Again I was out and about on my bike looking for any remnants of industry in the district. And since I go through Helix Park to get to many a place on my forays I thought I might stop off actually in the park itself.
This morning I was in Helix North/Bainsford Community Woodland because in the old maps of the area there are several buildings. The biggest seeming to be Carronbank.
Just south [over the Carron] of the Carron House dovecot, and between the Bainsford Burn and the Carron itself was something substantial, that is not apparent today. According to Scotland's Places in 1858-1861 this was
"A plain built mansion with offices attached: the Mansion-House is two stories in height, the offices are only one. they are all slated and in good repair. Property of the Carron Co. [Company] Carron Iron Works."
And when put up for sale in 1789 it was advertised in the Edinburgh Courant thus
"TO BE SOLD OR LET, THE pleasant Villa of CARRONBANK, situated on the banks of Carron, in the heart of that populous and agreeable spot, the Carse of Falkirk, and within two English miles of that town. The house and offices are in the very best order, having lately been fitted up in an elegant manner at a great expence. The first floor consists of a large parlour, two bed rooms, and a dressing closet, with large kitchen. The second of a large dining room, drawing room, and two bed rooms, with dressing closets. The third of four bed rooms, two lumber rooms, and garrets above. Adjoining to the house are two compleat wings. In the one a large library, dressing room, closets, store room, and outer cellar, all properly fitted up. In the other a large wine cellar, neatly fitted up with catacombs, larder, servants hall, milk house, &c. To each of the wings there is a separate entry from the house; and a pump well, with leaden pipes to convey water into the house. The offices consist of a coach house, liable and byre, washing house and laundry, with several out houses and shades and other conveniences. There are three small inclosures, planted round with trees and shrubbery, belonging to the premises; also two gardens, one of which is inclosed with a high brick wall, and well stocked with young fruit trees, all of the best kinds, and laid out in a complete manner. The trees and shrubbery are all in a thriving condition. Also to be SOLD or LET, Two Large GRANARIES or WAREHOUSES, capable to contain about 1500 bolls of grain ; adjoining to which (newly built) there is a Wharf on Carron, where ships of large burden can unload. The house and premises will be shown by the present possession on Tuesday,-. and Saturdays, from ten till two o'clock ; and for further particulars apply to James Marshall, writer to the signet, or Henry Swinton,. merchant at Grangemouth."
Today it is a copse, which looks like it has been ever thus, but if you get inside the copse and look about, there are obvious traces of industry, mainly bricks, masoned stone and cable. The Mansion House however seems to have been completely obliterated.
Nearest to the pathways is the southernmost building on the map, and all that remains is masonry in a pile.
As I said, whoever demolished the mansion did it thouroughly enough that nothing is recognisable, merely disjointed masonry. However just north-west of this, at which was presumably the offices mentioned there is a sizeable mound of brickwork.
This was clearly something big enough to make it not worth the effort and the expence of taking it right down to the foundations, but still not hazardous enough to have to rope it off. To my layman's way of thinking that it is most likely the offices.
The only other clues left here are at the shore of the Carron, where on the map there used to be a wharf. There is some brickwork falling into the river and just along from this some of the original piling is still visible.
This morning I was in Helix North/Bainsford Community Woodland because in the old maps of the area there are several buildings. The biggest seeming to be Carronbank.
Just south [over the Carron] of the Carron House dovecot, and between the Bainsford Burn and the Carron itself was something substantial, that is not apparent today. According to Scotland's Places in 1858-1861 this was
"A plain built mansion with offices attached: the Mansion-House is two stories in height, the offices are only one. they are all slated and in good repair. Property of the Carron Co. [Company] Carron Iron Works."
And when put up for sale in 1789 it was advertised in the Edinburgh Courant thus
"TO BE SOLD OR LET, THE pleasant Villa of CARRONBANK, situated on the banks of Carron, in the heart of that populous and agreeable spot, the Carse of Falkirk, and within two English miles of that town. The house and offices are in the very best order, having lately been fitted up in an elegant manner at a great expence. The first floor consists of a large parlour, two bed rooms, and a dressing closet, with large kitchen. The second of a large dining room, drawing room, and two bed rooms, with dressing closets. The third of four bed rooms, two lumber rooms, and garrets above. Adjoining to the house are two compleat wings. In the one a large library, dressing room, closets, store room, and outer cellar, all properly fitted up. In the other a large wine cellar, neatly fitted up with catacombs, larder, servants hall, milk house, &c. To each of the wings there is a separate entry from the house; and a pump well, with leaden pipes to convey water into the house. The offices consist of a coach house, liable and byre, washing house and laundry, with several out houses and shades and other conveniences. There are three small inclosures, planted round with trees and shrubbery, belonging to the premises; also two gardens, one of which is inclosed with a high brick wall, and well stocked with young fruit trees, all of the best kinds, and laid out in a complete manner. The trees and shrubbery are all in a thriving condition. Also to be SOLD or LET, Two Large GRANARIES or WAREHOUSES, capable to contain about 1500 bolls of grain ; adjoining to which (newly built) there is a Wharf on Carron, where ships of large burden can unload. The house and premises will be shown by the present possession on Tuesday,-. and Saturdays, from ten till two o'clock ; and for further particulars apply to James Marshall, writer to the signet, or Henry Swinton,. merchant at Grangemouth."
Today it is a copse, which looks like it has been ever thus, but if you get inside the copse and look about, there are obvious traces of industry, mainly bricks, masoned stone and cable. The Mansion House however seems to have been completely obliterated.
Nearest to the pathways is the southernmost building on the map, and all that remains is masonry in a pile.
As I said, whoever demolished the mansion did it thouroughly enough that nothing is recognisable, merely disjointed masonry. However just north-west of this, at which was presumably the offices mentioned there is a sizeable mound of brickwork.
Facing South-West (above) and North-West (below)
This was clearly something big enough to make it not worth the effort and the expence of taking it right down to the foundations, but still not hazardous enough to have to rope it off. To my layman's way of thinking that it is most likely the offices.
The only other clues left here are at the shore of the Carron, where on the map there used to be a wharf. There is some brickwork falling into the river and just along from this some of the original piling is still visible.
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