DOORS OPEN DAYS
2016 Falkirk Area
Sat 17 & Sun 18 Sept
Welcome
Buildings in Scotland that are not
normally accessible to the public are
opened free of charge over weekends
during September as part of the Doors
Open Days scheme. Coordinated
nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust as
part of the wider European Heritage
Days initiative, Doors Open Days events
are designed to stimulate interest in the
built environment and cultural heritage
of the area.
For a full programme
of Doors Open Days events visit
www.doorsopendays. org.uk or request
an area brochure on 0141 248 1188.
To mark the Year of Innovation,
Architecture and Design, we have a
wider than usual range of buildings
from all over the Falkirk district
providing a variety of architectural
styles and functions from different
periods. They include a high-tech
hospital operating theatre, a palace, a
concert hall, a prison, a church or three,
an old library and an athletics stadium.
Activities include building with Lego,
performing a simple life-saving
operation or undergoing a security
search and walks.
The ethos behind the Doors Open Days
is to provide free access to buildings
that you may be familiar with, or to
discover new buildings that you did not
even know existed, or buildings that
form the working backdrop to the area
and which you will have passed from
time to time. Well now is the chance to
satisfy your curiosity.
The week of Saturday September 17th –
Sunday 25th is BIG ROMAN WEEK.
Details of events will be found on the
websites of the Falkirk Community
Trust and the Friends of Kinneil,
www.bigromanweek.org.uk or email
info@bigromanweek.org.uk This year it
will feature a free conference in the
Cover Photograph: Dobbie Hall, Larbert
2
Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness, which
featured during its renovation in a
previous Doors Open Day.
Doors Open Days in the Falkirk area
are coordinated by the Falkirk
Community Trust, which would like
to express its gratitude to all of the
owners or agents who, by opening
their buildings to the public, make the
Doors Open Days event possible. We
would also like to acknowledge the
support of the volunteers who man
the venues and provide guides.
To receive information about future
Doors Open Days events send your
name, email and/or full postal
address to
bookings@falkirkcommunitytrust.org,
write to Box Office, Falkirk Stadium
or call 01324 506850.
For further information contact:
Geoff Bailey,
Callendar House, Falkirk.
Tel: 01324 503783 or email
geoff.bailey@falkirkcommunitytrust.org.uk
www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org
Falkirk Community Trust gratefully
acknowledges the support of Falkirk
Council.
Reg. charity number SCO42403
Scottish Centre for Simulation
and Clinical Human Factors
In the heart of the new
Forth Valley Royal
Hospital, the Scottish
Centre for Simulation &
Clinical Human Factors is
a state-of-the-art multiprofessional training
facility and the only high
fidelity simulation centre
in Scotland. It was
established in 1998
and is increasingly
recognised as a pivotal
part of training a safe
and capable healthcare
workforce.
The centre boasts a
range of mid and high
fidelity mannequins
including adult, child,
baby and neonatal
simulators. Courses are
run for all levels of
healthcare personnel and
a range of specialties,
including emergency
medicine, obstetrics,
paediatrics and
anaesthetics. The hightech “robots” are used to
simulate a range of
medical conditions,
including heart attacks
and convulsions and the
course participants’
actions are monitored
and recorded. The
participants then take
part in a facilitated
debrief where their
decision-making and
actions are analysed in
order to see why things
went well or perhaps
were challenging.
Members of the public
will be invited to take
part in some simulated
scenarios, as well as have
a chance to use simple
part-task trainers.
Location:
Scottish Centre for
Simulation and
Clinical Human
Factors, Forth Valley
Royal Hospital,
Stirling Road,
Larbert. FK5 4WR
Opening Times:
Sat 10.00am–4.30pm
Parking:
Hospital car parks
Disabled Access:
Fully accessible
Toilets:
Available in the
hospital
Additional info:
24/7 Filming is in
operation throughout
the Centre.
Courtesy of SCSCHF
3
Larbert Parish Church
The church at Larbert is
destined for closure and
so this may well be your
last chance to see the
building in all its glory.
In the 17th century
Larbert Church was
caught up in national
politics. King James VI
exiled Reverend Robert
Bruce of Kinnaird to his
home parish. Bruce
naturally started to
preach from the pulpit of
the old semi-deserted
church, fulfilling the role
of minister for the parish.
