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

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FALKIRK, &c.
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in the seven or eight surionnding paiislies, and lliei which aie numeiously attended. The three Falkiib
Canon iron-works (from whicli the town derives ma- trysts, supposed to be tlie largest cattle markets in the
terial support) me only about two niiles north from i kingdom, are held in the neighbourhood on the second
Falkirk, if is the market town for between thirty and j Tuesdays of August, Sepiember and October,
forty tliousand people. The shops are handsome, and | Camelon is a neat village, situate on the load from
well siored with every necessary and even luxury of Stirling to Falkirk, about a mile and a half west from
life. Under the head of manufactures, we may men- | the latter town, on the line of the great canal ; it con-
tion that connected with the leather trade in tanning i sistsofone tolerably well built street; the inhabitants,
and curryin:;, the making of bricks and tiles, malting, | in number about one thousand, are chiefly employed
with two distilleries and an equal number of rope- ^ in the manufacture of nails. Camelon is a place of
walks. Besides the famous Carron works, there are
at Graiianiston extensive foundries, belonging to the
Falkirk Iron Company; and in the neighbourhood are
flour mills and valuable coal works. The Union canal
joins the Forth and Clyde can^l about a mile west from
the town, but its piincipal trade is limited to the con-
veyance of passengers and coals to Edinburgh ; it passes
under ground, abont half a mile south of the town,
through a tunnel seven hundred and ninety-six yards
in length. The general trade and commerce tif the
town and its neighbourhood are assisted by three bank-
ing establishments, namely, a branch of the Bank of
Scotland, one of the Commercial Bank of Scotland,
and another of the National Bank of Scotland.
Falkirk was formerly a burgh of regality ; but when
the feudal jurisdictions were abrogated, after the rebel-
lion of 1745, it was changed into a burgh of barony,
hut no baron bailie has been appointed for many years:
the internal regulations of the town are vested in a
body of 'stent masters,' chosen by the different trades,
but their powers are limited almost solely to supplying
the town with water. Justice of peace courts are held
regularly on the first Monday of every month; a sheriff
court was fiist opened at Falkirk in 18.34, for the eas-
tern district of the county, comprising the parishes of
Falkirk, Polmont, Muiravonside, Slamanan. Laibert,
Bothkennar and Airth; the ordinal y court is held on
Wednesday, and the small debts court holds its sit-
tings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.
'J'he old church, founded by King Malcolm Canmore
in 1057, was some years since taken down, and a new
one, of the Gi^thic oider, erecred on its siie; a tower,
connected with the ancietit structure, has, however,
been permitted to retain its long-possessed position.
In the church-yard lie the bodies of Sir John Graham
(the fiiend of VVallace) and Sir John Stuart, who were
slain on the memorable field of Falkiik, in 1298, whilst
fighting for the independence of their country against
Edward 1; two plain stones mark the spots of their
interment. In the same cemetery stands the monument
to two brave officers, Sir Robert Munro, of Foulis, and
his brother, Dr. IMunro, who fell in the second battle
of Falkirk, January 17th, 1746. The various sects of
burghers, seceders, presbyterians, baptists, &c., have
plires of worship in Falkirk; the situation of each,
with theii respective officiating ministers, are given in
a subsequent page. A regular market for grain is held
on Thursday, to which great quantities are brought;
the town has also been long noted for one of the best
fiesh-maikets in the country. Seven fairs are annually
held here for cattle and horses, viz., the last Thursday
of January, the first Thursday of March, the third
Thursday of May, the second Thursday of June, the
secondThurday of July, the thirdThursday of August,
and the firstTnursday of November ; besides two days
for hirinK servants (the first Thursday of April and the
last Thursday of October), called feeing Thoridays,
considerable interest to the antiquarian, having been
represented by the early writers as a maritime city — in
corroboration of whicli assertion fragments tif anchors,
blocks of stone with rinjis attached, and even an entire
boat of ancient model, have been found embedded in
the soil. The city, it is alleged, was built by Vespasian,
and, when subsequently possessed by the Picts, had
twelve brazen gates ; not a vestige, however, tif this
matinificent place remains, except one small upriglit
portion of a wall, visible from the Glasgow load. The
present village had its origin about si^ty years bark,
and the sea is now three or four miles distant from it.
