermline.

Thomas: I can see why you’ve been inspired by Margaret and I’ve really enjoyed meeting her, but it looks like we’re right back in the modern world.  Time to leave her behind?