Falkirk is also the name of the Scottish council area centred on the town, see Falkirk (council area). Falkirk ( an Eaglais Bhreac in Gaelic) is one of the 32 Unitary authority Council areas in Scotland.

Falkirk
Scottish Gaelic: An Eaglais Bhreac
Scots: Falkirk (Fawkirk)
Falkirk shown within Scotland
Population	32,379 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	NS936809
Council area	Falkirk
Lieutenancy area	Stirling and Falkirk
Constituent country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	FALKIRK
Postcode district	FK1; FK2
Dialling code	01324
Police	Central Scotland
Fire	Central Scotland
Ambulance	Scottish
European Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Falkirk
	Falkirk West
Scottish Parliament	Falkirk East
List of places: UK • Scotland

Coordinates: 55°59′58″N 3°47′06″W / 55.9995, -3.785

Falkirk (Scottish Gaelic: An Eaglais Bhreac, lit. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. Scots ( The Scots leid) refers to Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland and Northern Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude For local government purposes Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as Falkirk ( an Eaglais Bhreac in Gaelic) is one of the 32 Unitary authority Council areas in Scotland. The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lord-lieutenants, the monarch 's representatives in Scotland. Stirling and Falkirk is a lieutenancy area of Scotland. It consists ofthe local government areas of Stirling and Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Falkirk postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Alloa, Alva, Bonnybridge, Callander, Clackmannan The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Central Scotland Police is the Police force covering the Scottish council areas of Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory fire and rescue service for the area of Central Scotland, Scotland. SASDivmap copyjpg|right|200px]] Helimed5jpg|thumb|right|EC-135 G-SASA "Helimed 5" based at Glasgow City Heliport]] The Scottish Ambulance Service ( Scottish Scotland constitutes a single Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Falkirk is a Constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Falkirk West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral Falkirk East is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates This List of places in Scotland is a complete collection of lists of places in Scotland. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. 'the Variagated [or 'Speckled'] Church' (presumably referring to a church building built of many-coloured stones) is a town in central Scotland lying to the north west and north east of the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, respectively. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom In 2004 the population, according to the General Register Office for Scotland, was 32,890 making Falkirk the 20th largest settlement in Scotland. The General Register Office for Scotland (Oifis Choitcheann a’ Chlàraidh na h-Alba is a Non-ministerial directorate of the Scottish Government that administers ^[1]

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. The Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part The Union Canal is a 315 mile (507 km Contour canal in Scotland, from Lochrin Basin Fountainbridge, Edinburgh to Falkirk The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the In the 18th and 19th Centuries Falkirk was at the centre of a large iron and steel industry, underpinned by the Carron Company which developed close to the town. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 The Carron Company was an Ironworks established in 1759 on the banks of the River Carron near Falkirk, in Stirlingshire, Scotland. In the last 50 years or so the vast majority of Falkirk's heavy industrial base has disappeared, with the economy of the town becoming increasingly services orientated.

Today Falkirk functions as the principal retail and administrative centre for the wider Falkirk Council area. Falkirk ( an Eaglais Bhreac in Gaelic) is one of the 32 Unitary authority Council areas in Scotland. Attractions in and around Falkirk include the Falkirk Wheel, remnants of the Antonine wall, and Callendar House. The Falkirk Wheel is a rotating Boat lift connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. The Antonine Wall is a stone and turf Fortification, built by the Romans across what is now the Central belt of Scotland Callendar House is an imposing mansion set within the grounds of Falkirk 's Callendar Park.

History

Callendar House at night

Callendar Park

The area has been of great strategic importance since the construction of the Antonine Wall between the Firths of Forth and Clyde in Roman times. Callendar House is an imposing mansion set within the grounds of Falkirk 's Callendar Park. The Firth of Forth ( Scottish Gaelic: Linne Foirthe) is the Estuary or Firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water sheltered from the Atlantic ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer Firth in Many of the best visible remains of the Romans in Scotland are in the Falkirk Area.

