IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Carronshore Road, FALKIRK, FK2 8DZ

The central one of these three houses in Carronshore Road, Carron, is called "Keswick Cottage". It was so named by the man who had it built. He had been unable to pay for the honeymoon in the Lake District that his fiancee had asked him for but years later named this, the first home they owned, "Keswick" in a form of compensation. (Not many people know this but I happen to, as he was my paternal grandfather, who was head pattern-maker in the Carron Iron Works which at that time was just a few hundred yards behind the camera position.)

Looking east.

This isolated clocktower is all that remains of the old stone buildings of the Carron Company's works. The base of the tower contains a display of cannon made by the company, the "carronade".

Dated iron lintel from the first operational blast furnace at the Carron Works, embedded in the wall of the old clocktower entrance.

A fragment of the main cylinder of James Watt's first operational steam engine, embedded in the wall of the old clocktower entrance to the Carron Works. Image

The trademark of the Carron Company above the old entrance to the ironworks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carron_Company "Carron iron-works lie about a mile from Falkirk, and are the greatest of the kind in Europe: they were founded about eight years ago, before which there was not a single house, and the country a mere moor. At present, the buildings of all sorts are of vast extent, and above twelve hundred men are employed. The iron is smelted from the stone, then cast into cannon, pots, and all sorts of utensils made in founderies. This work has been of great service to the country, by teaching the people industry and a method of setting about any sort of labour, which before the common people had scarce any notion of." -- Thomas Pennant, A Tour In Scotland 1769 Robert Burns was less complimentary after being refused admittance to the works in 1787. Using a diamond, he scratched these lines on a window of the local inn: We cam na here to view your works, In hopes to be mair wise, But only, lest we gang to hell, It may be nae surprise: But when we tirl'd at your door, Your porter dought na hear us; Sae may, shou'd we to hell's yetts come, Your billy Sattan sair us! [We came not here to view your works In hopes to be more wise, But only, lest we go to Hell, It may be no surprise. But when we knocked at your door The porter could not permit us: So may, should we to Hell's gates come, Your fellow Satan serve us.]