Bannock Burn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bannock Burn
The Bannock Burn flowing under Thomas Telford's bridge in Bannockburn
Native name	Scottish Gaelic: Allt a' Bhonnaich
Country	United Kingdom
Constituent country	Scotland
Council area	Stirling
Physical characteristics
River mouth	River Forth 56°07′14″N 3°52′50″W / 56.12065°N 3.88057°W / 56.12065; -3.88057

The Bannock Burn (which means Allt a' Bhonnaich in Scottish Gaelic) is a small river or stream in central Scotland. A burn is the Scottish word for a stream. It starts high up on Touchadam Moor, about 1,300 feet above sea level. This area is in the Touch Hills, southwest of Stirling.

The Bannock Burn flows eastwards. It eventually joins the River Forth near Stirling. This is close to where the famous Battle of Bannockburn took place in 1314. The burn is about 7.58 miles long from its source to where it meets the Forth. However, it winds and turns a lot, making its actual path much longer. A nearby town, now part of Stirling, is named Bannockburn after the stream. The Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488 also happened close to the Bannock Burn.

Ancient Life Along the Bannock Burn

The area around the upper Bannock Burn was home to people long ago. Evidence shows that people lived here during the Iron Age. Several ancient forts, called duns, can be found in the Graigend and Murrayshall areas. There is also a larger fort on Lewis Hill.

Discoveries at Wallstale Dun

One of these ancient forts, the Dun at Wallstale (NS774909), was partly dug up in 1965. Digging revealed that its wall was about 11 feet thick. This showed how strong these old buildings were. Inside, archaeologists found small items. These included pieces of grinding stones, used for crushing grain. They also found a piece of slag and a stone with a groove. This grooved stone might have been used to sharpen needles.

Other Ancient Sites

Other duns in the area are known as Castlehill 1, Castlehill 2, and Castlehill Wood. Another ruined fort is on the northwest side of Gillies Hill. While not directly in the Bannock valley, it is very close by.

The Land Beneath the Bannock Burn

The type of land and old industries in the Bannock Valley are linked to its geology. Geology is the study of what the Earth is made of.

Rocks and Soil Types

At its start, the Bannock Burn flows through peaty bogs. These bogs sit on top of volcanic rocks, mostly basalt. These rocks formed millions of years ago during the Carboniferous period. As the burn flows downstream, the basalt changes to a different type of rock. This is the Lower Limestone Formation, also from the Carboniferous period. In some places, like Craigend, this limestone is visible.

The burn also crosses the Stirling Sill. This is a layer of hard rock that pushed up through other rocks. Further downstream, the Bannock Burn flows over sedimentary rocks. These are rocks formed from layers of sand, gravel, and clay. Near the River Forth, the land is made of "carse" deposits. These are old tidal flat deposits, with a base of glacial clay.

How the Land Slopes

The area sits on top of a "coal basin." This means the layers of rock slope downwards towards the center. Because of this, as the burn flows downhill, it crosses different rock layers. Near Craigend, you can see some of the oldest Carboniferous rocks. Closer to the Forth, you find younger rocks. This is made more complex by "faults," which are cracks in the Earth's crust. These faults cause the rock layers to shift up or down.

Mining History Along the Burn

The Bannock Burn valley was once important for mining. People dug for limestone and coal here.

Limestone Mining

In the upper parts of the valley, limestone was dug out. It was then heated in special ovens called lime kilns. This process turned limestone into quicklime. Quicklime was then mixed with water to make calcium hydroxide. Farmers used this to make their soil less acidic.

The first limestone mining happened at Touchadam Quarry. There were several lime kilns and mines here. Later, mining moved to Murrayshall Lime Works. This site was on Gillies Hill, above the Bannock Burn. Miners used tools that needed sharpening. A blacksmith's shop, the Touchadam Smithy, was located nearby to help them.

Quarries and Modern Use

More modern quarries in the area dug for a different rock called quartz-dolerite. This rock was crushed and used for building roads. These quarries are now closed. The Murrayshall Quarry site is now used by a concrete plant.

Coal Mining

There was also a coal mine at Pirnhall, near Whins of Milton. This was the western edge of the Stirling Coalfield. Today, this site is a builder's yard. The ground here is mostly mine waste. You can find many fossils of ancient giant ferns, which eventually formed the coal.

