An ancient harbour opening onto Pettycur Bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth, a half-mile (1 km) southwest of Kinghorn. The harbour was once of considerable importance, lying opposite Leith it was the northern end of a ferry which had crossed the river for centuries. The pier here was destroyed in a storm in 1625 and the present pier dates from 1760, was rebuilt in 1793 and restored in 1983. The harbour was extended in the 19th C. It was used by small vessels and ferries to Leith and Newhaven. Access to the harbour was restricted by sand, and this had to be periodically removed. However, in 1842, the Duke of Buccleuch developed an alternative ferry route from his deep-water harbour at Granton to a new harbour at nearby Burntisland. This was converted to a rail ferry in 1850.
Partially infilled in 1937, Pettycur Harbour is now listed for its historical importance. A cast-iron capstan on the pier is inscribed "Anderson, Leith Walk Foundry, 1813".
