Stenhousemuir

Stenhousemuir
Scottish Gaelic:*Featha Thaigh nan Clach*
Scots:*Stennymuir*
Stenny or Stenismare
Stenhousemuir Scottish Gaelic:Featha Thaigh nan Clach; Scots:Stennymuir; Stenny or Stenismare;
	Larbert and Stenhousemuir
	Stenhousemuir Location within theFalkirkcouncil area
Area	2+3⁄16sq mi (5.7 km2)
Population	9,620 (2022)
•Density	4,810/sq mi (1,860/km2)
OS grid reference	NS875831
•Edinburgh	24+1⁄2mi (39 km)ESE
•London	347 mi (558 km)SSE
Council area	Falkirk;
Lieutenancy area	Stirling and Falkirk;
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LARBERT
Postcode district	FK5
Dialling code	01324
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Falkirk;
Scottish Parliament	Falkirk East;
Website	falkirk.gov.uk
	List of places UK Scotland 56°01′41″N3°48′22″W/ 56.028°N 03.806°W

Stenhousemuir(/ˌstɛnaʊsˈmjʊər/;Scottish Gaelic:Featha Thaigh nan Clach) is a town in theCentral LowlandsofScotland.It lies within theFalkirk council areaofScotland.The town is 2 miles (3 kilometres) north-northwest ofFalkirkand directly adjoins toLarbertin the west, where the nearest rail access is located. The villages ofCarronandCarronshoreadjoin Stenhousemuir to the east but to a lesser extent. Historically, Stenhousemuir lies with the historic county ofStirlingshire.At the2001 censusit showed that it had a resident population of 10,351^[2]but according to a 2009 estimate this was revised to around 10,190 residents.^[3]The combined population of the four localities in 2011 was 24,722,^[4]representing about 15% of the Falkirk council area total.

In 2008, a £15 million town centre development scheme was completed and opened which provided a new civic square, a library and large retailing outlets for Stenhousemuir.^[5]

History

Arthur's O'on fromGordon'sbook.

The "stone house" from which the village took its name was a Roman building on the north of the Carron River Valley known in later centuries asArthur's O'on,i.e.King Arthur's oven. It is no longer to be seen, having been demolished to rebuild a dam on theRiver Carronby Sir Michael Bruce of Stenhouse in 1743.^[6]The stones were swept away in a flood soon after. Detailed drawings had been made in the 1720s and a replica was made in 1763 to serve as a dovecote on the roof of the stable block ofPenicuik Housein Midlothian, and this remains. The site of the original building has been localised to the garden of a modern house on a housing estate, apparently by the American academic Norma Lorre Goodrich (1917–2006).

Stenhousemuir became home to the "Falkirk Tryst"from 1785^[6]- one of the largest gatherings of livestock farmers and buyers from all over Scotland and beyond. After the decline of the Tryst inCrieff,the Falkirk Tryst came to be held more frequently, on the second Tuesdays of August, September and October each year.^[7]Thomas Gisbourne in his "Essay on Agriculture" described the Tryst in 1849 as "a scene to which Great Britain, perhaps even the whole world, does not afford a parallel".^[8]The Trysts continued until the late 19th century.

The town was home to theMcCowan'stoffee factory, established in 1922, who made both traditional toffee and also theWham Bar.^[9]

Sport

Ochilview Park, home of Stenhousemuir

Stenhousemuir F.C.play football atOchilview Parkand are currently inScottish League Two.The Tryst Golf Club, built in 1885, has its clubhouse in Burnhead Road, which is arguably inLarbert.

The Cricket Club has been in existence since 1876. It has produced international players representing Scotland and had a number of notable cricket professionals playing for the club e.g.Abdul Qadir.

Landmarks

Ochilview, Falkirk Tryst Golf Club and Stenhousemuir Cricket Club are all accessible via Tryst Road, leading north out of the village. The street is so called because it was the site of the annual Tryst. On the anniversary of the Tryst in September each year, a travellingfunfaircomes to the site.

