Lower Largo, Robinson Crusoe statue
Fife

These are photos of the statue of Robinson Crusoe (a fictional character) as written about by Daniel Defoe based on the life of a real person called Alexander Selkirk (1676 to 1721).

Selkirk was left on a deserted island off the west coast of Chile for over four years (1704 to 1709) after asking to leave what he believed was a sinking ship. (He was right, it later sank.)

The statue was paid for in 1885 by David Gillies, a prominent local businessman and descendant of Alexander Selkirk and carved by Thomas Stuart Burnett, A.R.S.A..

The house is built on the site of the cottage in which Alexander Selkirk was born.

When he was left on the island he had food, guns and the means to make fire. There was plenty of food and clean water but no other people.

The house is in Main Street, Lower Largo, just east of the village centre and harbour.

There's parking nearby but the house is private and there's no museum.

Tight in on the statue. As you can see he was depicted as being armed to the teeth.