ABOUT

On July 15, 1987, British Coal announced the closure of Polmaise colliery, at the village of Fallin, near Stirling. Two days later, the pit gates closed for good and 112 workers were made redundant. The colliery buildings were demolished shortly after. Today, little remains of the pit itself. For safety reasons the pit bing (waste heap) itself was reduced in size and reprofiled in 1994, and the area today is a public open space. Houses fill the site of Polmaise 3 & 4; at Millhall, a livestock market has replaced mine shafts 1 & 2. The railway that carried the coal away from the colliery is a cycleway, running through woods and green fields.

The only reminder that there was once an important industry here is the Polmaise-Murray Museum, a display of mining equipment at what was once the entrance to the colliery, together with a memorial to victims of mining accidents.

It is therefore appropriate that at this thirtieth anniversary of the closure of the colliery, Stirling Council, together with the Community of Fallin have initiated this website to record and explain how Fallin came to be, it’s history, it’s people, and how it looks forward to the future. The idea that it will continue to develop with the input and support of the local community.

The history of Fallin is a long and honourable one, and dates from medieval times, when it was a thriving port on the River Forth. Mining, both it’s coming and it’s going, is only a short (albeit important) period of Fallin’s history. Fallin was here before the colliery, and it is here after the colliery. Fallin continues to thrive and develop, with plans for more new houses between ‘The Goth’ and the church.

There are many people down the years who have kept the memories of thirty years ago alive, who have recorded information, and provided help and support in developing this project. In particular we wish to thank:

* Stirling Council Archive Service

* Stirling Council Library Service

* The Smith Art Gallery & Museum Stirling.

* The National Mining Museum Newtongrange