Bo'ness

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Coordinates: 56°01′01″N 3°36′32″W / 56.01681°N 3.60891°W / 56.01681; -3.60891

Bo'ness (Borrowstounness)
Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Fhail
Scots: Bo'ness (Burghstounness)
Bo'ness (Borrowstounness)  Bo'ness (Borrowstounness) shown within Scotland
Population	13,961 [1] (2001 census) est. 14,340[2] (2006)
OS grid reference	NS998816
Council area	Falkirk
Lieutenancy area	West Lothian
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BO'NESS
Postcode district	EH51
Dialling code	01506
Police	Central Scotland
Fire	Central Scotland
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Linlithgow and East Falkirk
Scottish Parliament	Falkirk East Central Scotland
List of places: UK • Scotland •

Bo'ness, properly Borrowstounness, is a village in the Falkirk (council area) of Scotland, lying on a hillside on the south bank of the Firth of Forth. Prior to 1975 the town was in the former county of West Lothian. Formerly a centre of heavy industry and coal mining, and a major port, the town is now primarily a commuter town.^[3]

Contents 1 History 2 Present 3 Sport 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] History

Bo'ness has important historical links to the Roman period and marks the eastern extent of the Antonine Wall ^[4] which stretched from Bo'ness to Old Kilpatrick on the west coast of Scotland. Roman artefacts, some with inscriptions have been found in the eastern part of the town in the parish of Carriden. A Roman fort called Veluniate and long since lost to history once stood on the site now occupied by the grounds of Carriden House. Indeed, it is said that stones from the fort were used in the building of the mansion house. Several artefacts have over the years been uncovered by the local farming community with many of them now on display in the Museum of Edinburgh. Other Roman sites have been identified at Muirhouses (known locally as "The Murrays") and Kinglass on the south-east side of the town. Kinneil, in the western part of Bo'ness, was mentioned by Bede, who wrote that it was named Pennfahel ("Wall's end") in Pictish and Penneltun in Old English . It was also Pengwawl in old Welsh. In the grounds of Kinneil House is the ruin of the small house where James Watt worked on his steam engine.^[5] The Antonine Wall was named as an extension to the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2007. A Roman fortlet can still be seen at Kinneil Estate.^[6]

The town was a recognised port from the 16th century; a harbour was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1707. The harbour, constructed progressively during the 18th century, was extended and complemented by a dry dock in 1881 (works designed by civil engineers Thomas Meik and Patrick Meik)^[7]. The commercial port (heavily used for the transport of coal and pit props) eventually closed in 1959, badly affected by silting and the gradual downturn of the Scottish coal mining industry. Plans currently exist for the regeneration of the docks area including reopening the port as a marina.^[8]

Bo'ness was a site for coal mining from medieval times. Clay mining was carried out on a smaller scale. The shore was the site of industrial salt making, evaporating seawater over coal fires. The ruins of several fisheries (fish storage houses) along the shoreline evidences long gone commercial fishing activitiy. The town was also home to several sizable potteries ^[9], one product being the black "wally dogs" which sat in pairs over many fireplaces. Metalworking is still carried out, and the Bo'ness Iron Company's drain covers are to be found in many places.^[10]

[edit] Present

Bo'ness is now primarily a commuter town and a tip, with many of its residents travelling to work in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Falkirk. One of the main local sources of employment is the BP petrochemical facility located in nearby Grangemouth.^{[citation needed]}

Present-day attractions in the town include the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway and the Birkhill Fireclay Mine. Kinneil House, built by the powerful Hamilton family in the 15th century, lies on the western edge of the town. In the grounds are a cottage where James Watt worked on his experimental steam engine and the steam cylinder of a Newcomen engine. The remains of an engine house are located in Kinningars Park, off Harbour Road.^{[citation needed]}

Bo'ness has a single secondary school, Bo'ness Academy, and five primary schools: Deanburn, Kinneil, Bo'ness Public School, St Mary's, and the Grange School. There are a number of churches, including Bo'ness Old Kirk, Carriden, St Andrew's Parish Church, Craigmailen UFC, St. Catharine's Episcopal Church, Bo'ness Apostolic Church, Bo'ness Baptist Church, The Bo'ness Salvation Army and St. Mary's RC, a modernist design of 1962 by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Sport

Bo'ness is home to the junior football club Bo'ness United, and also to Bo'ness United Ladies and Bo'ness United Under 16s. Bo'ness Academy has a rugby team. In the 2008/2009 season they will be in partnership with Grangemouth rugby club, so they are eligible for competitions and cups.

[edit] See also

• List of places in Falkirk district
• Antonine Wall

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Bo'ness Discussion Board
• Bo'ness community site
• Bo'ness web site
• Proposals by ING to transform harbor area
• Website on the historical Kinneil Estate, at the western edge of Bo'ness
• Bo'ness Pottery - The Pottery Industry of Borrowstounness 1766 - 1958
• Bo'ness Undiscovered Scotland - The Ultimaate Online Guide