Cowdenbeath

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Cowdenbeath

Total population

14,081

Coordinates56.11°, -3.34°

Demographic figures from UK Office for National Statistics. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

Overview

Cowdenbeath is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Dunfermline and 18 miles (29 km) north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 1890. According to a 2008 estimate, the town has a population of 14,081.

Geography

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Notable people from here

Charles I of England

King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1625 to 1649 (1600-1649)

James I of Scotland

King of Scots from 1406 to 1437

David II of Scotland

King of Scotland from 1329 to 1371

Samuel Greig

Russian admiral of Scottish origin (1736-1788)

David Spence

Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross (1818–1877)

Geoffrey Charles Tasker Keyes

recipient of the Victoria Cross

John Smith

English botanist, first curator of Kew gardens (1798–1888)

Robert Stuart, Duke of Kintyre and Lorne

fifth child of James VI of Scotland and Anne of Denmark

A

Alan Stewart

British alpine skier

A

Alexander Bell Donald

Seaman, sailmaker, merchant, ship owner (1842-1922)

J

John Stewart, Earl of Mar

Scottish prince

D

David Alexander

Royal Marines officer (1926-2017)

J

Jock Gilfillan

Scottish footballer (1898–1976)

Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton

British earl

S

Steve Boardman

British historian (1963-)

W

William Wotherspoon

Scottish rugby union player (1868-1942)

People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.

Nearby places in Scotland

• Lochcraig
  2.7 mi away
• Blairforge
  3.2 mi away
• Carsegour
  5.6 mi away
• Cowstrandburn
  8 mi away
• Shiresmill
  10.5 mi away
• Mannerston Holdings
  10.7 mi away
• Star
  11.8 mi away · pop. 500
• Middle Norton
  12 mi away
• Faucheldean
  12.1 mi away
• New Fargie
  12.9 mi away
• Glendevon
  13.3 mi away
• Muirend
  13.7 mi away

Browse all places in Scotland →

Geography & sun

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Public attention

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Cowdenbeath

Cowdenbeath and Cleish Hills

Ordnance Survey · 1991

Chicago tumbles

Alex Maxwell · 1994

Economic Geology of the Fife Coalfields Area 2

Geological Survey of Scotland. · 1934

Black Diamonds and the Blue Brazil

Ron Ferguson · 2014

The economic geology of the Fife coalfields

E. H. Francis · 1961

Foulford Primary School

HM Inspectors of Schools (Scotland)

St Bride's R C Primary School

HM Inspectorate of Education (Scotland)

' Auld Bob'

1996

Search results from Open Library.

Recently spotted species

Sticky Groundsel

Senecio viscosus

Seen 2026-09-17

Andrion regensteinense

Andrion regensteinense

Seen 2026-09-17

Asian Lady Beetle

Harmonia axyridis

Seen 2026-09-16

Eurasian Curlew

Numenius arquata

Seen 2026-09-16

European Herring Gull

Larus argentatus

Seen 2026-09-16

Carrion Crow

Corvus corone

Seen 2026-09-16

Collared Earthstar

Geastrum michelianum

Seen 2026-09-14

Shaggy Mane

Coprinus comatus

Seen 2026-09-14

Cross Orbweaver

Araneus diadematus

Seen 2026-09-13

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Official Identifiers