In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Bridge of Allan like this:
Allan, Bridge of, a fashionable watering-place in Logie and Lecropt parishes, Stirling and Perth shires. It stands on the left bank of Allan Water, and on the Scottish Central section of the Caledonian railway, 2 miles S by E of Dunblane and 3 N of Stirling, with which it was further connected by tramway in 1874. ...
A favourite summer retreat of invalids, at once for its healthy climate, its beautiful environs, and the near proximity of the mineral wells of Airthrey, it annually attracts great numbers of visitors. It comprises two parts or sections, an upper and a lower, the former on a small plateau of considerable elevation, the latter on alluvial ground adjacent to the river: and the declivity between these sections is adorned with trees and shrubs and public walks. Although containing several rows of well-built houses and many handsome shops, it mainly consists of elegant separate villas, with flower plots or gardens attached. It was constituted a police burgh in Oct. 1870, and is governed by a body of commissioners, consisting of a senior and 2 junior magistrates and 8 other members. It has a head post office, with money order, savings' bank, insurance, and telegraph departments, 5 first-class hotels, at least 140 private boarding and lodging houses, a branch of the Union Bank, 13 insurance offices, a bowling green, a public reading-room, a fine art and natural history museum, Turkish baths, a large hydropathic establishment, a handsome well-house, a gas and a water company, and a Saturday paper, the Bridge of Allan Reporter (1859). Paper-making, bleaching, and dyeing are carried on: and cattle fairs are on the third Wednesday of April and October, whilst in Westerton Park, on the first Saturday of August, are held the most famous athletic games of Scotland, the Strathallan Meeting. Constituted a quoad sacra parish in 1868, in the presbytery of Dunblane and synod of Perth and Stirling, Bridge of Allan has an Established church, with 650 sittings, a handsome Gothic edifice, built in 1859, and greatly enlarged in 1876: its minister's stipend is £150. There are also a U.P. church (1846,500 sittings), a Free church (1853,800 sittings), with spire 108 feet high, and St Saviour's Episcopal church (1857-72, 200 sittings), both the two last being Decorated in style. A public school, with accommodation for 200 children, had (1879) an average attendance of 178, and a grant of £142, 15s. Airthrey Castle, Westerton House, Keir, and Kippenross are in the vicinity, as also are Abbey Craig (362 feet), Dumyat (1375), and other summits of the Ochil range. Pop. of quoad sacra parish (1871) 2584, (1881) 2462: of burgh (1861) 1803, (1871) 3055, (1881) 3004.—Ord. Sur., sh. 39, 1869.
Bridge of Allan through time
Bridge of Allan is now part of Stirling district. Click here for graphs and data of how Stirling has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Bridge of Allan itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Bridge of Allan, in Stirling and Stirlingshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/17372
Date accessed: 26th April 2024
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