It was a symbol of the medieval burgh’s prosperity and marked the right of the town to hold a market as granted by the monarch or a laird.
But a proposal to move Cupar’s historic mercat cross to accommodate extra parking has raised concerns about the impact on the town’s heritage.
Cupar Community Council has already welcomed proposals that long-awaited improvements to Cupar’s road network could happen in the next few months.
The £1.6 million scheme to scrap the unpopular traffic lights system has been driven forward and traffic should be flowing freely again soon.
The congestion-busting project hinges on the demolition of two buildings on the corner of St Catherine Street the ATS tyre depot and the Paterson Bell office next door.
Bulldozing the buildings will allow the road to be widened at the memorial where St Catherine Street and East Bridge meet.
Improvements at The Cross have also been proposed.
Fife councillor Margaret Kennedy told the community council discussions had taken place on the reconfiguration of the Crossgate/St Catherine Street junction and, while at an early stage, one option is moving The Cross which dates from 1683 to an adjacent pavement.
She said: ”I have had preliminary discussions with Ian Copland (of Cupar Heritage) and they have no real comment to make, but perhaps we should move it east to where it was historically? There’s going to be a fair amount of debate about this.”
Community councillor Douglas Provan said he thought any suggestion to move the mercat cross was ”appalling”.
He said: ”I always felt The Cross was one of the main parts of central Cupar. It shouldn’t be stuck on a pavement! To shove it on to the pavement would be absolutely appalling.
”If we pedestrianised the Crossgate, then this problem would be solved.”
Community councillors hope a meeting can be held with Fife Council transport officials to examine the proposal.