Balfron

infobox UK place
country = Scotland
official_name= Balfron
scots_name=
gaelic_name=
population= 1,518 [cite web|publisher=Scotland's Census Results Online|title =Comparative Population Profile: Balfron Locality | url=http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/browser/profile.jsp?profile=Population&mainArea=balfron&mainLevel=Locality | date = 2001-04-29| accessdate =2008-08-31 ] (2001 census)
est. 1,790 [http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data] (2006)
os_grid_reference= NS546890
map_type=Scotland
latitude=56.071775
longitude=-4.337256
unitary_scotland= Stirling
lieutenancy_scotland=
constituency_westminster=
constituency_scottish_parliament=
post_town= GLASGOW
postcode_district = G63 0xx
postcode_area= G
dial_code= 01360

Balfron, is a village in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It is situated near Endrick Water on the A875 road, 18 miles (29 km) west of Stirling and 16 miles (26 km) north of Glasgow. Although a rural settlement, it lies within commuting distance of Glasgow, and serves as a dormitory town. It has shops, a health centre, a village hall and a secondary school (Balfron High School). The village also contains a fire station, garage, ambulance depot, police station, primary school, bowling green and an [http://www.balfrongolfsociety.org.uk 18 hole golf course] . The residential special school Ballikinrain is also located in Balfron and caters to intervening for boys with special needs from all over Scotland.

The Secondary School (Balfron High School) opened in 2001, replacing a 1960s era building which had previously acted as the secondary school, and was built under the governments PPP Public-private partnership project with the company Jarvis. It and the local primary school are located in separate buildings on the same campus and is signposted in the village as "Balfron Campus". The old school, which originated from the 19th century and was still used as classroom space until 2001 is now being made into two homes.

The name means 'village of mourning' in Gaelic. This originates from a legend that the village was attacked by wolves, which stole children out of their homes. Modern historians believe that an attack by Vikings was more likely, as they did steal children. Haakon’s Saga and Exchequer Rolls of the time give evidence of a Norse invasion as far as Stirling Castle through the Endrick Valley in 1263 – the same year as the Battle of Largs.

Balfron Church is situated in the settlement and shares a minister with the neighbouring parish of Fintry.

Balfron has an ancient oak – The Clachan Oak – where William Wallace is said to have rested and later Rob Roy is supposed to have hidden. Rob Roy's sons abducted young widow-heiress Jean Key from nearby Edinbellie and forced her to marry Robin Oig MacGregor who was hanged for the crime.

In 1789, when Robert Dunmore built Ballindalloch Cotton Works he expanded the settlement from a hamlet of around 50 people to a bustling Industrial Revolution planned village with a population of almost 1,000 within a year.

Balfron is the birthplace of the architect Alexander 'Greek' Thomson whose father was a bookkeeper at Ballindalloch Mill.

As the cotton boom began to fail, the arrival of the Forth and Clyde Junction Railway transformed Balfron into a popular holiday resort. Testament to this was the presence of the Tontine Hotel, which stood at the corner of Buchanan Street and Cotton Street. The plethora of no longer required ex-army vehicles after World War I began the village's connection with buses which still survives today. The village, in size is more of a small town and is the main centre for the area of Strathendrick as the main local police and health centres are there along with the fire station, registry office, council depot and ambulance station.

Many youth groups work in the village including the fire cadets, scouts, guides and a Christian youth group. The fire cadets are the newest youth group to be set up be Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service in 2002 and they operate from the local fire station and attract members from all over the area.

References

External links

* [http://www.balfronheritage.org.uk Balfron Heritage Group] aims to promote the history of the village and parish : preserving the past – protecting the future.
* [http://www.ballikinrain.org/ Ballikinrain]
* [http://www.centralscotlandfire.gov.uk/ Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service]
* [http://www.csfrs-fire-cadets.org.uk/ CSFRS Fire Cadets]
* [http://www.balfronhigh.org.uk/ Balfron High School]