[5] The second element may be either Gaelic ail, "rocks",[5] or more problematically Pictish *al; no certain instance of this word exists in P-Celtic.

[6] The parish church was itself dedicated (in the 13th-century) to the early holy man St. Maelrubha of Applecross in Wester Ross.

Crail Castle was an occasional residence of David I of Scotland during the 12th century but subsequently fell into ruin.

[6] Mary of Guise, afterward consort of James V, landed in Crail in June 1538 after a severe storm, and was hospitably entertained in the ancient mansion of Balcomie Castle, whence, accompanied by the king, she proceeded to St.

Afterwards, protesters went through the church and forcefully removed images which were put in place by previous generations but were now considered ideologically unsound.

[10] In August 1583, many of the inhabitants of Crail attacked nearby Wormiston House, which belonged to Sir John Anstruther.

[8] The Crail Museum and Heritage Centre, largely staffed by volunteers and open every day in summer, is sited in a neighbouring building, also of historical interest, at the top of Tolbooth Wynd.

This work incorporated the crane on the southwest corner which lifts timbers into slots to seal the inner harbour.

On the beach beside the harbour, there are fossilised trees related to Horsetails, dating back to the Carboniferous geological period.