Looking back with Ian Scott: The origins of Falkirk's street names

Some of the oldest names derive from words that are unfamiliar to us today like those in Falkirk town centre, for example, Wooer (weaver) Street, Lint Riggs (fields of flax for linen manufacture) and Baxters (bakers) Wynd.

The Fleshmarket Close behind the steeple was where the butchers slaughtered the cattle and Tolbooth Street probably dates to 1663 when a new tolbooth with court room and jail cells was built in the town centre. When the traders finally moved their stalls in the 1820s from the open area in front of the steeple to their ‘new market’ to the north of the parish church another street was born and named. Tanners Brae and Cooperage Lane remind us of other important trades in the early town as does Nailer Road in the small village of Camelon which was once the centre of the nail making industry.

The Cow Wynd (recorded in the 1640s as Koowynde) has nothing to do with the 18th century Falkirk Trysts but dates back several hundred years to when the inhabitants would hand over their cattle to the ‘common herd’ who would lead them off for the day up towards the south muir of the town near Princes Park. At dusk they would return them to the safety of the town.

Bean Row just off the Cow Wynd (and the disappeared Bean Market Close) remind us of when Falkirk was famous for ‘Peas and Beans’ according to an old rhyme.

Manse Place, Vicar Street and Kirk Wynd obviously relate to the Parish Church which was at the heart of the first community and Manor Street was originally called ‘The Back Raw’ but the Council in the 1890s thought that sounded vulgar so they changed it to something a bit classier!

Many of the closes off the High Street have (or had) names linked to people who played a part in the life of the burgh centuries ago and who lived or worked there. For example Dundee Court named after George Dundie a shoemaker in 1626, Sword’s Wynd from James Sword Procurator Fiscal in 1643, Burns Court for another baillie and Roberts Wynd, Buchanan Court, Bell’s Wynd and others whose origin is unclear.

Kings Court has nothing to do with visiting royalty but was originally King’s Arms Court where a popular tavern stood. Royalty did leave its mark though – Princes Street was opened in1933 by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII.

Honouring Victorian Provosts by naming a street after them has given us Cockburn Street, Griffiths Street, Watson Street, Adam Street, Hodge Street, Russel Street and Weir Street – the modern equivalent were the multi-storey towers in Callendar Park called Symon, Leishman, Paterson, Marshall and Maxwell.

The streets named after the Heughs of Gartcows and the Meeks of Campfield are a reminder of two of the most important families in 18th century Falkirk and elsewhere we know that one Maggie Woods owned property in Arnothill and William Booth was a gardener who worked land near the Pleasance from 1812.

And there are many more in every village and town in the district. How did your street get its name? There may be a story there if you look for it.