It is said that he attracted
large audiences of
thousands of attendees
from all over central
Scotland. Around 1624
he paid to have the
decaying church building
demolished and a new
one constructed in its
place. Part of it still
remains.
Location:
Larbert Old Church,
Denny Road, Larbert
FK5 3AB
Opening Times:
Sat 10.00am-4.30pm
Sun 12.30-4.30pm
Parking:
Large car park beside
the church
Disabled Access:
Wheelchair access
Toilets:
Toilets available in
the church hall
Courtesy of the
congregation of
Larbert Old Church.
4
The present church
opened in 1821 at a cost
of £4,400. Its architect,
David Hamilton, also
designed Falkirk Steeple.
The style is Gothic with
prominent crocketed
finials on the corner
buttresses and the west
tower. The tower contains
the main entrance and
the stained glass is
particularly attractive
with windows by Alf
Webster of Glasgow,
Dickson & Walker of
Edinburgh and Stephen
Adam of Glasgow.
On the left of the
approach to the church
is a pink granite marble
fountain with a shallow
bowl on a turned circular
plinth, presented in
1923. On the right is the
1905 hall, designed by
P. MacGregor Chalmers.
Larbert Parish Churchyard
Adjacent to the parish
church is a burial ground
whose magnificent
monuments neatly
illustrate the advent of
the Industrial Revolution
in Scotland. They are
dominated by those
relating to the Carron
Ironworks, which was
established in 1759.
The large edifices to
its managers range from
an Italianate tomb, to a
huge urned column and
a mock Roman temple.
Cast iron features
strongly throughout the
graveyard with elaborate
railings and obelisks.
Guided tours will be
conducted on the
hour during the
Saturday of the
opening of Larbert
Parish Church.
The Carron Enclosure
contains beautiful
examples of public art,
including two tombs
designed by John
Hutchison of Edinburgh,
one of the most famous
sculptors of the late 19th
century.
In its own separate
enclosure stood the
earliest cast iron funerary
obelisk anywhere in the
world. It commemorates
James Bruce, discoverer
of the source of the Nile
and grandson of
Reverend Robert Bruce
of Kinnaird referred to in
this brochure under
Larbert Church.
“James Bruce Esq of
Kinnaird,/Who died on
the 27th of April 1794,/
In the 64th year of his
age/His life was spent
performing/usefull, and
Splendid actions/He
explored many distant
regions. / He discovered
the fountains of the
Nile./He traversed the
deserts of Nubia.”
The monument was so
famous that Robert
Burns paid a visit to it.
The tours will take in
many fascinating aspects
of local as well as
national history, and of
art. The latter includes
some idiosyncratic
poetry set in stone, as
well as statues by
leading sculptors.
5
Dobbie Hall, Larbert
This exuberant building
with its 5-bay neobaroque front elevation
was given to the people
of Larbert and
Stenhousemuir by
ironfounder Major Robert
Dobbie as a memorial to
his son who was killed in
the Boer War. It was
designed by A and W
Black of Falkirk, cost
£12,000 to build, and
was opened in August
1901 by the Duchess of
Montrose.
The entrance hall is
unusual in retaining its
original layout with
cloakrooms and toilets
to either side. This
includes the checking
windows and counters.
Fine tiled floors are
found throughout the
main access points.
6
“Not any or all of the South African victories
could have been celebrated in a more
tangible form” (Falkirk Mail 1900).
The massive main hall is
dominated by a lavish
proscenium arch and a
broad horseshoe-shaped
gallery gives it an
operatic feel. The lesser
hall on the first floor also
has original detailing and
plasterwork.
Location:
Dobbie Hall,
Main Street,
Stenhousemuir,
Larbert. FK5 4BL
Opening Times:
Sat 10.00am-4.00pm
Sun 10.00am-4.00pm
Parking:
Visitor car park on
site
Disabled Access:
Ground floor fully
accessible
Toilets:
None
Courtesy of the
Dobbie Hall Trust.
Larbert Carnegie Library
Built alongside the Dobbie Hall
in 1904 and designed by the
same architects, A & W Black,
the former library building
reflects the hall’s rich façade.
It is one of 2509 libraries around
the world built between 1883
and 1929 with money donated
by the Scottish-American
businessman and philanthropist,
Andrew Carnegie.
The entrance hall has a
plain mosaic floor with
scrolled border. To its left,
lighted by the Italianate window,
is the panelled reading room.
