River Devon, Clackmannanshire

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The Devon at dusk, near Tillicoultry
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The Devon at dusk, near Tillicoultry

The River Devon is a tributary of the River Forth in Clackmannanshire, Scotland.

The source of the river is Blairdennon Hill in the Ochils at an altitude of 548m (1800 feet) the Devon flows east and southeast through Glendevon, turning southwest at Crook of Devon and then continuing westwards along the foot of the Ochil Hills, until it reaches the River Forth to the west of Alloa. Upper areas have been dammed, creating Upper Glendevon, Lower Glendevon and Castlehill reservoirs.

The Devon was surveyed by James Watt in 1766, who claimed that by deepening the river bed it might be navigable as far as Dollar. The estimated cost of such a project was £2000.

'Fairest Maid on Devon Banks' was written in 1796 by Robert Burns and recalls Charlotte Hamilton of Mauchline whom he had met at nearby Harviestoun estate.