Scotland > 1837 - Pigot and Co.'s national commercial directory for the whole of Scotland and of the Isle of Man

CLACKMANNANSHIRE.
Jl HIS county, the smallest in Scotland, is bounded on the south and west by the Frith of Forth and
Stirlingshire, and on the north and east by Perthshire : on the east also, it joins, for a short distance,
the county of Fife ; and a detached portion of Stirlingshire touches part of its northern verge. Its
figure, which is extremely Irregular, does not exceed nine miles at its greatest length, nor more than
six at its extreme breadth. Anciently the whole of that valuable territory lying between the rivers
Forth and Tay, and bounded on the north-west by the chain of the Ochil hills, was called Ross, as
being a sort of peninsula, terminating at Stirling. In course of time the district of Ross was divided
amongst the shires of Fife, Kinross, and Clackmannan, with the introduction of a slip of Perthshire,
on the edge of the Forth, in which is situated the town of Culross. From the shore of the Forth the
surface of the county rises gradually to the Ochil hills, the highest of which (Bencleugh) attains the
height of two thousand feet above the level of the sea, and is in the parish of Tillicoultry. The higher
grounds are partly pastoral, but the whole of the lower parts, adjacent to the Forth, are rich, arable,
and beautifully enclosed. Throughout the whole district coal is worked; and ironstone, which is
abundant, is wi-ought to advantage. The manufacture of woollen goods, in shawls, plaidings, and
blankets, has, of late years, been established in the parishes of Dollar, Tillicoultry, and Alva, with
complete success, more than a thousand persons being employed in these several branches. Besides
the Forth, the two streams, called the Devon and Black Devon, water the county.
This shire contains four parishes, and two portions of parishes : its only towns are Alloa and
Clackmannan ; and its principal villages are Dollar, Alva, and Tillicoultry. The county possesses
neither royal or parliamentary burghs, but it unites with Kinross-shire in returning one member to
parliament.
o-
POPULATION OF CLACKMANNANSHIRE,
IN THE YEARS 1801, 1811, 1821, AND 1831, EXHIBITING THE INCREASE OR DECREASE IN THIRTY YEARS
The letter p. signifies Parish, and dec. Decrease.
1801.
18 IL
1821.
1831.
Increat
in 30 Yi
Alloa ... . • P
5214
2961
693
1074
'916
5096
3605
743
1162
1025
5577
4056
1295
971
1163
6377
4266
1447
951
1472
116;
Clackmannan p.
130a
Dollar p.
75.
Logic (rt) p.
Stirling (part of— 6) ^bbey district p.
Tillicoultry . .. .p.
dec. 12:
55(
Total Population of Clackmannanshire
10858
11631
13062
14513
3651
Note. — (a) The parish of Logie, which is partly in Perthshire, contained, at the last census, 1,305 inhabitants.
(6) Abbey district is wholly entered in the parish of Stirling, Stirlingshire.
The total annual value of Real Property, in this county, as assessed in April, 1815, amounted to £37,978.
a
ALLOA
S a town of tonsideiable commercial importance,
and the capital of tlie parish of its name; 30 miles
N.w. of Edinburgh, 32 s. of Perth, seven from Stirling,
the like distance from Dollar, five from Kincardine,
and three from Tillicoultry; situate on a level at the
base of a gentle declivity, close to the Forth, at the spot
where it ceases to be a river and becomes a frith ; the
water is nevertheless deep enough, for six miles above
this place, to admit vessels of seventy tons. The quay
stretches along the bank ; and large vessels or steam-
boats can thus lie close up to the thoroughfare, much
to the convenience of passengers, and the more worthy
of appreciation as this is the only port on the Frith at
which such can be accomplished with perfect ease and
safety at any tide. Of late years the trade of Alloa has
greatly increased; and the town and neighbourhood has
long been noted lor its extensive distilleries, breweries,
malt niaking, glass-works, and collieries. Immense
quantities of whisky are made here for the London
market, and the quality and quantity of the ale exceed
those of any town in Scotland. An extensive brick and
tile manufactory, and copper works (which furnish
most of the implements or apparatus for the distille-
ries), have likewise been for years established here.
About one hundred and forty vessels, of various bur-
thens, belong to Alloa and its adjacent creeks. The
exports comprise pig iron, ale, whisky, glass, coal,
and wool; the imports consist of timber, oak bark,
hides, butter, cheese, and great supplies t.f grain for
malting. A daily communication with Edinbureh,
Stirling, and the towns on the Frith, is afforded bythe
steam-packets throughout the year ; a coach also runs
daily between Glasgow and this town ; and the ferry
steam-boats (on board of which a carriage and four
horses may be driven, without either horses or pas-
sengers being removed,) give eveiy facility to families
proceeding to the opposite county of Stilling. The
324
civil government of Alloa is vested in a baron bailie ;
the sheriff and justice of peace courts for the county
are held here, as is likewise the fiars court annually;
and a small debts court sits on the first Monday iu
each month.
The established church, which was first opened for
divine worship on the 20th of June, 1819, forms the
most prominent object in the town : it is a fine struc-
ture, in the pointed style of architecture, and was
raised at an expense of nearly £7,000 ; the spire is very
handsome, and was added to the tower by a pubhc
subscription ; the Earl of Mar, from his own liberality,
considerably improved the interior. The charitable
and educational institutions embrace a female society
for the support of aged and indigent women, a female
charity school (established by the Earl of Mar and his
daughters), a parochial school, an academy, a sabbath
evening school, and the Alloa colliery school, the latter
superintended by a master and an assistant; also an
association for general religious purposes. A Shak-
speare club, and a public assembly-room, have been
long upheld; a library, instituted in 1797, is supported
by an annual subscription of lOs., and an entrancerfte
of one guinea, from each member — it contains about
fifteen hundred well-selected volumes on various sub-
jects ; a news-room, supplied with London and more
I'lcal papers— a bowling-green, and the amusement of
curling — give to every class its appropriate portion of
rational recreation: the convivial festiial of 'King
Crispin' was first celebrated here in 1824, with the
customary pomp, pageantry, and ceremonies.
Though Alloa itself possesses few objects of attrac-
tion, its immediate neighbourhood piesents scenery
at once lovely and bold, beautiful and picturesque : on
the north side is the proud range of the Ochii hillsj
which are coveted with verdure to their very summits,
and are, perhaps, unrivalled in the fascination of Scot-