Editing Dunfermline (section)

===Recent history===
[[File:Former St Leonard's works, Dunfermline.jpg|thumb|right|Erskine Beveridge company offices, now converted into flats]]
The decline in the fortunes of Dunfermline lasted until the introduction of a [[linen]] industry in the early 18th century.<ref name="Pearson10">Pearson, ''Around Dunfermline'', p.10.</ref> One reason for which the town became a centre for linen was there was enough water to power the mills and nearby ports along the Fife Coast. These ports also did trade with the [[Baltic region|Baltic]] and [[Low Countries]].<ref name="Pearson10" /> Another reason was through an act of industrial espionage in 1709 by a weaver known as James Blake who gained access to the workshops of a [[damask]] linen factory in Edinburgh by pretending to act like a simpleton in order to find out and memorise the formula.<ref name="Pearson10" /><ref name="Lamont–Brown186">Lamont–Brown, ''Fife in History and Legend'', p.186.</ref> On his return to his home town in 1718, Blake established a [[damask]] linen industry in the town.<ref name="Pearson10" /> The largest of these factories was St Leonard's Mill which was established by Erskine Beveridge in 1851. A warehouse and office block was later added around 1869. Other linen factories were built on land to both the north and south ends of the burgh.<ref name="Simpson p85">Simpson ''The Auld Grey Toun – Dunfermline in the time of Andrew Carnegie 1835–1919'' p.85.</ref> During the mid-19th century, power loom weaving started to replace linen damask. The latter did not survive, going into decline straight after the end of [[First World War]].<ref name="Pride8–10" /> In 1909 the [[Royal Navy]] established Scotland's only Royal Naval Dockyard at nearby [[Rosyth]].
Post-war housing began in the late 1940s with the construction of temporary prefabs and Swedish timber houses around areas such as Kingseat and Townhill. Additional provisions were made for electricity, water and sewage systems. Council housing was focused towards [[Abbeyview]], on a {{convert|240|acre|adj=on|order=flip}} site on Aberdour Road; Touch, to the south of Garvock Hill; Bellyeoman and Baldridgeburn. Private housing became focused to the north of Garvock Hill and on the site of West Pitcorthie Farm.<ref name="McEwan p87">McEwan ''Dunfermline: The Post-War Years'' p87</ref>

Dunfermline has experienced significant expansion since 1999, especially in an expansion corridor on the eastern side of the town. This growth has edged the population centre towards the town's boundary with the M90 road corridor; it is planned to continue until 2022. Major developments include the creation of the [[Duloch]] and Masterton neighbourhoods with over 6,000 homes, three new primary schools, new community infrastructure, employment land and the Fife Leisure Park. With the expansion there has been a dramatic rise in the town's population; more than 20% over a 15-year period. [[Fife Council]] have begun drafting plans for an expansion of a similar scale on Dunfermline's south-west,<ref>{{cite web|title=Dunfermline|url=http://www.stirlingdevelopments.co.uk/projects/dunferminle-west|publisher=Stirling Developments|access-date=27 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205032319/http://www.stirlingdevelopments.co.uk/projects/dunferminle-west|archive-date=5 December 2014}}</ref> west and north sides,<ref>{{cite web|title=North West Dunfermline|url=http://www.ihbrown.com/App/uploads/download/new/brochure/Dunfermline%20Presentation%20October%202012.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205105726/http://www.ihbrown.com/App/uploads/download/new/brochure/Dunfermline%20Presentation%20October%202012.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 December 2014|publisher=I&H Brown|access-date=27 November 2014}}</ref> which will see the creation of 4,000 homes, a new high school and three new primary schools in the first phase.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dex mark II would be a nightmare|url=http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/roundup/articles/2012/01/20/422412-dex-mark-ii-would-be-a-nightmare/|newspaper=Dunfermline Press|access-date=27 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204212852/http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/roundup/articles/2012/01/20/422412-dex-mark-ii-would-be-a-nightmare/|archive-date=4 December 2014}}</ref>

Today, Dunfermline is the main centre for the West Fife area, and is also considered to be a [[dormitory town]] for Edinburgh.<ref name="Pride8–10" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.panoramicearth.com/5518/Dunfermline/Dunfermline |title=Dunfermline – Panoramic Earth Virtual Tour |access-date=25 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002064931/http://www.panoramicearth.com/5518/Dunfermline/Dunfermline |archive-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/recordings/group/scotland-dunfermline.shtml|title=BBC – Voices – The Voices Recordings – Leisure centre workers|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> The town has shopping facilities, a major public park, a main college campus at Halbeath and an-out-of-town leisure park with a multiplex cinema and a number of restaurants. The online retailer [[Amazon.com]] has opened a major distribution centre in the Duloch Park area of Dunfermline.

As part of the [[Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours]], it was announced on 20 May 2022 that Dunfermline would be awarded [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Record number of city status winners announced to celebrate Platinum Jubilee |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-number-of-city-status-winners-announced-to-celebrate-platinum-jubilee |access-date=21 May 2022 |website=GOV.UK }}</ref> It was formally awarded the status through [[Letters Patent (United Kingdom)|Letters Patent]] on 3 October 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=King Charles visits Scotland: Dunfermline granted city status|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23015443.king-charles-visits-scotland-dunfermline-granted-city-status/ |access-date=3 October 2022 |website=heraldscotland.com |date=3 October 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/20152650.dunfermline-granted-city-status-queen-platinum-jubilee-competition/|title=Dunfermline is now officially a city|website=Dunfermline Press|date=19 May 2022|access-date=20 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Morrow |first=Daniel |date=20 May 2022 |title=What defines a city and how is it decided as Dunfermline awarded new status |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/what-defines-city-how-decided-27020349 |access-date=20 May 2022 |website=Daily Record }}</ref>