Falkirk
Falkirk is a busy town with a population of nearly 32,500, which offers a quality shopping experience, a selection of good pubs, bars and restaurants and lots of history. The town has two railway stations, Falkirk High and Grahamston and is well connected by train, bus and car to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Stirling as well as other parts of the Falkirk area.
If shopping is your pleasure, you won't be disappointed in Falkirk. With two large shopping centres, dozens of independent retailers and a large retail park, there's plenty to keep you busy. The Howgate Shopping Centre, located on the High Street, houses Marks and Spencer, Desire by Debenhams, Argos and Boots to name a few and the Callendar Square Shopping Centre offers a diverse mix of retailers including Bhs and TK Maxx along with independent and specialist traders.
Falkirk's long history ensures there are plenty points of interest in the town. The Steeple is a notable landmark right on the High Street and dates back to 1814, although there has actually been a steeple in town since the 15th century, this being the third.
Overlooking the High Street is Falkirk Old and St Modan's Parish Church|. Falkirk is believed to take its name from this church, "Faw" "Kirk", meaning "speckled church", over time becoming "Falkirk".
The church is also important for its connections to the Battle of Falkirk. In 1298 Sir John de Graeme, William Wallace's right hand man, lost his life in the war for Scottish independence and was buried in the churchyard. Another notable casualty, Sir John Stewart, is also buried in the graveyard. As he lay wounded, his Men of Bute surrounded him and were all killed. The Celtic Cross monument in the churchyard was erected as a memorial to these brave men. The historic importance of the church and the graveyard is recognised and works are currently being carried out to improve the landscaping of the churchyard and to install information informing visitors about it's historic significance.
A range of events (PDF, 478KB)| are held in the town centre, including Farmers' markets on the first Friday of the month and special events such as the Christmas Lights switch on and Aviemore reindeer event.