Alloa The Five Minutes Spare Guide

Alloa is the biggest town in Clackmannanshire. It sits on the River Forth, right at the crux point where the river becomes the Firth of Forth. This is a bustling part of Scotland that has a long fishing history, but where there would have been ports dotted all around the land. Alloa lies just south of the picturesque Ochil Hills, in the shadow of the Munro Mountain Ben Ledi.

Alloa is the kind of tourist destination that you happen upon by accident. People don’t tend to flock here in droves, but once you see it, you can’t forget that backdrop of dramatic mountains and hills. It’s situated in stunning surrounds, with equal parts of river/sea access and beautiful countryside.

Does Alloa make a good place to visit for a home holiday? Absolutely. It’s central enough to be on the edges of the monuments and attractions of Stirling, yet close enough to Edinburgh to allow you some sightseeing for a day or two. Let’s talk through the history of this gorgeous little town and then catch up on the attractions.

Early Days of Alloa

The town of Alloa has its origins in the tower of Alloa. The tower existed in the 1300s, although it may have existed before then. The land was under the burgh of barony before becoming part of Clackmannanshire.

There is a distinct problem with the lack of early Scottish history that is available online. We can trace English towns back to Roman times, but because the Romans didn’t get past their walls, we don’t have those records of the north. What we do know about early Alloa is that Clan Erskine owned it.

The Tower of Alloa became the seat of the Erskine family, so many people in this area will still sport this surname. Clan Erskine originate from the Glasgow area, where the town of the same name is. Later, they would settle in the Alloa region and effectively birth the town. A clan seat was a sort of stronghold, a cross between a country estate and a place where the entire clan would gather for protection. Clan Erskine fought in the Battle of Kilsyth for the royals, with the fourth Lord Erskine even at the Battle o’ Flodden Field. When it comes to the history of Scotland, the Erskine’s were there… lowly lowlanders though they may have been.

The name Erskine is thought to mean ‘Green Rising Ground,’ which is said to be taken from their lands in Renfrewshire, where the Clyde renders green grounds.

At any rate, they held the tower for hundreds of years. The tower has housed Mary Queen of Scots, James VI, and more. The 6^th Earl of Mar restored it in the 18^th century.

The crown granted Alloa its charter in 1315, issued by King Robert the Bruce. The land was granted to Thomas de Erskine as Alway, which later became Alloa. Later The Bruce’s son David II appointed Sir Robert de Erskine as the Keeper of Stirling. Ever onwards, the clan were loyal to the kings and queens of Scotland. The Alloa lands were later granted to Robert for the clan.

The clan altered Alloa tower in 1497, which was the same year that the town was made into Alloa Burgh. In 1565, Lord Erskine inherited the title of Earl of Mar by Mary Queen of Scots. He went on to become the regent of Scotland when her son was only 13 months old. We all know that this didn’t end well.

The records barely mention Alloa again until 1645, when the Earl of Montrose ordered the Highland forces to raid the town for its Royalist beliefs. Famous map maker John Adair created a map of the area in 1681. In 1695, Tobias Bauchop finished Bauchop’s House, a local legend. He was a stonemason; the house was his masterpiece. It is the oldest surviving townhouse in Alloa to this day, so he must have built it well.

Let’s take a break from all this history for a moment. We are about to enter the Industrial age, although, for Scotland, it was slow-paced.

Fun Trivia About Alloa

There are lots of reasons why you should visit Alloa, and many of them are in fun or trivia fact form. Here are the bits of gossip we could scoop up that will make you look good at parties:

• Tobias Bauchop also worked on the old Alloa Parish Church, on Kinross House, and was even architect for the 3^rd Duke of Hamilton, who had work done on his beautiful Hamilton Palace replacement building in Chatleherault.
• Alloa Tower is the longest surviving Medieval Tower House in Scotland. Its original use was to safeguard the crossing point in the river. Guards would have been able to watch for traders and charge a toll.
• In 1867 Alloa had 6 breweries. One of the main productions of the time was snuff. They also made rope, sailcloth, leather, bricks, stoneware, machinery, and flour here[i].
• The Romans might never have conquered Alloa, but an alternative strand of thinking believe that the name came from Aluana, mentioned by Ptolemy.
• The Erskine family are responsible for the early building of the town. The clan housed and cared for its own.
• Weaving was the main manufactured product here until 1857 when petticoats and cloaks were no longer produced.
• There was a ferry over the Forth here for generations, ever since the invention of steam power. The railway would have eventually replaced it. The Forth Road Bridge wasn’t completed until 1958, so this part of Scotland couldn’t reach Edinburgh quite as easily as you can now.

Alloa has lots of delights in stock. You can go see for yourself, or you can just keep reading about them here.

Industrial Era Alloa

Although the Forth Road bridge wasn’t built until 1958, the first fourth bridge was in place in 1882. This opened trade for the people of Alloa since it was much easier to get back and forth from the capital city of Edinburgh.

Further trade came in 1710 when the town made improvements to the harbour. The 6th Earl of Mar was then able to turn it into a port where he took customs for goods passing through. This put that tower into full use. In 1713, he used the profits from the harbour toll to build the Gartmom Dam. It was the largest in Scotland at the time and he used it to power the town onto industrial success.

