| Falkirk | |
| Scottish Gaelic: An Eaglais Bhreac[1] | |
| Scots: Fawkirk[2] | |
Top: Falkirk High Street, Middle: Falkirk Wheel, Bottom left: Upper Newmarket Street, Bottom right: Callendar Park. |
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Falkirk
Falkirk shown within the Falkirk council area |
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| Area | 4.4 sq mi (11 km2) |
|---|---|
| Population | 34,570 [3] |
| - Density | 7,857 /sq mi (3,034 /km2) |
| OS grid reference | NS936809 |
| - Edinburgh | 23.3 mi (37.5 km) |
| - London | 345 mi (555 km) |
| Council area | Falkirk |
| Lieutenancy area | Stirling and Falkirk |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | FALKIRK |
| Postcode district | FK1, FK2 |
| Dialling code | 01324 |
| Police | Central Scotland |
| Fire | Central Scotland |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Falkirk |
| Linlithgow and East Falkirk |
|
| Scottish Parliament | Falkirk East |
| Falkirk West | |
| Website | falkirk.gov.uk |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Falkirk (pronounced/ˈfɔːlkʌrk/ fawl-kurk ; Scottish Gaelic: ') is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; 23.3 miles (37.5 km) north-west of Edinburgh and 20.5 miles (33.0 km) north-east of Glasgow.
Falkirk had a resident population of 32,422 at the 2001 census. The population of the town had risen to 34,570 according to a 2008 estimate, making it the 20th most populous settlement in Scotland. Falkirk is the main town and administrative centre of the Falkirk council area, which has an overall population of 145,191 and inholds the nearby towns of Grangemouth, Larbert and Stenhousemuir.
The town lies at the junction of the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, a location which proved pivotal to the growth of Falkirk as a centre of heavy industry during the Industrial Revolution. In the 18th and 19th centuries Falkirk was at the centre of the iron and steel industry, underpinned by the Carron Company situated in the nearby village of Carron. The company was responsible for the manufacturing of Carronades for the Royal Navy and also later many UK pillar boxes. In the last 50 years heavy industry has declined, and the economy of the town relies increasingly on retail and tourism. Despite this Falkirk remains the home of many international companies like Alexander Dennis, the largest bus production company in the United Kingdom. The town hosts the Falkirk Farmers' Market on the first Friday of every month[4] which brings a boost to Falkirk's retail sector.
Attractions in and around Falkirk include the Falkirk Wheel, Callendar House and Park and remnants of the Antonine Wall. Soon to be a feature of the town is the Falkirk Helix, a new recreational area with walk and cycle paths with the main attraction being a new boat lift and extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal.
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An Eaglais Bhreac is a derivative formed from the Scottish Gaelic cognate of the first recorded name Ecclesbrith from the Brittonic for "speckled church",[5] presumably referring to a church building built of many-coloured stones. The Scottish Gaelic name was translated into Scots as Fawkirk then later amended to the modern English name of Falkirk. The Latin name Varia Capella also has the same meaning.[5] Falkirk Old Parish Church stands on the site of the medieval church, which may have been founded as early as the 7th century.[6]
The Antonine Wall, which stretches across the centre of Scotland, passed through the town and remnants of it can be seen at Callendar Park. Similar to Hadrian's Wall but built of turf rather than stone so less of it has survived, it marked the northern frontier of the Roman Empire between the Firth of Forth and Firth of Clyde during the AD 140s.[7] Much of the best evidence of Roman occupation in Scotland has been found in Falkirk, including a large hoard of Roman coins and a cloth of tartan, thought to be the oldest ever recorded.[8]
In the 18th century the area served as the cradle of Scotland's Industrial Revolution, becoming the earliest major centre of the iron-casting industry. James Watt cast some of the beams for his early steam engine designs at the Carron Iron Works in 1765. The area was at the forefront of canal construction when the Forth and Clyde Canal opened in 1790.[9] The Union Canal (1822) provided a link to Edinburgh and early railway development followed in the 1830s and 1840s.[10] The canals brought economic wealth to Falkirk and helped with the town's growth. Through time, trunk roads and motorways followed the same canal corridors through the Falkirk area, linking the town with the rest of Scotland. Many companies set up work in Falkirk due to its expansion. A large brickworks was set up at this time, owned by the Howie family. During the 19th century, Falkirk became the first town in Great Britain to have a fully automated system of street lighting, designed and implemented by a local firm, Thomas Laurie & Co Ltd.[11] Falkirk claims the record of having the shortest street in Britain, Tolbooth Street, to the north of the Falkirk Steeple.[12]
Two major battles have taken place at Falkirk:
Today, like all towns in Scotland, Falkirk has a well-defined structure of governance from local government down to representation at European Union (EU) level.
