Fishcross

The 14th century saw a new family taking up residence at Callendar House. Unwisely, Patrick of Callandar took up arms against King David II and as a punishment lost his estate. In 1346, the king granted the estate to Sir William Livingston. To make certain of his title, Sir William married Christian, daughter of the ousted Patrick. The Livingstons wanted better than the thane’s wooden hall and set about building themselves a stone tower. The original tower, with its massive thick walls, still exists but is hidden within the present day Callendar House. The house, and the Livingston family, were to play a crucial role in the history of Falkirk and of Scotland. The third Livingston, Sir Alexander, raised the young King James II and, until the king was old enough to take over, Sir Alexander ruled the country. The Livingstons prospered from their rule over the lands of Callendar and were able to extend Callendar House with an east wing. It was now fit to accommodate a queen. (David Elliot) THE LIVINGSTON EFFIGIES 2005 ZZZ05021 (David Elliot) The effigies of two leading Livingstons, possibly Alexander and William, and their ladies, lie in the eastern passage of the parish church. Unfortunately the effigies were exposed to the weather during most of the 19th century.
An extract from from"Falkirk - A History & Celebration".

FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS Falkirk’s way of life had changed only slowly. It was still based on agriculture and the burgh market. But when the red glow of the Carron Iron Works first lit up the night sky on 26 December 1759 it marked the start in Scotland of the well-named Industrial Revolution. It was to change dramatically the way people lived. Although iron was being produced elsewhere in Scotland, using charcoal made from Highland forests, the Carron Company used different technology and was on a quite different scale. Three men of enterprise set it up. Dr John Roebuck had quit medicine to pursue scientific interests, Samuel Garbett was a businessman and William Cadell was a merchant with coal and transport interests. A site was chosen on the banks of the River Carron at a spot two miles north of Falkirk, where the river provided a good flow of water to drive the cold blast bellows. A short canal to Carronshore allowed raw materials to be imported and finished goods to be exported. There was coal at Bo’ness, Kinnaird, Carronhall and Shieldhill; local ironstone and fireclay, and limestone in Fife. The company planned four blast furnaces, a forge with three hammers, a boring mill, a slit mill and at least four furnaces. It quickly earned the reputation of being the most important foundry in Europe. Its use of Scottish iron ore and coke made from local coal was revolutionary. (Falkirk Council Cultural Services) Taken from near the site of Forge Row looking southwards towards the Dams and Carron Blast Furnaces.
An extract from from"Falkirk - A History & Celebration".

The longest canal tunnel in Scotland is on the Union Canal. It was built because the Forbes family did not want Callendar House to look onto a canal. The tunnel is 630 metres long. It was cut through solid rock by mainly Irish labour, some of whom were killed by rock falls. A Scot wrote at the time ‘few of our countrymen is at it as in general they cannot stand the work’. Years later, a miner, slightly the worse for wear, was making his way through the tunnel one night when a great monster on the towpath reared up in front of him. He ran for his life, convinced the devil was after him. It was, however, only the tow-horse of a barge that had got stuck in the tunnel.
An extract from from"Falkirk - A History & Celebration".

The longest canal tunnel in Scotland is on the Union Canal. It was built because the Forbes family did not want Callendar House to look onto a canal. The tunnel is 630 metres long. It was cut through solid rock by mainly Irish labour, some of whom were killed by rock falls. A Scot wrote at the time ‘few of our countrymen is at it as in general they cannot stand the work’. Years later, a miner, slightly the worse for wear, was making his way through the tunnel one night when a great monster on the towpath reared up in front of him. He ran for his life, convinced the devil was after him. It was, however, only the tow-horse of a barge that had got stuck in the tunnel.
An extract from from"Falkirk - A History & Celebration".

In 1800 Lord Thomas Dundas asked William Symington of Wanlockhead to design a new steam engine to drive a canal tug. In March 1804 the ‘Charlotte Dundas’ pulled two barges totalling 130 tonnes for 19 miles towards Glasgow, against a head wind. It was a successful performance and certainly impressed Henry Bell and Robert Fulton of New York. Unfortunately, the canal company stopped further work for fear of damage to the canal banks. Bell went on to exploit Symington’s ideas on the Clyde as did Fulton in New York and he is normally credited with the first commercial application of steam power on water. Sadly, the ‘Charlotte Dundas’ rotted away at Tophill and William Symington died in poverty.
An extract from from"Falkirk - A History & Celebration".