Banknock

Banknock
Scottish Gaelic: Baile nan Cnoc

Canal bridge and lock on the Forth and Clyde Canal at Banknock
Banknock is in the west of the Falkirk council area in the Central Belt of the Scottish mainland.
Banknock
 Banknock shown within the Falkirk council area
Area  0.28 sq mi (0.73 km2)
Population 2,529 [1] (2001 census)
   – density  9,032/sq mi (3,487/km2)
OS grid referenceNS783789
   – Edinburgh  29.8 mi (48.0 km) ESE 
   – London  348 mi (560 km) SSE 
Civil parishDenny
Council areaFalkirk
Lieutenancy areaStirling and Falkirk
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town BONNYBRIDGE
Postcode district FK4 1
Dialling code 01324
Police Scottish
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK ParliamentFalkirk
Scottish ParliamentFalkirk West
Websitefalkirk.gov.uk
List of places
UK
Scotland

Coordinates: 55°59′15″N 3°57′08″W / 55.9875°N 03.95236°W

Banknock (Scottish Gaelic: Baile nan Cnoc) is a village within the Falkirk council area in Central Scotland. The village is 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west-southwest of Falkirk, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) east-northeast of Kilsyth and 3.0 miles (4.8 km) north-northeast of Cumbernauld.

Banknock is located on the Bonny Water, north of the Forth and Clyde canal and west of the A80 road near to the boundary of Falkirk and North Lanarkshire councils. At the time of the 2001 census, Banknock had a population of 2,529 residents.[1]

History

There were coal mines along the north side of the valley. Cannerton Pit was one of these mines and its spoil heap, locally called 'the Bing', was a local landmark Before the railway was built, the Banknock mines were linked to the Forth & Clyde Canal by a wagon way which is still traceable today. Banknock once had a railway station on the Kilsyth and Bonnybridge railway , a line which was built to serve these mines. When these mines closed, a brickworks was set up on the Cannerton site. This busy industrial site was once an important feature but is now disused. Another employer in the village was the foundry which was at the Coneypark end of the village and owned by the Dobson family who lived in what is now the Glenskirlie House Hotel. The Glenskirlie House Hotel has recently added a fake castle turret and it has become a popular venue for weddings.

Bankier Whisky Distillery closed in 1928, and was finally demolished in 1981.[2]

The part of the village where the Kilsyth Road crosses the Bush Burn was named Hollandbush and it was the centre of the village with a Post Office, Co-operative shops and a licensed grocers shop registered as Andrew Brown & Son. Banknock was particularly busy on Sundays due to the strict post-war licensing laws which dictated that only bona fide travellers may imbibe liquor on Sundays, and Kilsyth people would travel outwith their own environs in order to qualify.

Banknock Today

Banknock "the village on the hill" covers the areas described locally as banknock, haggs and longcroft. Made famous by local football teams such as Tony's tigers, the Gordon arms and laterally the haggs tavern. Famous for the ash park where all local events were hosted. All football matches were subjected to a stoppage due to someone raking right of way across the ashy. Banknock is the one great place in Scotland where it does not matter what half of the old firm divide you fall on you are always looked after

Local Schools

The only school in Banknock is Bankier Primary School - which has been awarded three Green Flags for its efforts to recycle and reuse waste. Secondary school pupils attend Denny High School, the nearest secondary school. Catholic pupils attend St. Patrick's Primary School and St Modan's High School for primary and secondary education respectively.

See also

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Banknock.