In terms of local government the town sits at the heart of Falkirk Council area, one of the 32 Unitary Authorities of Scotland formed by the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994. The headquarters of the council are located in the Municipal Buildings, adjacent to Falkirk Town Hall, on West Bridge Street in the centre of town.[13] The Council has been a Labour Party (UK) (LAB), independent and Conservative alliance since 2007.[14] The current Leader of the Council is Cllr Linda Gow.[15]
Falkirk is located within the Scottish parliamentary constituency of Falkirk West which elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) under the first past the post system.[16] The current MSP is Michael Matheson, who won the 2007 Scottish Parliament General Election by a margin of just 3%, less than the number of spoilt ballot papers, narrowly defeating his rival, Dennis Goldie, former Provost and well known for his refusal to back the Labour Party's pro-gay rights stance. The previous MSP, Dennis Canavan, who sat as an Independent, was elected with the largest majority in the Scottish parliament representing Falkirk's electorate's displeasure with New Labour, but stepped down in 2007 for family reasons.[16] Canavan, who announced in an open letter to his constituents in January 2007, that he was stepping down from representative politics at the Scottish Parliament election, 2007 has been an MSP or MP for the area for over 30 years.[17] The constituency of Falkirk West also sits in the Central Scotland Scottish Parliament electoral region which returns seven MSPs under the additional member system used to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament.[18]
Minor fringe parties (on both sides of the political spectrum) are relatively popular in Falkirk compared with the rest of Scotland. Parties right of the Conservative Party won 6.2% of the vote in Central Scotland in total (including the Scottish Christian Party, United Kingdom Independence Party and others). Left of Labour parties won 5.9% in total (including the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Socialist Party, Solidarity and others). None of these parties won a seat, however. Five seats were won by the SNP, one by the Conservatives and one by the Liberal Democrats.
In the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the town is entirely contained within the UK parliamentary constituency of Falkirk which elects one member to the House of Commons under the plurality system.[19] The constituency also takes in surrounding villages and is currently represented by the Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Eric Joyce.[19] Traditionally, Falkirk has been seen as a stronghold for the Labour Party, but an SNP majority in the 2007 Scottish elections suggest a change of public opinion.[19]
At EU level, Falkirk is part of the pan-Scotland European Parliament constituency which elects seven Members of the European Parliament (MEP)s using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.[20] Currently, Scotland returns two Labour MEPs, two Conservative and Unionist MEPs, two SNP MEPs and one Liberal Democrat MEP, to the European Parliament.[20]
Falkirk is located in an area of undulating topography between the Slamannan Plateau and the upper reaches of the Firth of Forth. The area to the north of Falkirk is part of the floodplain of the River Carron. Two tributaries of the River Carron - the East Burn and the West Burn flow through the town and form part of its natural drainage system.[21] Falkirk sits at between 50 metres (164 ft) and 125 metres (410 ft) above sea level.[22]
The underlying geology of the town of Falkirk is characterised by glacial deposits. Elevations above 100 metres (328 ft) are covered by a mixture of glacial till and boulder clay with low lying areas covered by sandy soils and loams.[22] As Falkirk is not far from the coast, post-glacial features akin to raised beaches are particularly predominant to the north of the town centre, and this gives rise to differing elevations within the town.[22]
Unsorted glacial till gives rise to such features of glacial deposition as eskers, and drumlins which are predominant over much of the area. Such elements provide natural transport routes and it is this complex underlying geology that the town is built upon.[22]
| Stirling | Stenhousemuir | Grangemouth, Dunfermline | ||
| Denny | Linlithgow | |||
| Falkirk | ||||
| Cumbernauld, Glasgow | Slamannan | Livingston |
Like much of the rest of Scotland, Falkirk has a temperate maritime climate, which is relatively mild despite its northerly latitude. Winters are especially mild given that Moscow and Labrador lie on the same latitude, with daytime temperatures rarely falling below freezing, or 0 °C (32 °F). Summer temperatures are comparatively cool, with daily upper maxima rarely exceeding 23 °C (73 °F). The proximity of the town to the sea mitigates any large variations in temperature or extremes of climate. The prevailing wind direction is from the south-west, which is associated with warm, unstable air from the Gulf Stream that gives rise to rainfall. Winds from an easterly direction are usually drier but colder. Rainfall is distributed fairly evenly throughout the year. Vigorous Atlantic depressions - sometimes called European windstorms can affect the town between October and March.