Falkirk is the only settlement in Great Britain to have a name in four languages:

• Egglesbreth in English (previous name)
• Falkirk (or Fawkirk) in Scots
• La Chapelle de Fayerie in French
• An Eaglais Bhreach in Scottish Gaelic

Two major battles took place at Falkirk:

• The Battle of Falkirk fought on July 22, 1298, saw the defeat of William Wallace by King Edward I. The Battle of Falkirk, ( Blàr na h-Eaglaise Brice in Gaelic which took place on 22 July 1298 was a major engagement in the First War of Scottish Independence. Sir William Wallace ( Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Uallas; c 1272 – 23 August 1305 was a Scottish Knight, Landowner, and Patriot Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost

• The second Battle of Falkirk took place in 17th January, 1746 between the Jacobites, under Bonnie Prince Charlie, and a government army commanded by Lieutenant General Henry Hawley. During the Second Jacobite Rising, the Battle of Falkirk Muir ( Scottish Gaelic:) was the last noteworthy Jacobite success For the US politician see Charles E Stuart For "Betty Burke" see The 'Forty-Five' below Lieutenant-general Henry Hawley (c 1679 - 1759 was a British Army officer who entered the army it is said in 1694 Hawley was defeated.

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: to this day, cast-iron cooking pots are known in Zimbabwe as "falkirks". The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Cast iron usually refers to grey cast iron, but identifies a large group of Ferrous Alloys which solidify with a Eutectic. See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election The area was at the forefront of canal construction when the Forth and Clyde Canal opened in 1790. Canals are artificial channels for water There are two types of canals water conveyance canals which are used for the conveyance and delivery of water and Waterways Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Union Canal (1822) provided a link to Edinburgh and early railway development followed in the 1830s and 1840s. In the course of time, trunk road and motorways followed the same national strategic corridors through the Falkirk area. A large brickworks was set up at this time, owned by the Howie family. Cr His Worship Thomas Wyllie Howie JP, Esq ( 8 April 1856 &ndash 18 July 1927) was a Victorian

Falkirk was 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.

Falkirk was, until 2007, home to the shortest street in Britain, Tolbooth Street to the North of the Steeple.

The town has two mottos: "Touch ane, touch a'" (Touch One Touch All) and "Better meddle wi' the de'il than the bairns o' Fawkirk" (Better meddle with the devil than with the bairns of Falkirk)

Geography

Falkirk is located in an area of undulating topography between the Slamannan Plateau and the upper reaches of the Firth of Forth. Slamannan ( Scottish Gaelic: Sliabh Mhanainn, slope of the Manau tribe is a village in the Falkirk Council area in central Scotland The Firth of Forth ( Scottish Gaelic: Linne Foirthe) is the Estuary or Firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows The area to the north of Falkirk is part of the floodplain of the River Carron. The River Carron ( Scottish Gaelic: Abhainn Carrann) is a river in central Scotland. 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. ^[2] Falkirk sits at between 50 metres (164 ft) and 125 metres (410 ft) above sea level. ^[3]

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. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Boulder clay, in Geology, is a deposit of Clay, often full of boulders which is formed in and beneath Glaciers and ice-sheets wherever they are found but Sand is a naturally occurring Granular material composed of finely divided rock and Mineral particles Loam is Soil composed of Sand, Silt, and Clay in relatively even concentration (about 40-40-20% concentration respectively considered ^[3] 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. Definition A raised beach or a marine terrace is an emergent coastal Landform. ^[3]

Unsorted glacial till gives rise to such features of glacial deposition as eskers, and drumlins which are predominant over much of the area. An esker is a long winding ridge of Stratified Sand and Gravel, examples of which occur in glaciated and formerly glaciated regions of A drumlin (Irish droimnín, a little hill ridge is an elongated whale-shaped Hill formed by glacial action Such elements provide natural transportation routes and it is this complex underlying geology that the town is built upon. ^[3]

Like much of the rest of Scotland, Falkirk has a temperate maritime climate, which is relatively mild despite its northerly latitude. An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the Climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi ( Φ) gives the location of a place on Earth (or other planetary body north or south of the Winters are especially mild given that Moscow and Labrador in Newfoundland lie on the same latitude, with daytime temperatures rarely falling below freezing, or 0 °C (32 °F). Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Modern Labrador Just like its island neighbour Newfoundland early settlement in Labrador was tied to the sea as demonstrated by the Montagnais, Innu and Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation Summer temperatures are comparatively cool, with daily upper maxima rarely exceeding 23 °C (73 °F). The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 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. The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful warm and swift Atlantic Ocean current that 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. A European windstorm is a severe cyclonic storm that tracks across the North Atlantic towards northwestern Europe in the winter months

Government and politics

A map showing the boundaries of the Falkirk Council area, one of the 32 Unitary authorities of Scotland. Falkirk ( an Eaglais Bhreac in Gaelic) is one of the 32 Unitary authority Council areas in Scotland. The town of Falkirk sits at the heart of the council area.

