EVERY Glaswegian knows that St Mungo, patron saint of the city of

culture, garden festivals, and (if he can pull off another miracle)

architecture, was from the gritty city of the West. Right? Wrong!

The historians tell us that he was born around 518AD in Culross, the

historic West Fife town on the north shore of the Forth near Kincardine,

writes Stewart McIntosh.

To achieve sainthood in those days you (or your mother) had to suffer.

The legends say that he was the son of St Thenew, a beautiful princess

who was thrown out of Traprain Law in the Lothians and cast adrift in

the Firth of Forth in an open boat which drifted ashore at Culross.

St Mungo's Chapel and St Mungo's house were built on the site where

her son Kentigern, later St Mungo, is believed to have been born. He

went on to found the monastery of Cathures on the banks of the

Molendinar burn -- and gave a flying start to the city we now know as

Glasgow.

Back at his birthplace in Culross, St Mungo's Cottage dates from

around 1670 and its early residents feature in the history of the

ancient town where the manufacture of girdles for baking was prominent.

The girdle-making industry declined after 1727 and the house was

extended later that century to provide a more substantial property.

It was in this house that the noted local historian David Beveridge

wrote his History of Culross and Tullianan in the 1880s.

St Mungo's remained in Lord Elgin's estate until 1989, when it was

bought by the current owners who have rescued the house from years of

neglect. Now the cottage is being offered for sale for the second time

this century.

It provides accommodation on three levels and from its astragalled

windows enjoys a lovely view across the Firth of Forth. The property

includes many of its original features, having only rarely changed

hands. The principal rooms have fine plasterwork and fireplaces.

The accommodation includes drawing room, dining room, family room,

kitchen/breakfast room, main bedroom with en-suite bathroom, guest

bedroom with en-suite shower room, five additional bedrooms, study, and

family bathroom.

Externally there is an integral double garage with outbuildings and

partly walled terraced gardens with lawns and flower beds.

St Mungo's Cottage is being marketed by the Dunfermline office of GA

Property Services.