The main area of the library,
where the book
shelves stood, is
Opening details as
now used as a
for the Dobbie Hall,
store by the
Larbert Operatic opposite.
Society and the
local dance group.
The librarian’s howff is a
hairdresser’s.
7
Erskine Community Halls
Larbert). Internally the
bases of the pillars are
of freestone but the
walls and ceiling have
been finished with lathe
and plaster. Behind
the church and
communicating with it
is a hall to accommodate
200 people, a smaller
hall, vestry, session room,
ladies room, waiting
room, kitchen and
offices. The total cost
of the building was put
at £9248.
Designed by William
Black of Messrs A. & W.
Black, architects, Falkirk,
the Erskine Church was
built in 1905. It is
in the Gothic style of
architecture of the
Perpendicular period,
with a square tower at
the south-west corner
some 90 ft tall. The
south gable presents a
five light tracery window
and twin doors to the
street, approached by a
broad flight of steps.
The church is cruciform
in plan, with nave, aisles,
chancel and two shallow
transepts. There are
galleries over the end
of the nave and each of
the transepts. A creamy
sandstone from Eastfield
Quarry was used (as it
was at the Dobbie Hall,
The building ceased
functioning as a church
in 2014 and it is
proposed to use them as
community halls. This is
the first opportunity to
see the building since its
closure.
Location:
Erskine Community
Halls, Hodge Street,
Falkirk FK1 1BL.
Opening Times:
Sat 10.00am-1.00pm
Sun 2.30-6.00pm
Parking:
Street parking
nearby
Disabled Access:
Wheelchair access to
rear of building
Toilets:
Toilets available in
the church hall
Refreshments
available
Courtesy of
The Erskine
Community Halls.
8
Polmont Young
Offenders Institution
Location:
Polmont YOI,
Brightons. FK2 0AB.
Opening Times:
Sun 6.00-8.00pm
Parking:
Visitors car park
Disabled Access:
Wheelchair access
The guided tours will
take place on Sunday
between 6.00pm 8.00pm. Places are
limited and so
booking is essential.
Email
Grace.Kirkwood@
sps.pnn.gov.uk by
Fri 2 September.
Her Majesty's Young
Offenders Institution
Polmont is Scotland's
national facility for
young men aged
between 16 and 21 years
who are committed to
custody on remand
(untried) and convicted
sentences. The Scottish
Government invested in
a comprehensive rebuild
of HMYOI Polmont,
which was completed
approximately 4 years
ago.
Polmont’s position has
provided a unique
opportunity to deliver
the Scottish Prison
Service’s vision of
Unlocking Potential and
Transforming Lives. For
Polmont, the Vision for
Young People in custody
is: “To use the time a
young person spends in
custody to enable them
to prepare for a positive
future” making every
contact an opportunity
to learn.
This vision recognises
that for some their time
in custody may represent
a chance - a rare chance
- for them to engage in
education or find
someone who can help
to point them to a better
future. In addition, the
approach seeks to
mitigate the negative
aspects of custody.
Due to the obvious
security implications,
arrangements for visiting
are subject to controls.
Visitors require to be 16
or over and provide two
forms of identification,
one of which should be
photographic, otherwise
entry will not be
permitted.
The following examples
are accepted for
photographic ID
purposes:
Valid Passport /
Photographic Driving
Licence/ Citizen/
Validate UK card/ Senior
Courtesy of the
Scottish Prison
Service.
Citizen’s Buss Pass/
Workplace photo ID
card/ Photographic Bank
Card/ Other official
photo ID membership
card.
The following examples
are accepted as suitable
for proof of address but
must be less than 3
months old:
Utility bill/Council Tax
bill/Benefit Book/Bank
statement/Other letter
from official source.
Prior to being admitted
you will undergo
“airport” style security
checks. Mobile phones
and cameras are not
permitted in the
establishment and we
ask that you keep
personal belongings to a
minimum and any keys,
wallets handbags are to
be stored in the secure
lockers at the front of
house.
9
Kinneil House
Set within a carefully
designed park landscape
Kinneil House or Palace
was built for James
Hamilton the second Earl
of Arran when he was the
Protector and Governor
of Scotland from 1542 to
1554 during the minority
of Mary, Queen of Scots.
For a few short years it
was the seat of Scottish
government.
