It is 3 miles west of Dunfermline, on the A994, and has a population of around 2,510 (2022)[2] The village's architecture is a mix of old weavers' cottages and modern suburban housing estates.

There are two shops (one contains a post office), a garden centre, a petrol station, a number of housing estates, a guest house (The Maltings), a local pub (the Cairneyhill Inn), a primary school, a Scout hall, and a small industrial estate.

The village grew in the 18th century as a settlement for local weavers and was served by the parish church that was built in 1752 and is still used today.

This was a hotbed of dissenters and the village was a central point for the religious disputes in Scotland in the early 19th century.

The line of the road has been straightened and widened over the years, with only the original north parapet remaining, but the name of the bridge is carved into a plaque which can be seen by leaning over the wall.