From the middle of the 17th century to 1859, the affairs of the burgh of Falkirk were managed by the Stentmasters, a body elected by the trades of the town and latterly also by districts of Falkirk. Their duties, while largely financial, included repairs to the market place, the streets, water pipes, cisterns and wells, the Town Steeple; and the prevention of encroachments on the public streets by any of the inhabitants or others. They also had the duty of appointing a billeting master and a town drummer, and were responsible for the management of the general policy of the town and also for the laying of assessments on the corporations and inhabitants according to the apparent ability of the persons assessed to pay them. The Stentmasters continued to exist side by side with the Town Council for some years, the first Falkirk Town Council having been elected in the Red Lion Inn in November 1838. The number of members then composing the Town Council was twelve.

Notable past Falkirk councillors include industrialist Thomas W. Howie and current Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling. Cr His Worship Thomas Wyllie Howie JP, Esq ( 8 April 1856 &ndash 18 July 1927) was a Victorian The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all Economic and Financial Alistair Maclean Darling (born 28 November 1953 is a British Politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer since 28 June 2007

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. Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a State. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in

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. For local government purposes Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as The Local Government etc (Scotland Act 1994 (1994 c 39 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current local government 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. ^[5] The Council is run by a Scottish National Party (SNP), independent and Conservative alliance as of early 2007. The Scottish National Party (SNP (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba Scottis Naitional Pairtie is a Centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. ^[5] The current Leader of the Council is Cllr David Alexander. Councillor David Alexander is the current leader of the opposition within Falkirk Council having formally been leader of the council from February 2001 to May 2007 ^[6]

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. The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral Falkirk West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) Member of the Scottish Parliament ( MSP) ( Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ( BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected The plurality voting system is a Single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member ^[7] 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. Michael Matheson was born on September 8, 1970 and has been an SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, first representing 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. Dennis Canavan (born 8 August, 1942, Cowdenbeath) is a Scottish politician and was an Independent Member of the Scottish In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the ^[7] 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. The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament ^[8] 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. Constituencies and council areas The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies as existing in at that time The Additional Member System (AMS is a branch of Voting systems in which some representatives are elected from geographic constituencies and others are elected under ^[9]

Minor fringe parties (on both sides of the political spectrum) are relatively popular in Falkirk compared with the rest of Scotland. In the 2007 elections, Falkirk had the highest proportion (though it was still very small) of British National Party voters anywhere in Scotland. The British National Party (BNP is a Far-right and whites only political party in the United Kingdom. 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). The United Kingdom Independence Party (commonly known as UKIP, ˈjuːkɪp Left of Labour parties won 5. 9% in total (including the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Socialist Party, Solidarity and others). The Scottish Green Party (Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba is the Green party of Scotland. This article deals with the Scottish Socialist Party that was formed in 1998 and is still active today 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. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories Falkirk is a Constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords ^[10] The constituency also takes in surrounding villages and is currently represented by the Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Eric Joyce. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Major Eric Stuart Joyce (born October 13, 1960, in Perth, Scotland) is a British politician and Member of Parliament for ^[10] 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. ^[10]

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. Scotland constitutes a single Constituency of the European Parliament. A Member of the European Parliament ( English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Union 's legislative body the European Parliament. The D'Hondt method (mathematically but not operationally equivalent to Jefferson's method, and Bader-Ofer method) is a Highest averages method for Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of Voting systems used in multiple-winner Elections (e ^[11] Currently, Scotland returns two Labour MEPs, two Conservative and Unionist MEPs, two SNP MEPs and one Liberal Democrat MEP, to the European Parliament. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU ^[11]

Economy and population

The pedestrianised High Street, dominated by the Steeple (1814) is the retail centre of Falkirk.