It still houses the best
16th and 17th century
murals in Scotland. The
bed chamber is now
known as the Arbour
room and the painting is
full of foliage, scrolls and
animals. This was later
painted over in imitation
of wainscoting and a
coffered ceiling
containing the 1621 coat
of arms of Arran. The
withdrawing chamber
has a number of biblical
scenes on the walls,
notably the Good
Samaritan.
In 1677 Anne Duchess
of Hamilton began a
programme of
renovation, producing
the house and grounds
as they appear today.
By the late 18th century
the house was being let.
Inventor, industrialist and
part-founder of Carron
Company Dr John
Roebuck lived here 176494. Dugald Stewart the
philosopher was the last
tenant 1809-1828.
The grounds are also
the setting for events
connected with Roman
Week, which runs from
17th to 24th September.
The Antonine Wall runs
close to the House and
the remains of a Roman
fortlet can be seen. There
is also a 12th century
church. Kinneil Museum,
10
Location:
Kinneil House, Kinneil
Estate, Provost Rd,
Falkirk.
EH51 0PR
Opening Times:
Sat 12.30-4.00pm
Parking:
In the Park
Disabled Access:
Wheelchair user
access to ground
floor only
Toilets:
Available
Courtesy of Historic
Environment
Scotland and the
Friends of Kinneil.
located in the old
coachhouse, is open
12.30-4.00pm.
Grangemouth Stadium
The large athletics
stadium at Grangemouth
was officially opened on
9th July 1966 and its
inclusion in Doors Open
Days is part of the 50th
anniversary celebrations.
The venue rapidly
became a national centre
for events and in 1967
the Scottish Paraplegic
Games were held there.
The stadium was
designed by the
architects Wilson &
Wilson, and constructed
by Chisholm & Co. A
major innovation was the
use of a rub-cor allweather running track.
In 1997 a £1.2 million
investment saw a 60m
indoor synthetic running
track constructed to the
east of the stand. For
the first time athletes
could train in all
weathers. In 2004 it was
extended, doubling its
size to over 2100 square
metres to create one of
the best sports facilities
in Scotland - home for
the National Indoor
Athletics Academy.
The 2014 Commonwealth
Games athletics track at
Hampden Park was lifted
and moved to
Grangemouth Stadium
as part of the Games
legacy programme.
Location:
Grangemouth
Stadium,
Kersiebank Avenue,
Grangemouth.
FK3 0EE
Opening Times:
Sat 9.00am-4.30pm
Sun 9.00-4.30pm.
Parking:
Car parks adjacent
to the stadium
Disabled Access:
Access to all ground
floor areas
Toilets:
Inside the buildings
Open courtesy of
Falkirk Community
Trust
11
Falkirk Town Centre
Exploring Historic Shops
Sat 11.00 Talk
Falkirk’s Historic
Shops Talk
The Hub,
45 Vicar Street
Falkirk
Sat 12.30 Walk
Exploring Falkirk’s
Shops,
Meet at The Hub,
45 Vicar Street
Falkirk
Falkirk has some great
examples of traditional
shopfronts and old shop
signs. The shops have
changed a lot over the
years, but there are clues
hinting at their unique
historical character. Join
leading expert Lindsay
Lennie in exploring the
historic features of
Falkirk’s shops. Lindsay
will be giving a talk
about the history of
shops and a walk around
Falkirk’s historic shops.
The walk will last
approximately 1 hour.
As part of the Falkirk
Townscape Heritage
Initiative there will be a
temporary exhibition and
a guided walk to
illustrate and explore the
living architecture of the
shops in the town centre.
The THI is funded by
Falkirk Council, HLF,
Historic Environment
Scotland and others. This
will see £5.5 million
invested in Falkirk Town
Centre between 2013
and 2018 with the aim of
helping to regenerate the
area through investing in
its unique and rich
heritage.
12
Falkirk Shopfronts
Exhibition
Location:
Howgate
Shopping Centre
Sat 10.00am –
4.00pm, Sun 12.004.00pm (Please note
this is a special
Sunday opening)
Explore the history of
shopfronts in the Falkirk
area from the Victorian
to the Post-War period in
this free exhibition.
Drawings from Falkirk
Archive will be on
display for the first time.
Let’s Build!
Drop in LEGO Event
Location:
Howgate
Shopping Centre
Sat and Sun
between 11.00am3.00pm
Come along to our
builder’s yard and get
creative with LEGO! Try
to create a local shop,
building or just have fun
with bricks!
All ages.