The following year, the same Earl planted the Lime Tree Walk– John Erskine. This made a nice promenade down to the harbour. Later, Lady Frances Erskine opened the first glassworks and a masonic lodge came to the town. In 1764, brewing was big business here and a man named George Younger opened the Meadow Brewery. Another brewery followed in 1774, and another in 1787. In 1799, the first whisky distillery opened, too. Ten years earlier, shipbuilding came to the town. In 1800 the mansion built in the shadow of the tower was destroyed by a fire. The population at the time was 5,214 people.

Guess what happened in Alloa in the 19^th century? In 1804, Mills Brewery opened. In 1806, a whisky distillery opened. Alloa Ale Brewing Company joined the scene in 1810 and Shore Brewery opened in 1819.

Between the breweries, the guards in the tower still took tolls. The gentry brought the Spinning Jenny to the mills here in 1814, which would have made fabric production easier. A steamboat service between Alloa and Stirling opened in 1815. St Mungo’s Parish Church opened in 1819, it cost £7,000 to build. In 1825, Alloa got its first school and two years later, gaslighting lit the streets.

In 1828 some construction workers unearthed a Bronze Age burial ground at Mars Hill. By 1838, the Erskine clan had rebuilt their mansion and two years later it earned status as an independent port. In 1841, Alloa received its first newspaper service, then in 1853, yet another brewery opened. In 1861, they needed a custom house because the port was doing so well. You can read more about the items that were shipped through in 1865, Alloa got its courthouse, then the Greenside School opened in 1865.

A small hospital opened in 1868, which allowed 12 patients treatment. Two years later – another brewery. No wonder they needed the hospital. In 1871 the town had 8,302 people. The next year they built the municipal buildings and in 1874, the Burgh Chambers opened. A third school shortly followed in 1876. Alloa Athletic, the local football club, began in 1878. The Forth Rail Bridge arrived in 1885, bringing a rail link to the capital and to Glasgow. Alloa town hall opened in 1887.

20th Century Alloa

In 1901, the population was 16,858. The Alloa glassworks were fully automated in 1908, before any other in the UK. In 1912 the Gean House opened. There are only a handful of names on the war memorial in South Alloa from WWI, but recent years saw students from the town observe the centenary in France. During the Second World War, the women of Alloa worked on munitions and shipbuilding.

In 1921, Alloa Athletic was elected into the revived Scottish Football League Second Division. They were champions that season and won a promotion.  They are the only Scottish League Team In The county but back then played the odd derby match with Clackmannan FC. They have enjoyed some success including winning the Scottish Challenge cup in 1999. They also reached the final of that competition in 2015 famously beating Glasgow Rangers 3-2 in the semi final. Check out our Alloa Athletic Guide if you fancy taking in a game.

James Baird designed Alloa Golf Course in 1935 and they built the Kincardine Bridge the following year. By 1951, Alloa had a population of 13,436. The breweries started to close down in the 1960s, the train station closed in ’68 and the port closed in the 70s. Alloa tower opened to the public in 1997.

The railway station was re-opened in 2007 which has helped the town’s economy and there are fairly regular services to Stirling, Glasgow & Edinburgh. This makes commuting a possibility.

Modern Alloa is an inspiring place, filled with hard-working people who appreciate the lands around them. Alloa could have gone the other way and become a super-industrialised area that everyone wants to avoid. Instead, it has a thriving community that are the descendants of the shipbuilders, Clan Erskine, and the cloth traders. It’s a handsome place with a wealth of history to it. Overall it’s a bit of a hidden gem being just about quiet enough for a relaxing holiday or for the more adventurous a good base to explore the region.

Let’s take a look at the famous people to have come from this area and then we can get to those attractions.

Famous People from Alloa

Whenever we review a UKJ town, we like to check out all the famous faces that came from it. Let’s look at who the most famous people to come from Alloa are.

• Robert Douglas Fyfe from Last of the Summer Wine was Alloa born.
• John Jameson, who fathered Jameson Whisky and who is the Great Grandfather to Guglielmo Marconi… who invented the telegraph system. He was not a gangster. He just had a gangster’s name.
• The cricketer Douglas Robert Brown went to school here.
• The 18th-century painter David Allan.

OK, so Alloa might have passed its heyday in terms of famous faces, but that doesn’t mean this small town in Scotland doesn’t have lots going for it. Visit and see for yourself. We can even tell you which attractions to look for.

Top Attractions in Alloa

Alloa is filled with wonderful things to see and do. Once you have done everything there is to do in town, you can head out into the Ochil Hills, climb a Munro, or explore the history of the nearby towns and villages. While exploring, try to spot the following sights.

Historic Sights and Landmarks

Let’s not pass over Alloa Tower as an attraction. It has received the Green Tourism award, among others. It has hundreds of years of history behind it, even providing a safe house for Mary Queen of Scots and her son in both their childhoods. Clan Erskine was loyal to the throne, just like the hated Campbells were. They sheltered the children within their own families. They were brave. Go visit their tower.

