The village was named when the Scottish Kings of the fifteenth century stored grain due to them from their Fife estates in giant wooden barns here. Kingsbarns in the Kingdom of Fife was part of the pilgrims trail to St Andrews Cathedral having crossed the Firth of Forth from North Berwick to Earlsferry.

With St Andrews as the jewel in the crown, Kingsbarns is surrounded by a royal family of links courses. Crail, the 7th oldest in the world, was founded in 1786 - four of it's founding members being from the Cambo Estate next door. Kingsbarns Golf Links, less than a quarter of a mile away and originally built on an old late eighteenth century nine hole golf course, is the newest addition to the scene and has gained an enviable international reputation.

Up until around one hundred years ago the coach, pulled by three horses, stopped here traveling once a day from St Andrews to Crail with eight passengers on the roof exposed to the (sometimes) bitter Scottish weather and six inside. The Barns was then, and throughout the centuries, a welcoming watering hole and hostelry - as indeed it is now.

Nowadays The Barns is a boutique hotel, bar and restaurant catering to a local and international client base. A touch of luxury and refinement has been added over the years, but we like to think that the age-old welcoming spirit hasn't changed.