There are four churches in the village: nearer the centre of the village is Larbert East Church with its imposing tower, meanwhile one third of a mile to the east of the village centre on the aptly named Church Street is theStenhouse and Carronchurch which is smaller but more distinctive architecturally, designed in 1897 by the firm ofJohn James Burnet.^[10]The village is home to a Salvation Army church and community centre housed in a modern building adjacent to Stenhousemuir Primary school. Further west along Main Street lies the Roman Catholic church of Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernadette. Larbert West church sits just across the old boundary of Burnhead Road between Stenhousemuir and South Broomage.^[11]

The shopping area of Stenhousemuir was renovated in 2008. A new library with community area, football pitch and new shops including a 40,000-square-foot (3,700-square-metre)Asdasupermarket alongside relocation of a number of existing businesses.

Part of the regeneration resulted in construction of a new community centre and rebuild of the medical centre which provides additional NHS support services to the area.

Notable people

William McAlpine(1922–2004) – leadingtenorof the 1950s and 1960s
John Walker Sharpe FRSEFIP (1916-1997) physicist
JimmyandJohn Hodge,footballer siblings who both played forManchester Unitedin the 1910s
Brian Hardie(born 1950),EssexandScotlandcricketer
Helen Eadie(1947–2013), Scottish Labour Co-operative politician

References

^"Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland".National Records of Scotland.31 March 2022.Retrieved31 March2022.
^No 3 - 2001 Census Population of settlements and wards(PDF).falkirk.gov.uk. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 3 June 2011.Retrieved1 May2011.
^Facts about Falkirk - Major Settlement Population (2009)(PDF).falkirk.gov.uk. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 28 June 2011.Retrieved1 May2011.
^"Insight 2011 Census, No. 6 - Settlement Population and Household Estimates"(PDF).Falkirk Council.Retrieved4 January2020.
^Stenhousemuir - Falkirk.scottish-places.info.Retrieved1 May2011.
^^a ^b"Overview of Stenhousemuir".Gazetteer for Scotland.Retrieved28 February2010.
^Haldane, A. R. B. (1997).The Drove Roads of Scotland.Birlinn. pp. 139–140.ISBN 1-874744-76-9.
^Cited in Haldane, pages 240-1.
^"Workers to learn Highland Toffee firm fate".BBC News.23 September 2011.Retrieved27 December2011.
^"DSA Building/Design Report: McLaren Memorial church, hall and manse".Dictionary of Scottish Architects.Retrieved28 February2010.
^"No. 16269".The Edinburgh Gazette.2 October 1945. p. 336.

External links

[1] "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland".National Records of Scotland.31 March 2022.Retrieved31 March2022.

[Pop.-2] No 3 - 2001 Census Population of settlements and wards(PDF).falkirk.gov.uk. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 3 June 2011.Retrieved1 May2011.

[Pop._estimate_of_Stenhousemuir-3] Facts about Falkirk - Major Settlement Population (2009)(PDF).falkirk.gov.uk. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 28 June 2011.Retrieved1 May2011.

[Pop_2011-4] "Insight 2011 Census, No. 6 - Settlement Population and Household Estimates"(PDF).Falkirk Council.Retrieved4 January2020.

[Development-5] Stenhousemuir - Falkirk.scottish-places.info.Retrieved1 May2011.

[gaz-6] "Overview of Stenhousemuir".Gazetteer for Scotland.Retrieved28 February2010.

[7] Haldane, A. R. B. (1997).The Drove Roads of Scotland.Birlinn. pp. 139–140.ISBN 1-874744-76-9.

[8] Cited in Haldane, pages 240-1.

[9] "Workers to learn Highland Toffee firm fate".BBC News.23 September 2011.Retrieved27 December2011.

[arch-10] "DSA Building/Design Report: McLaren Memorial church, hall and manse".Dictionary of Scottish Architects.Retrieved28 February2010.

[boundary-11] "No. 16269".The Edinburgh Gazette.2 October 1945. p. 336.

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