Today, the economy of Falkirk is focussed 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. Cumbernauld ( Gaelic: Comar nan Allt) is a New town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Bo'ness, properly Borrowstounness, is a town in the Falkirk Council area of Scotland, lying on a hillside on the south bank of the ^[12] The flagship retailer Marks and Spencer opened a store in Falkirk in 1936. Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30 ^[12] The High Street was pedestrianised in the late 1980s and the Howgate Shopping Centre opened in ^[12]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. Tesco plc is a British -based international grocery and general merchandising retail chain Asda is a United Kingdom Supermarket chain which retails food clothing and general merchandise Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC ( is the fourth largest chain of Supermarkets in the United Kingdom. Co-operative Group Limited, trading as The Co-operative Group, is a United Kingdom Consumers' co-operative, and one of the world's largest consumer-owned ^[13]

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. ^[5] 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. The Child Support Agency (or CSA) is a UK Government Executive Agency, part of the Department for Work and Pensions in Great ^[14] Similarly the National Health Service (NHS) and Department for Work and Pensions have a presence in the town and employ local residents. NHS Scotland (sometimes NHSScotland) ( Gaelic: SNN Alba or Bòrd slàinte na Alba) is the publicly funded healthcare system of The Department for Work and Pensions (or DWP) ( Welsh: Adran Gwaith a Phensiynau) is the largest government department in the Government

Many Falkirk residents are also employed within the petrochemicals sector based in the neighbouring town of Grangemouth where there is an agglomeration of such industries underpinned by the Ineos (formerly BP) oil refinery located there. Petrochemicals are chemical products made from raw materials of Petroleum or other Hydrocarbon origin Grangemouth is a town and former Burgh in the council area of Falkirk, Scotland, and formerly in the County of Stirling. In the study of human settlements an agglomeration is an extended City or Town area comprising the built-up area of a central place ( usually a Municipality Ineos is a privately owned UK chemicals company By revenue it is the third largest chemicals firm in the world (after BASF and Dow Chemical) and the biggest BP plc, previously known as British Petroleum, is the third largest global Energy company, a multinational oil company (" Oil major ^[15] Alexander Dennis, one of the world's largest bus manufacturers, is headquartered in Falkirk with the operations plant located nearby. Alexander Dennis Limited (formerly known as TransBus International) is the largest bus builder in the United Kingdom and one of the largest in the world ^[16]

The United Kingdom Census 2001 identified the town as having a total resident population of 32,379^[17] with 2004 estimates placing the total population at 32,890. A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 ^[1] 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. ^[18] Unemployment in the Falkirk area is low at 2. 5%, below the Scottish average, however average household income and gross weekly pay are below the comparative Scottish and UK averages. ^[18]

Culture

The area has an equally high reputation for its new residential, retail, heritage and leisure developments and it has gained much popularity as a place to live and a place to visit.

On the first Thursday of every month, the Falkirk Wheel Car Park (lower) plays host to Scotland's biggest car cruise, where car enthusiasts meet to show their cars and enjoy the atmosphere.

Heritage and culture have importance for residents and visitors alike, with attractions such as:

• Callendar House in Falkirk, an imposing mansion with a 600-year history
• The Falkirk Steeple, widely regarded as the centre point of the town
• Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, offering steam-train travel
• Big in Falkirk, Scotland's national street arts festival
• Two football clubs: Falkirk F.C., who play in the Scottish Premier League; and East Stirlingshire F.C., who play in the Third Division
• The Falkirk Wheel, the only rotary canal connector in the world. The Falkirk Steeple has been a landmark in Falkirk since the late 15th century The Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society, operates virtually the entire Slamannan and Borrowstounness Railway that Big in Falkirk is Scotland's National Street Arts Festival Since its inception in 2000 this award-winning (Scottish Thistle Award 2005 free weekend event has become one of the largest A street is a Public thoroughfare in the built environment It is a Public parcel of land adjoining Buildings in an urban context Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish football team based in Falkirk, playing in the Scottish Premier League after winning promotion from The Scottish Premier League, currently known as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League for sponsorship reasons and often known as the Premier League or SPL East Stirlingshire Football Club are a Scottish football club originating in Falkirk, although home matches are currently played in the nearby town of History The Scottish Football League has introduced a third division on three occasions The Falkirk Wheel is a rotating Boat lift connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. It connects the Forth and Clyde Canal to the Union canal
• Falkirk High Street is also the longest fully pedestrianised High Street in the United Kingdom

