UrbanLots

Falkirk is a town in the central area of Scotland, close to the main cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. In the local Scottish Gaelic language the name Falkirk means a many coloured church. It is actually the fifth biggest urban centre in Scotland after Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen.

The whole area had held great value since the building of the Antonine Wall in Roman times between the Firths of Clyde and Forth. These canals allowed for the town to grow as a base for industry during the industrial revolution, and it was the main focal point for a large steel and iron industry. Today the heavy industry has fallen into decline and now most of the businesses in the town are focused on services.

A number of important historical events have occurred in Falkirk. There was the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 during which King Edward I defeated William Wallace, the Scottish freedom fighter. Another Battle of Falkirk was fought during 1746, this time between a government army led by Henry Hawley and the Jacobites controlled by Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Falkirk holds a number of claims to fame. For example the town was the first in the British Isles to have a completely automatic street lighting system and it is also home to the shortest street in the country – Tolbooth Street.

In similarity to most of Scotland, Falkirk receives a temperate moist climate that is surprisingly mild considering its northerly latitude. It is rare to find the temperature dropping below freezing even in the middle of winter. Most people choose to visit during the summer months.

The town continues to prosper as it has developed a status as a market and shopping area for people from outlying villages and smaller towns. Falkirk has excellent transport connections to the rest of the country by road and rail.