| Climate data for Falkirk | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6 (43) |
7 (45) |
9 (48) |
11 (52) |
15 (59) |
17 (63) |
19 (66) |
19 (66) |
16 (61) |
13 (55) |
9 (48) |
7 (45) |
13 (55) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −1 (30) |
1 (34) |
2 (36) |
3 (37) |
6 (43) |
9 (48) |
11 (52) |
11 (52) |
8 (46) |
5 (41) |
3 (37) |
−1 (30) |
5 (41) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 100 (3.94) |
70 (2.76) |
77 (3.03) |
56 (2.2) |
62 (2.44) |
56 (2.2) |
62 (2.44) |
76 (2.99) |
77 (3.03) |
101 (3.98) |
81 (3.19) |
107 (4.21) |
925 (36.42) |
| Source: Met Office [23] | |||||||||||||
The United Kingdom Census 2001 identified the town as having a total resident population of 32,422.[24] The population was estimated at 34,570 in 2008[3] which makes the town the 20th most populous settlement in Scotland. The wider Falkirk area which includes Grangemouth, Larbert and Stenhousemuir has an overall population of 98,940 making this the 5th largest urban area after Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee.[25] The population of the town and surrounding area is forecast to grow over the next ten years, primarily due to net in migration from other parts of Scotland and the UK.[26] Unemployment in the Falkirk area is low at 2.5%, below the Scottish average, but average household income and gross weekly pay are below the comparative Scottish and UK averages.
Today, the economy of Falkirk is focused on retail and services, in contrast to the heavy industries and manufacturing sectors which contributed to the growth of the town over the last 300 years. Falkirk is a large retail centre catering to the town itself and a wide surrounding area, stretching from Cumbernauld in the west to Bo'ness in the east.[27] The flagship retailer Marks and Spencer opened a store in Falkirk in 1936.[27] The High Street was pedestrianised in the late 1980s and the Howgate Shopping Centre opened in [27] 1989. A number of supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Scottish Co-op have developed on peripheral sites surrounding the town centre in recent years.[28]
The public sector and public services also have a foothold in the Falkirk area. Falkirk Council is one of the largest employers in this sphere, with a workforce of over 7,000, many based at the council headquarters in the town centre.[13] One of the principal offices of the UK Child Support Agency, covering Scotland and the north east of England, is located in the Callendar Business Park on the outskirts of Falkirk.[29] Similarly the National Health Service (NHS) and Department for Work and Pensions have a presence in the town and employ local residents.
Many Falkirk residents are also employed within the petrochemicals sector based in neighbouring Grangemouth where there is an agglomeration of such industries underpinned by the Ineos (formerly BP) oil refinery located there.[30] Alexander Dennis, one of the world's largest bus manufacturers, is headquartered in Falkirk with the operations plant located nearby.[31]
Falkirk is administered by NHS Forth Valley, this includes the unitary authorities of Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire. Following the opening of the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital, the Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary was renamed Falkirk Community Hospital[32] with many of the main services, including the accident and emergency unit being transferred.[32] Falkirk Community Hospital will still provide many services like podiatry and palliative care.[32] The Community Hospital continues to have a Minor Injury Unit, to treat emergency cases of a non life threatening nature.[33] In-patient and community services at Bonnybridge Hospital will re-locate to Falkirk Community Hospital in 2012,[32] once new modern, en-suite accommodation has been developed. A new purpose built dental centre, Langlees Dental Centre, provides a "teach and treat" dental centre in the Langlees area of Falkirk opened in August 2009.[32] It has seven dental surgeries and is involved in training final year students at Glasgow Dental School.[32]
The Falkirk Area occupies a central position in Scotland, with direct access from the key north-south and east-west motorway networks; the M9 from the north and east, and the M876 from the west. Falkirk has main rail and canal routes within easy reach from Edinburgh and Glasgow and is central to access to both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports. Falkirk is well situated both for access by rail from England and for access to other parts of Scotland excluding Fife, which has no direct rail link to Falkirk other than morning and evening commuter services from Kirkcaldy to Glasgow. Road access is to Fife provided by the Kincardine Bridge, Clackmannanshire Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge via the M9.