As the cradle of the Industrial Revolution in Scotland, a wide rich-poor gap was created, leading to one commentator to observe in the 1950s, "the poorer and the richer social groups (some very poor and some very wealthy) live close together and under the eyes of each other in Falkirk". The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the This can be seen most notably in Woodlands, Falkirk, where very large residences are often very close to, or even facing, council housing. Woodlands is a large central area (ward of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, which is mainly residential It has also meant that there is a very strong Conservative Party area in Woodlands and Polmont, while the others are mainly very strong Labour Party areas. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the

The 2001 census^[19] 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. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. The Catholic Church in Scotland ( Scottish Gaelic: An Eaglais Caitligeach) describes the organisation of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church in A significant percentage of people (29%) belong to no religion, about 1% above the national figure. Scotland is traditionally a Christian nation with around 65% claiming to be Christian at the 2001 census. Only about 5% of residents did not answer this question.

Twin towns

Falkirk is twinned with:

• Quimper, France
• Creteil, France
• Odenwald, Germany
• San Rafael, California, USA

Infrastructure

Health

The Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary (FDRI) is the principal public hospital serving the town of Falkirk and the surrounding area and is administered by NHS Forth Valley. Quimper ( Breton: Kemper, Latin: Corspotium) is a commune and capital of the Finistère department in This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Créteil is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Odenwald (ˈoːd(ənvalt is a low mountain range in Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. PLEASE DO NOT DELETE EMPTY FIELDS UNTIL JUNE 1 2007--THIS WILL TAKE A WHILE--> San Rafael (ˌsænrəˈfɛl originally sɑn rɑfɑˈɛl The United States of America —commonly referred to as the NHS Scotland (sometimes NHSScotland) ( Gaelic: SNN Alba or Bòrd slàinte na Alba) is the publicly funded healthcare system of ^[20] In recent years the accident and emergency services at the hospital have been downgraded with major A&E facilities having been consolidated to the Stirling and District Royal Infirmary. ^[21] However, the FDRI continues to have a Minor Injury Unit, to treat emergency cases of a non life threatening nature. ^[21] Maternity provision at the FDRI has also been consolidated to Stirling. Maternity is the social and legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a Mother and her Child. ^[20] A new £300m hospital for the NHS Forth Valley area (which includes the unitary authorities of Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire) is to be built and opened at Larbert by 2009. Stirling ( Sruighlea in Gaelic) is one of the 32 unitary local government Council areas of Scotland, and has a population of about Clackmannanshire ( Siorrachd Chlach Mhannainn in Gaelic; nicknamed "the wee county" and sometimes called Clacks is one of the 32 local government Larbert is a small town in the Falkirk council area of Scotland. ^[21] This will replace and combine the existing facilities at both Falkirk and Stirling. ^[21]

Transport

The view from the footbridge at Falkirk Grahamston, looking towards the east. Falkirk Grahamston railway station is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Falkirk in Scotland. The main station building (located on the left) was opened in 1985 and serves over 950,000 passenger journeys each year.

The Falkirk Area occupies a central position in Scotland, on the key north-south and east-west motorway, rail and canal routes and within easy reach of Edinburgh and Glasgow airports; Falkirk is well situated both for access from England and for access to other parts of Scotland. Falkirk ( an Eaglais Bhreac in Gaelic) is one of the 32 Unitary authority Council areas in Scotland. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Falkirk has two railway stations; Falkirk High and Falkirk Grahamston. Falkirk High railway station is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Falkirk in Scotland. Falkirk Grahamston railway station is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Falkirk in Scotland. Falkirk High is situated on the main Glasgow-Edinburgh line, with connections to either city running on a 15-minute frequency. Falkirk High railway station is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Falkirk in Scotland. The Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line is a mainline Railway line linking Glasgow and Edinburgh via Falkirk in Scotland. At peak times 8 trains per hour stop; 4 for Glasgow Queen Street via Croy and 4 for Edinburgh Waverley via Polmont and Linlithgow. Glasgow Queen Street ( Glaschu Sràid na Banrighinn in Gaelic) is a Railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, and is one of the city's Croy Railway station serves the towns of Croy and Kilsyth, as well as part of Cumbernauld, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland Edinburgh Waverley railway station, commonly referred to as just " Waverley " locally is the main Railway station in the Scottish capital Polmont railway station is a Railway station serving the village of Polmont, Scotland. Linlithgow railway station is a Railway station serving the town of Linlithgow in West Lothian, Scotland. 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. Falkirk Grahamston railway station is one of two Railway stations serving the town of Falkirk in Scotland. The Edinburgh to Dunblane Line is a Railway line in East Central Scotland. Trains from Glasgow Queen Street on the Cumbernauld Line terminate at Falkirk Grahamston. The Cumbernauld Line is a suburban Railway line linking Glasgow and Cumbernauld in Scotland. 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. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. King's Cross station is a major railway terminus opened in 1852 National Express East Coast is the name under which the Train operating company NXEC Trains Ltd operates the InterCity East Coast rail franchise which The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper Train service operated by First ScotRail and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways Euston station (official name London Euston) is a major Railway station to the north of central London in the London Borough of Camden

