Frank Rankin - Local historian
Frank Rankin has spent many years studying and collecting data on local history. He has researched the Wemyss Caves extensively and has written a number of small booklets on Buckhaven, Macduff Castle and the Wemyss Caves.

He has given many talks on the Caves to numerous organisations. He has over time collected a informative set of images and slides to use on talks.

He has taken many groups on tours to caves, keep an eye out for any of his local talks on Buckhaven, Macduff Castle and the Wemyss Caves.

The booklets below are all available
from Buckhaven Library
(cost per book ranges from £1.00 to £2.50 each)

and from the Save the Wemyss Caves Society.
Follow the link below to see prices and availability

In Memory of Auld Buckhyne ISBN 1-870-275-44-6 (Nov 1990) The following poems have been collected by Mr Frank Rankin and have been published in the hope that they may never be lost. View images of Auld Buckhyne   The Wemyss Caves ISBN 0-946-201-56-0 (May 1985) Introduction: The name of Wemyss is derived from the Celtic UAMH which means cave. The wemyss caves have been used by many people over thousands of years and for a variety of purposes: from cave dwellers, the Picts, early Christians, Norsemen and smugglers, to the peresent day. Unfortunately they now suffer from misuse, wilfull damage and neglect, and for these reasons I would like to remind the reader of this book of the Heritage which is being thrown away by this generation. It has been said that there are more markings in the Wemyss caves than all the other caves in Britain put together. The only other caves like Wemyss are at Covesea Cove, Moray Firth, and there are only one or two there. Frank Rankin   Macduff Castle ISBN 1-870-275-32-2 (1985) My interest in Macduff Castle began when I was a boy. Over the years I have collected photographs and information about the Castle but, unfortunately, I have never uncovered a drawing of the Castle as it was when it was habitable. (If any of my readers can help in this regard I will be only too pleased to see it.) Therefore, I have based the reconstruction on other Scottish Castles. My thanks are due to many friends such as the late James Burt and the late Alex Wilson for all their help over the years, and the staff of the Wemyss Environmental Education Centre for the publication of this booklet.   Frank Rankin View images of Macduff Castle   Auld Buckhyne Revisited ISBN 0-946-294-05-4 (1997) Introducation: As my first book 'Auld Buckhyne' is now out of print, I now submit this second book titled 'Auld Buckhyne Revistited'. Over the last 40 years I have gleaned as much information as I could from books, old newspapers, old maps and photographs and from people such as Miss Elizabeth Deas and Mr Tom Taylor (Iris), John Thomson (Craig) Piper Tom Thomson, John Thomson, (Caley) and many others. I will ever be in their debt. I would also like to thank SWACS (Save the Wemyss Ancient Caves Society) for help with this publication. Frank Rankin View images of Auld Buckhyne Guide to the Wemyss Caves: ISBN 1-870-275-62-4 (1993) I would like to dedicate this booklet to the memory of Mr James Burt, East Wymess who took me on a guided tour of the Wemyss Caves over 30 years ago. I am sure he would have been very pleased to see the interest that has been shown in the caves and would have been an active member of the 'Save the Wemyss Ancient Caves Society'. My thanks also to the Wemyss Environmental Education Centre for the publication of this booklet. Frank Rankin Images of Wemyss Cave drawings