Smaller coal mines existed between Whins of Milton and Bannockburn. Old maps show several mine shafts and tunnels. Some of these tunnels might have gone under the burn itself. Most of these old mine workings are no longer visible today.

Bridges and Crossings

Many bridges and fords cross the Bannock Burn along its path.

Upper Burn Crossings

Near the source, a road bridge at NS730885 replaced an older ford and footbridge. The King's Yett Burn, a major tributary, also has a new bridge. An old ford and footbridge still exist at NS755880. This ford can be dangerous for cars during floods. There is also a private ford and sometimes a footbridge at NS770907.

Major Road Crossings

The biggest bridge over the Bannock Burn is the M9 motorway bridge at NS789902. Further downstream, the new Chartershall bridge (NS792902) carries a two-lane road. An older stone bridge is kept for access to cottages. The "Long Line" and the A80 Glasgow Road also cross the burn.

Footbridges and Modern Crossings

Near Whins of Milton and Bannockburn, there are several modern footbridges. Some replaced older fords or mill footbridges. The historic Thomas Telford's Bannockburn bridge (NS807904) is a rare circular stone arch. The A9 road also crosses the burn nearby. Inside a public park, there are three more footbridges. Finally, the A905 Kerse Road and the A91 bypass cross the burn closer to the River Forth.

Dams, Mills, and Water Power

The Bannock Burn and its smaller streams were once very important for power. They drove many mills and factories.

North Third Reservoir

In the upper valley, the North Third reservoir holds water. This water is sent to a large chemical plant in Grangemouth.

Early Mills on the Burn

The highest mill on the Bannock Burn was Park Farm and Mill. It used a weir (a small dam) to direct water to the mill. Sadly, the buildings for this mill are now gone.

Further downstream, the Mill Dam (NS789903) diverts water into a channel called the Mill Lade. This lade helped store water for the mills. A small gate allowed water to be sent to Roadhead farm.

Historic Mills and Battles

After passing under the A80 road, the Milton Corn Mill (NS801900) was next. Then came Beaton's Mill (NS802899). This mill is famous because James III of Scotland was murdered there in 1488. This happened after the Battle of Sauchieburn. Beaton's Mill was later destroyed by fire.

Another flour mill (NS803899) used a turbine to grind flour. The water from the lade would drop through a tube to spin the turbine. This was the end of the first main lade.

Woollen Mills and Carpet Factories

Further down, several woollen mills used the burn's power. One woollen mill (NS804899) had its own weir. Another weir (NS805899) fed a different woollen mill (NS806899). A large woollen carpet factory (NS806904) was supplied by a lade from another weir. This lade once continued through what is now a public park.

The Lower Burn and Kerse Mills

A large weir (NS808904) between the old and new bridges diverted water to a lade on the left bank. This lade ran through the park and past Millhall. It joined the Pelstream Burn, a tributary, and then powered the Kerse Mills (NS813924). From there, the water rejoined the Bannock Burn. At this point, the burn is very close to the level of the River Forth. This low-lying area is where the Battle of Bannockburn is believed to have happened.

Tributary Mills

The Canglour Burn, a smaller stream, also powered a sawmill at Millholm (NS784876). Part of its water was diverted to the Howietown Fishery. This water then joined the Sauchie Burn and flowed into Cultenhove Dam (now Swanswater Fishery). This dam had two exits: one for overflow and a controlled gate for a lade. This lade powered a sawmill near Cultenhove Farm.

The Sauchie Burn also powered a Corn Mill (NS788900) and Chartershall Mill (NS788901). These are now covered by modern farm buildings. Below Chartershall farm, the Sauchie Burn joins the Bannock Burn. This meant its water then flowed through many of the mills mentioned earlier. These clever systems allowed people to use the water's energy very well.

The Bannock Burn Valley Today

Today, you won't see many signs of the old industries or battles along the Bannock Burn. For most of its length, the burn flows quietly through peaceful countryside. The land is mostly used for farming. There are many footpaths that invite you to explore. If you look closely, you can still find traces of the old mines, mills, and ancient homes.