Falkirk Wheel

The Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal pass nearby, interconnected by the famous Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift. The Falkirk Wheel is a rotating Boat lift connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. The Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part The Union Canal is a 315 mile (507 km Contour canal in Scotland, from Lochrin Basin Fountainbridge, Edinburgh to Falkirk The Falkirk Wheel is a rotating Boat lift connecting the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. A boat lift, ship lift, or lift lock is a machine for transporting boats between water at two different elevations and is an alternative to the Canal lock

Sport

Falkirk has two football teams, Falkirk F.C. and East Stirlingshire F.C.. Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish football team based in Falkirk, playing in the Scottish Premier League after winning promotion from East Stirlingshire Football Club are a Scottish football club originating in Falkirk, although home matches are currently played in the nearby town of Falkirk F. C are in the Scottish Premier League East Stirlingshire are in Scottish Third Division. The Scottish Premier League, currently known as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League for sponsorship reasons and often known as the Premier League or SPL History The Scottish Football League has introduced a third division on three occasions They are often referred to as "Britain's worst football team". ^[22]

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.

Famous people

George Forrest was born in Falkirk on March 13th 1873, died in 1932. He was responsible for bringing back over 30,000 specimens of 10,000 plants mostly from the Yunnan Province of China over a period of 17 years. Rangers FC player David Weir resides from Falkirk, and went to Woodlands High School in Falkirk. Rangers Football Club are an Association football team based in Glasgow Scotland, who currently play in the Scottish Premier League. David Gillespie Weir (born May 10, 1970 in Falkirk) is a Scottish professional football player who currently plays for Rangers He grew up in Shieldhill. Falkirk FC player Jack Ross also resides in Falkirk, and went to Falkirk High School, he grew up in Camelon. Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish football team based in Falkirk, playing in the Scottish Premier League after winning promotion from Jack Ross (born June 5, 1976) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays in defence and midfield for Scottish Premier League

Tommy Douglas, the Canadian social democratic politician, who is often cited as "father" of Canada's Medicare public health insurance system and was voted The Greatest Canadian, was born in Falkirk. Thomas Clement "Tommy" Douglas, PC, CC, SOM ( October 20, 1904 – February 24, 1986) was a Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Social democracy is a Political ideology of the left and centre-left This article refers to medicare a name for Canada's publicly-funded health insurance system for hospital and physician services Officially launched on April 5, 2004, The Greatest Canadian was a television program series by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC to

Michael Absalom was born in Falkirk but moved to different areas in his life. Michael Absalom, more commonly known as ' Abs', was a regular presenter on CBBC from 2002 to

Notes and citations

References

• Dowds, T (2003): "The Forth and Clyde Canal - A History". Tuckwell Press. ISBN 1-8623-2232-5
• Macleod, I (2004): "The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Scotland". Lomond Books, Edinburgh. ISBN 1-8420-4028-6
• Milne, D; Leitch, A; Duncan, A; Bairner, J & Johnston, J (1975): "The Falkirk and Grangemouth Area". Paper for the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers' (SAGT) conference, October 1975. Moray House College of Education, Edinburgh.
• Nimmo W (1880): "The History of Stirlingshire, Third Edition" Vol II. Hamilton, Adams and Company, Glasgow.
• Smith, R (2001): "The Making of Scotland". Canongate Books, Edinburgh. ISBN 1-8419-5170-6

External links

• Falkirk Council Website
• Falkirk Online Community Website
• Third Statistical Account of Falkirk