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[edit] Geography
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.[1] Falkirk sits at between 50 metres (164 ft) and 125 metres (410 ft) above sea level.[2]
The underlying geology of the town of Falkirk is characterised by glacial deposits. Elevations above 100m are covered by a mixture of glacial till and boulder clay with low lying areas covered by sandy soils and loams.[2] 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.[2]
Unsorted glacial till gives rise to such features of glacial deposition as eskers, and drumlins which are predomiant over much of the area. Such elements provide natural transportation routes and it is this complex underlying geology that the town is built upon.[2]
[edit] History
[edit] Early history
The earliest history of Falkirk can be traced back to the Roman era when the area marked the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, which was demarcated by the building of the Antonine Wall between 142 AD and 143 AD. A network of Roman roads and settlements, set up around the Wall (remants of which can be seen to the west and south of Falkirk today) and are likely to have housed small communities of Roman dwellers.[3] One such settlement is documented to have existed in the Pleasance area of Falkirk.[3] With the departure of the Romans from the area by the 3rd Century AD little is known about the inhabitants of Falkirk. By the Dark Ages, Falkirk is incorporated as part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde.[4] By the late 16th Century, historical records show Falkirk as a small town with a parish school and a water mill.[4] By 1600 Falkirk was granted status as a "Burgh of barony" entitled to hold a weekly market with a strong emphasis on crafts and trades.[4] By 1636 cloth is manufactured in Falkirk and a post office is set up in 1661.[4]
[edit] Industrial development
[edit] Modern history
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Government and Politics
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.[5] The Council is run by a Scottish National Party (SNP) and independent alliance.[5] The current Leader of the Council is Cllr David Alexander.[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.[7] The current MSP is Dennis Canavan who sits as an Independent.[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.[8] The constituency of Falkirk West also sits in the Central Scotland Scottish Parliament electoral region which returns 7 MSPs under the additional member system used to elect Members of the Scottish Parliament.[9]
In the United Kingdom Parliament 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.[10] The constituency also takes in surrounding villages and is currently represented by the Labour MP Eric Joyce.[10] Traditionally, Falkirk has been seen as a Labour stronghold.[10]
At EU level, Falkirk is part of the pan-Scotland European Parliament constituency which elects 7 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.[11] Currently, Scotland returns 2 Labour MEPs, 2 Conservative and Unionist MEPs, 2 SNP MEPs and 1 Liberal Democrat MEP, to the European Parliament.[11]
[edit] Economy
Today, the economy of Falkirk is focussed around 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. The flagship retailer Marks and Spencer opened a store in Falkirk in 1936. The High Street was pedestrianised in the late 1980s and the Howgate Shopping Centre opened in 1989. A number of supermarkets including Tesco, ASDA and Morrisons have developed on peripheral sites surrounding the town centre in recent years.
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.[12] 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 the neighbouring town of Grangemouth where there is an agglomeration of such industries underpinned by the BP oil refinery located there.[13] Alexander Dennis one of the world's largest bus manufacturers are headquartered in Falkirk with the operations plant located nearby.[14]
- Traditional industries - business parks, electronics etc + examples
- Developing tourism potential - Falkirk Wheel and Callendar House.
[edit] Notable places and attractions
[edit] Notes and citations
- ^ Milne et al (1975) p1
- ^ a b c d Milne et al (1975) p2
- ^ a b Falkirk - the Early Centuries. Falkirk Local History Society. Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ a b c d Smith (2001) p345
- ^ a b c Falkirk Council - About the Council. Falkirk Council. Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ Falkirk Council - Council Members. Falkirk Council. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
- ^ a b Previous Elections - 2003 Scottish Parliamentary Election - Falkirk West. The Scotsman. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
- ^ Scottish Parliament Electoral System. Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) (2006-08-31). Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ a b c All Scottish Seats - 2005 UK General Election - Falkirk. The Scotsman. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
- ^ a b UK MEPs - Scotland. European Parliament. Retrieved on 2007-01-31.
- ^ Falkirk - Scotland and North East England Business Unit. Child Support Agency. Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ David Gibson (2001-11-13). BP Grangemouth announcement - Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley reaction. Scottish Enterprise. Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ Alexander Dennis, Key facts. Alexander Dennis. Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
[edit] 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
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