Fauldhouse
| Fauldhouse | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Falas | |
| Scots: Fauldhoose | |
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  Fauldhouse |
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| Population | 4,730 (2004 est) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | NS929606 |
| Council area | West Lothian |
| Lieutenancy area | West Lothian |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bathgate |
| Postcode district | EH47 |
| Dialling code | 01501 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Linlithgow and East Falkirk |
| Scottish Parliament | Almond Valley |
Coordinates: 55°49′38″N 3°42′33″W / 55.827229°N 3.709073°W
Fauldhouse (Scots: Fauldhoose,[1] Scottish Gaelic: Falas)[2] is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is about halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
History
Fauldhouse is known since the Middle Ages, and was known until the 19th century by the names "Falas" or latterly "Fallas." The seventeenth century Dutch mapmaker Willem Blaeu features Fauldhouse as "Falas" on two maps in his Atlas Novus of Scotland. There are families with the surname Fallas, who obviously had ancestors who came from Fauldhouse. The name Fallas or Fauldhouse has been translated as "house on the fold", "house in the field", or "house on unploughed (fallow) land". However, the name may be older than the Middle Ages and might even be derived from the Brythonic or Welsh-type language once spoken in the Lothian region.
A desolate location on the edge of a moorland, the decline in its mining and other industries and a general reputation for being quite tough have made it a rather neglected place in recent times, though relatively cheap property prices and its proximity to the two major Scottish cities are now stimulating signs of regeneration. The population is currently increasing with hundreds of homes being built.
Facilities
To the south of Fauldhouse is the 18 hole Greenburn Golf Club which was founded in 1892, but which has been on its present site for around 50 years. Trains run through the course over a viaduct. The village also has two primary schools, Falla Hill and St John the Baptist RC, which have both been expanding over recent years. The local high school for Falla Hill is Whitburn Academy and for St John the Baptist, St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn.
Fauldhouse once boasted a cinema but it was closed many years ago.
Neighbouring villages include Longridge, Shotts and Stoneyburn. The nearest town to Fauldhouse is Whitburn followed by Livingston.
The church of St.John the Baptist was the first Roman Catholic parish in West Lothian, in the year 1873.
The town is served by Fauldhouse railway station, on the Shotts Line between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
People
Stephen Greenhorn, who wrote River City and Marchlands, is from Fauldhouse. In 2013 Greenhorn adapted his musical Sunshine on Leith for the big screen. The film was shot in Glasgow and Edinburgh in late 2012 and stars Peter Mullan and Jane Horrocks, and is directed by Dexter Fletcher.
John McLaren, who won the title Scottish Junior Cross Country Champion in 1954 and then retained the title. In 1955 McLaren won the English title as well. He represented Scotland six times throughout his career.[3]
Sports
Football Team
The local football team is Fauldhouse United who play in Eastern Region and won the Scottish Junior Cup in 1946.
In 2001, the Fauldhouse Foxes BC was formed, later being known as Fauldhouse FCA. They now operate with teams ranging from Under 9 up to Under 19. The Under 13s won the Scottish Cup in 2011 beating Syngenta Juveniles 3-0 in the final.
Golf
To the south of Fauldhouse is the 18 hole Greenburn Golf Course which was founded in 1892, but which has been on its present site for around 50 years. Trains run through the course over a viaduct.
Cricket
The local cricket club is Fauldhouse Victoria. They were established in 1855 and are one of the oldest clubs in Scotland. The 1st team play in the East of Scotland Division 1.
Swimming
There is a swimming club in Fauldhouse called the Fauldhouse Penguins. They are a successful team and are part of the swimming development programme in West Lothian called Swim West Lothian or SWL for short.
References
- ↑ The Online Scots Dictionary
- ↑ List of railway station names in English, Scots and Gaelic – NewsNetScotland
- ↑ 1956 International Cross Country Championships
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fauldhouse. |