Lauristoun (or Lawristoun) is a considerable vil-
lage in the parish of Falkirk, about one mile east from
that town ; it contains a population equal in number
to that of Camelon, a considerable proportion of whom
are engaged in the same branch of industry (nail-mak-
ing) as theinhabitantsof that village, while others are
employed in weaving and agricultuial labours. This
place was originally called Langtonii, afterwards Mer-
chiston, and is now named Lauristoun in honour of
the late Sir Lawrence Dundas, who made considerable
additions to and much improved it.
The parish of Bothkennar lies in the rarse of Fal-^
kirk, and is washed on the nprih-east by the river
Forth and on the south by the Cnrron ; it is a rich anrt
fertile district, possessing some excellent orchards. A
part of the village of Carronsdore lies within the pa-
rish, the other part being in the parish of Larhert.
Muiravonside parish is situate on the It ft bank of
the Avon, which river is here rendered of great service
in propelling the works of a number of mills on its
banks. The district, which is six miles in length by
two in breadth, is nearly all arable and inclosed land,
and beneath the surface there is abundance of coal. On
the Avon are the ruins of an old nunnery, founded by
Malcolm IV; and half a mile west are the remains of
the ancient Castle of Almond, for several generations
a favourite seat of the Earls of Callander.
The parish of Polmont is one of the richest and
most beautiful districts in the country, the entire, with
little exception, being arable land, finely inclosed and
planted ; it has the river Avon on its eastern boundary,
and is intersected by the main load from Edinburgh to
Falkiik and by the Union canal. The paiish, which
extends five miles inland fi-om the Forth, has within
its limits several coal-works, and abounds in iron and
freestone. The village of Polmont lies on the road to
Falkirk, from whence it is three miles and a half to the
east. The small village of Nether Polmont is situate
on tiie road from Falkirk to Bow'ness, from which it
is four miles distant.
Slamanan parish lies on the south bank of the Avon,
extending along the margin of that river for about six
miles. On the southern boundary of the district is a
small lake, called Black Loch, which is tributary to
the great reservoir for the Clyde canal.
POST OFFICE^ King's court, Falkirk, Henry Salmon, Post Master. — The first mail from
Edinburgh arrives every morning at four, second, with letters from London and the South, every evening
at a quarter before seven, and is despatched every morning at nine and evening at ten. — The mail from
Glasgow arrives every morning at lour and nine and afternoon at live, and is despatched every niornine: at
four.— The mail from Stirling, Denny and the Noith arrives every morning at nine and afternoon at five,
and is despatched evi ry morning at four and evening at a quarter before seven.— The mail from I^inlithgow
and Bow'ness arrives every momiiig at four and evening at a quarter before seven, and is despatched every
morning at nine and night at ten. — Letters from Grangemouth arrive every morning at six and half-past
nine, and evening at a quarter liefoie seven, and are despatched every morning at nine, afternoon at one and
iiiuhi at liaU'-past ten.— Letters from Kilsyth and Kirkintulloch arrive (by horse post) every evening,
and are despatched every forenoon at eleven.
Belfrage Mrs. Dr. Rose park
BellArexander,esq.(of North New-
ton) Kerse lane [kennar
Bell James, esq (of Pochnave) Both-
Borthwick Jolin, esq. Kerse
Brown Mrs. High st [Stenhouse
Bruce Sir ftlichael, of Scotston and
NOBILITY, GENTRY AND
CLERGY.
Ball Henry Morluiid, esq. Keisie
bank, Polmont
Ballocli Alexndr. e.sq. of Middlefirld
Belfrage the Misses Agnes & Janet,
Kerse road
770
Buchanan James, esq. Lauristoun
Callander Alexander, esq. Kerse lane
Callander John, esq. of Woodbuin
Caw Rev. John, Botlikennar
Clarke William, esq. of VVIiiteside
Cook Mrs. John, Grahamston
Ciaig Rev, John, Avon bridije