Falkirk has two railway stations; Falkirk High and Falkirk Grahamston.
Falkirk High is on the main Glasgow-Edinburgh line, with connections to either city running on a 15-minute frequency. At peak times 8 trains per hour stop; 4 for Glasgow Queen Street via Croy and 4 for Edinburgh Waverley via Polmont and Linlithgow. Journey times to Edinburgh vary from 27 minutes to 38 minutes depending on stopping stations and time of day; to Glasgow the journey time is between 23 and 26 minutes.
Falkirk Grahamston lies on the Edinburgh to Dunblane Line. Trains from Glasgow Queen Street on the Cumbernauld Line terminate at Falkirk Grahamston. There is also a daily direct service to London (King's Cross) provided by National Express East Coast, and the Caledonian Sleeper to London Euston also calls here. The main station building was opened in 1985 and serves over 950,000 passenger journeys each year.
Falkirk bus station lies in the town centre and has many bus routes providing frequent links to the cities of Stirling, Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as local routes around the Falkirk area.[34]
See also:
Falkirk is home to one of the four campuses of Forth Valley College which was formed on 1 August 2005 from the merger of Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannan colleges. The Falkirk Campus is by far the largest of the four campuses.
Falkirk is served by three high schools which have all been recently rebuilt.
| School | Roll | Opened | Catchment area |
| Falkirk High School | 1,200 | Originally 1886, rebuilt 2010 | Bainsford, Bantaskin, Carmuirs, Comely Park, Easter Carmuirs and Langlees Primary Schools |
| Graeme High School | 1,200 | Originally 1930, rebuilt 2000 | Hallglen, Laurieston, St. Margaret's, Victoria and Westquarter Primary Schools |
| St. Mungo's High School | 1,200 | Originally 1953, rebuilt 2009 | Falkirk area |
Falkirk hosted a national arts festival which ran in Callendar Park from 2000-2009 called Big In Falkirk. After its inception in 2000, the festival won Scottish Thistle Award for Events & Festivals in 2005.[35] Consisting of a free weekend of events, the festival was one of the largest cultural events in Scotland, attracting over 100,000 people. Hosted in Falkirk’s historical Callendar Park, the venue covers 180-acre (0.73 km2) with Callendar House as the focal point, the entertainment featured a wide variety of outdoor theatre, pyrotechnic displays, arts, comedy and big name music acts, alongside activities for all ages. The historical Callendar House is an imposing mansion with a 600-year history which is now a museum. Also located in Callendar Park is, The Park Gallery, a contemporary art gallery in the former Stable Block of the park.[36]
The Falkirk Wheel, the only rotary canal connector in the world is located within Falkirk. The attraction was completed in 2002 and it connects the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Union Canal.[37]
In Falkirk High Street lies the Falkirk Steeple, the current building was built in 1814 and is protected as a category A listed building. A stylised image of the steeple appears on the crest of Falkirk Football Club. It is widely regarded as the centre point of the town.
The town is home to two football clubs - Falkirk F.C. and East Stirlingshire F.C.. The home of Falkirk F.C., the Falkirk Community Stadium provides amenities like a restaurant and a bar as well as a nursery and soccer school training centre.[38]
The 2001 census[39] showed the majority of the population claim to belong to one of the Christian denominations with 48% of these being Church of Scotland, 12% being Roman Catholic, and 5% belonging to Other Christian denominations. A significant percentage of people (29%) belong to no religion, about 1% above the national figure.
Falkirk has two professional football clubs. Falkirk Football Club, known as "The Bairns", was established in 1876. Falkirk play their home games at the Falkirk Stadium. They currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division after being relegated from the Scottish Premier League in the 2009/10 season.
East Stirlingshire Football Club, established in 1881 currently compete in the Scottish Football League Third Division. Often shortened by fans to "The Shire", the team ground shares with local club Stenhousemuir at Ochilview Park after leaving their original home of Firs Park at the end of the 2007/08 season.
Falkirk Rugby Club, established in 1972 currently compete in the Scottish Premiership Division Two. The team play their home games at CALA Park, Camelon.
Falkirk also has a Hockey team, Falkirk GHG Hockey Club, which was formed from the merger of Graeme High School Former Pupils Hockey Club and Grangemouth Hockey Club in 1999. It now has five men's teams which play in various leagues, with their first team playing in the national league.
Falkirk is twinned with: Créteil, France;[40] Odenwald, Germany;[40] Quimper, France; and San Rafael, California, USA
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