Today it’s occupied by flats, a field and some foliage. But 100 years ago, this site at Corbiehall in Bo’ness was a hive of activity – and home to Bo’ness Distillery. The Distillery occupied ground just below the Old Kirk in Bo'ness. The distillery was founded in the early 1800s by Messrs Tod, Padon and… Continue reading Just off the Kinneil foreshore – once home to a large distillery
Category: Kinneil Nature Reserve
Kinneil’s feathered appeal is no flight of fancy
“Kinneil Nature Reserve is an amazing place to visit.” -David Anderson, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Scotland The Kinneil foreshore welcomes thousands of walkers and cyclists each year. But the area is also an important destination for visitors of the feathered variety. David Anderson, from the Royal Society for the Protection of… Continue reading Kinneil’s feathered appeal is no flight of fancy
Harking back to when coal was king
Today it’s a haven for wildlife and walkers. But the site of Kinneil Nature Reserve was once home to the last colliery in Bo’ness. The National Coal Board started construction on new pit buildings at Kinneil in 1951. Works were completed in 1956. The plaque that once adorned the pit buildings - marking completion of… Continue reading Harking back to when coal was king
End of an era: the closure of Bo’ness Dock
It was the end of an era. On Tuesday, June 30, 1959, Bo’ness Dock was closed to commercial trade. A large crowd turned out to see the final vessel – a Dutch ship – sail out of the dock the next evening. The closure brought to an end a two-year fight between local people and… Continue reading End of an era: the closure of Bo’ness Dock
Going full steam ahead to Bo’ness
Seaview Place car park in Bo’ness was once home to the town’s original railway station. Work started on creating a branch line – an extension of the Slamannan Railway – in the 1840s, with the first revenue-earning train running in 1851. Initially the track was used to carry goods from the busy industrial complexes around… Continue reading Going full steam ahead to Bo’ness
When witches were burned at the stake
“Although witchcraft has been legally abolished, the cult of the witch is so dear to humanity that it is, in some aspects, prevalent today as it was some centuries ago.” - TJ Salmon, 1913 December 23, 1679: five women and one man were burned at the stake at the glebe of Corbiehall (near the current… Continue reading When witches were burned at the stake
Bo’ness and the search for ‘white gold’
“During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, both shores of the Firth of Forth were studded with salt pans, and a big export trade was developed.” -Historian TJ Salmon It was once called “white gold”. Sea salt was harvested in Scotland for hundreds of years – with the first salt pans being developed in the 12th… Continue reading Bo’ness and the search for ‘white gold’
Kinneil word search
New Year, new lockdown, and freezing weather... and a return for many to home schooling. To help pass the time, download and try our fiendish Kinneil Word Search. If anyone in the family has any questions about any of the words and phrases, and their relevance to the history and heritage of Kinneil, add them… Continue reading Kinneil word search
Bid to attract visitors to Estate and Nature Reserve
A NEW push to attract tourists to Bo’ness got underway this week. Bo’net – which represents dozens of groups in the town – updated and republished its free map and guide to attractions in the area. Copies will be available from local libraries and other outlets in the district. You can also download a PDF… Continue reading Bid to attract visitors to Estate and Nature Reserve
Bo’ness foundry makes markers for Kinneil
Ballantine's Foundry in Bo'ness has been making markers for Kinneil Nature Reserve and other sites around the Forth Valley. It's part of the National Lottery-funded Inner Forth Landscape Initiative. Read the full story on The Falkirk Herald site.
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