Freemasons and The Beast of East Fife

Intriguing, no?


My PhD focused on eighteenth-century Scottish clubs and societies, with particular emphasis on the freemasons.  Should anyone like to peruse a 300-page tome for a bit of easy, Friday reading, please feel free to do so by clicking here.

St Andrews Lodge No. 25

I'm often asked if the freemasons possess secret knowledge, forbidden powers that allow one to predict the future, control the financial markets or determine the outcome of the World Series.  If that were the case, the Philadelphia Phillies would never lose.  However, the masons are shrouded in myth and it is difficult to assess their activities during the eighteenth century, as minutes are tantalizingly vague and allude to interesting events, rituals and ceremonies but never completely divulge verifiable truths.  As the Scottish courts would say, "Not Proven."

Exterior of Rosslyn Chapel

To be sure, freemasonry has a long and storied past, one which is guarded and protected.  Controversy surrounds the origins of British freemasonry, although historians such as David Stevenson have offered conclusive evidence linking the emergence of modern freemasonry to early Scottish craft guilds.  It is clearly evident, though, that stonemasons have plied their trade for centuries; Rosslyn Chapel, for example, is a testament to high levels of artisanal achievement.  


Secrets and conspiracy theories are not solely confined to the freemasons, however.  Last night, I became privy to highly classified information regarding The Beast of Cupar (or The Big Cat of Fife). Yes, this rather elusive creature has (still is, possibly?) terrorized Fife, savaging sheep, mauling drunken revelers, attacking domestic pets and unleashing a crime wave including bank robberies, graffiti, and illegal presentation of garbage.  A simple Google search for the Big Cat of Fife will return numerous reports of beast sightings, but this website offers proof that The Beast of East Fife exists....

Beware the vicious beast!

Poopy Wallace...nice tartan