Banknock
Encyclopedia
Banknock is a village within the Falkirk council area
in Central Scotland
. The village is 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west-southwest of Falkirk
, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) east-northeast of Kilsyth
and 3 miles (4.8 km) north-northeast of Cumbernauld
.
Banknock is located on the Bonny Water, north of the Forth and Clyde canal
and west of the A80 road
near to the boundary of Falkirk
and North Lanarkshire
councils. At the time of the 2001 census
, Banknock had a population of 2,529 residents.
on the Kilsyth
to Bonnybridge
Railway, a line which was built to serve the mines along the north side of the valley. Cannerton Pit was one of these mines and its spoil heap, locally called 'the Bing', was a local landmark. Upon the closure of the local mines, a brickworks was set up on the Cannerton site. Prior to the building of the railway, the Banknock mines were linked to the Forth & Clyde Canal by a wagon way which is still traceable today. This busy industrial site was once an important feature but is now disused. Another employer in the village was the foundry which was at the Coneypark end of the village and owned by the Dobson family who lived in what is now the Glenskirlie House Hotel. The Glenskirlie House Hotel has recently added a faux castle turret and it has become a popular venue for weddings.
Bankier Whisky Distillery closed in 1928, and was finally demolished in 1981.
The part of the village where the Kilsyth Road crosses the Bush Burn was named Hollandbush and it was the centre of the village with a Post Office, Co-operative shops and a licensed grocers shop registered as Andrew Brown & Son.
Banknock was particularly busy on Sundays due to the strict post-war licensing laws which dictated that only bona fide travellers may imbibe liquor on Sundays, and Kilsyth people would travel outwith their own environs in order to qualify.
, the nearest secondary school. Catholic pupils attend St. Patrick's Primary School and St Modan's High School for primary and secondary education respectively.
Falkirk (council area)
Falkirk is one of the 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland. It borders onto North Lanarkshire to the south west, Stirling to the north west, West Lothian to the south east and, across the Firth of Forth to the north east, Fife and Clackmannanshire...
in Central Scotland
Central Belt
The Central Belt of Scotland is a common term used to describe the area of highest population density within Scotland. Despite the name, it is not geographically central but is nevertheless situated at the 'waist' of Scotland on a conventional map and the term 'central' is used in many local...
. The village is 6.7 miles (10.8 km) west-southwest of Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) east-northeast of Kilsyth
Kilsyth
Kilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...
and 3 miles (4.8 km) north-northeast of Cumbernauld
Cumbernauld
Cumbernauld is a Scottish new town in North Lanarkshire. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire...
.
Banknock is located on the Bonny Water, north of the Forth and Clyde canal
Forth and Clyde Canal
The Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River...
and west of the A80 road
A80 road
The A80 is a road in Scotland, running from the A8 to Moodiesburn, north east of Glasgow. Prior to the M80 opening, the A80 was one of Scotland's busiest trunk roads.-Original Route:The A80 was once the main route from Glasgow to Stirling...
near to the boundary of Falkirk
Falkirk (council area)
Falkirk is one of the 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland. It borders onto North Lanarkshire to the south west, Stirling to the north west, West Lothian to the south east and, across the Firth of Forth to the north east, Fife and Clackmannanshire...
and North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
councils. At the time of the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, Banknock had a population of 2,529 residents.
History
It once had a railway stationBanknock railway station
Banknock railway station served the village of Banknock in Scotland. The station was served by trains on the lines from Kilsyth New to Bonnybridge Central.-History:...
on the Kilsyth
Kilsyth
Kilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...
to Bonnybridge
Bonnybridge
Bonnybridge is a small town in the Falkirk council area of Scotland. It is west of Falkirk, north-east of Cumbernauld and south-southwest of Stirling. The town is situated near the Bonny Water which runs through the town and lies north of the Forth and Clyde Canal...
Railway, a line which was built to serve the mines along the north side of the valley. Cannerton Pit was one of these mines and its spoil heap, locally called 'the Bing', was a local landmark. Upon the closure of the local mines, a brickworks was set up on the Cannerton site. Prior to the building of the railway, the Banknock mines were linked to the Forth & Clyde Canal by a wagon way which is still traceable today. This busy industrial site was once an important feature but is now disused. Another employer in the village was the foundry which was at the Coneypark end of the village and owned by the Dobson family who lived in what is now the Glenskirlie House Hotel. The Glenskirlie House Hotel has recently added a faux castle turret and it has become a popular venue for weddings.
Bankier Whisky Distillery closed in 1928, and was finally demolished in 1981.
The part of the village where the Kilsyth Road crosses the Bush Burn was named Hollandbush and it was the centre of the village with a Post Office, Co-operative shops and a licensed grocers shop registered as Andrew Brown & Son.
Banknock was particularly busy on Sundays due to the strict post-war licensing laws which dictated that only bona fide travellers may imbibe liquor on Sundays, and Kilsyth people would travel outwith their own environs in order to qualify.
Banknock Today
Banknock is split into two very distinct areas, Coneypark which is a small housing scheme west of the village, and the main housing scheme which is in the centre.Local Schools
The only school in Banknock is Bankier Primary School - which has been awarded three Green Flags for its efforts to recycle and reuse waste. Secondary school pupils attend Denny High SchoolDenny High School
Denny High School in Scotland, UK, is a non-denominational public secondary school.The school was opened in 1959. In 1971 and 1978, two extensions to the building were added to accommodate the growing population of the town...
, the nearest secondary school. Catholic pupils attend St. Patrick's Primary School and St Modan's High School for primary and secondary education respectively.