Not technically inside Alloa but within the same county, you could go and visit another of Mary Queen of Scots haunts for the day. Castle Campbell – historically, known as Castle Gloom – is in Dollar.

Dollar is a quaint small town where lots of expensive houses reside. It earned the nickname Castle Gloom because of the Campbell clan that occupied it. The Campbells were the right-hand killers of the Scottish throne. Upon the king’s orders, a bevvy of their soldiers slaughtered the MacDonald clan of Glencoe in their sleep one night. There’s a lot more to it than that, but there are still parts of Scotland that a Campbell cannot step. The castle is spectacular. The wee Historic Scotland man that works there knows all the history.

You can go on the Andy Scott Sculpture Trail and enjoy the scenic walking area for a short hike. There are lots of statues to enjoy, some of which are engineering feats as well as marvels. Andy Scott is an international sculptor who graduated from the Glasgow School of Art. Those of you who are not Scottish don’t know this, but it’s about the most prestigious art’s school that we have. Or it was until it burned down. Twice. It’s having a tough time, OK?

Galleries and Museums

There are not a lot of museums around at this end of the country Pre-warning if you go any farther north on the A9, take your own refreshments and a full tank of petrol. That being said, you can head out to Tullibody Heritage Centre to learn more about the ancient parish and the land. The church here dates to 1149, but don’t forget that Bronze Age burial mound the Industrial Era construction workers found in Alloa. It’s older than we care to speculate. The heritage centre gives a good background on the land and is particularly popular with the religious.

Outdoor Attractions

Gartmorn Dam Country Park and Nature Reserve has formed around the Dam built by the Erskine family in the 1800s. This is a 370-acre reservoir designed by the 6^th Earl. There are extensive paths throughout with plenty of animals to see. Birds love our reservoirs up north, so keep a close eye. The area is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and is on the migratory path for many species of bird in the winter months.

There are two parks that you need to be aware of in Alloa. One is the Recreation Park. This is home to Alloa Athletic FC. You can go there to catch a game or even rent out the pitch on off days. The second park is Greenfield Park. This is where you go to stroll in your scarf, hat, and drink pumpkin spiced lattes at a certain time of year. Normally, we’d tell you it’s where locals go to sunbathe but, you know, Scotland.

Walking

If walking or hiking is your thing, there are several walks and paths for you to explore. These range from moderately easy to rather strenuous.  There are plenty to choose from and most are detailed here.

Sports and Recreation

We already mentioned the football team a couple of times, but this is Scotland and dang it, we need some golf. In this neck of the woods, you have the option of three golf courses. However, Dollar is not far, and where we find the Dollar, we find the Trump complex. If you want a high-end golf game, pay it a visit. Otherwise, you have the Tulliallan Golf Club, the Braehead Golf Club, and the Alloa Golf Club all within a twenty-mile radius. Go nuts.

There was a Leisure Bowl here, but the Alloa council recently voted to close it for good. Sorry about that. You’ll find a bowling alley in Stirling, we imagine.

If you move into the area and you want something different to do, you can take part in the community gardening project. The project is called Wimpy Park and it appeared on an episode of the Beechgrove Garden.

Shopping and Retail

Alloa does have a market, but the frequency and the time of year affect it. There’s a Tesco Extra so you can shop for groceries. The best shipping is in the centre of town but there’s not all that much going on.

Things to do in Alloa with Kids

If you have kids, you should take them to the Kidzworld soft play centre in Alloa. They have a nursery in there, should you need someone to give you a break for a while, and they have an out of school club for the slightly older children. It’s not the kind of place you can leave your teenagers at, but it is good for the younger ones.

Other Notable Attractions Nearby?

Alloa itself might be filled with fun, but let’s not forget about that stunning countryside. There are loads of things to see and do nearby, too. Here are the Five Minutes Spare favourites:

• Alloa might not be big on museums and galleries, but you can visit some spectacular examples of architecture, instead. The religious often come to see the spectacle of St Mungo’s Parish Church.
• Go to Stirling and see the Wallace Monument or Stirling Castle.
• Go to Edinburgh, shop on Prince’s Street, or see Edinburgh Castle.
• Go north to Doune Castle, which was Winterfell Castle in GOT.
• Just literally throw a stone and pick a castle in the area where it lands.
• Visit the Moncrieff United Free Church. We have no idea.

How to get to Alloa?

That’s a good question. Here are all the loose directions you need to get to Alloa from Edinburgh.

By Road

Head northwest out of Edinburgh till you hit the A9, then loop east past Stirling.

By Rail

Head for Alloa train station.

By Air

If you fly into Edinburgh Airport you are less than an hour away.

By Sea

Alloa is no longer a port town, but you may be able to stop in the harbour. It is safest to travel on to the capital.

Got Five Minutes?

Here at Five Minutes Spare, we try to entertain all those who visit us. Whether it be a cheeky town guide or a new hobby, you can always count on us to provide some amusement. Catch up with us on Facebook or have a look at our other Scottish Town guides.

[i] https://maps.nls.uk/townplans/background/alloa.html

 

[ii] http://www.visitoruk.com/Alloa/21st-century-T3114.html