Town in Clackmannanshire, Scotland
Alloa
Alloa is a small Forth-side town whose Earl launched a rebellion, whose ale was compared with Burton's and whose football team are the Wasps.
Key information
- County
- Clackmannanshire
- Nation
- Scotland
- Population
- about 20,400, 2011 Census
- Known for
- Brewing, glass and wool, Alloa Tower, the Earl of Mar's 1715 Jacobite rising
- What locals are called
- Alloans
- Famous people
- John Erskine, Earl of Mar; the Younger and Arrol brewing families
- Football clubs
- Alloa Athletic (the Wasps)
About Alloa
The Burton of Scotland
At its brewing peak, Alloa was often compared with Burton-on-Trent, which is a lot of expectation for a town on the Forth with a population in the low tens of thousands. It had good reasons. Barley grew in the surrounding Carse of Forth, coal was mined close by, and clean water ran down from the Ochil Hills. Ships on the river carried the finished ale far beyond Clackmannanshire. Families such as the Youngers and the Arrols built big Victorian breweries here, and Alloa ale was exported widely. The big brewing days have long gone, but the town still has a reputation as a place that knew how to make a good pint.
The tower, the earl and a failed rebellion
Alloa Tower is the town's oldest and grandest building, a medieval tower house dating from around 1400. It is one of the largest of its kind to survive in Scotland, and for centuries it belonged to the Erskine family, the Earls of Mar. Mary, Queen of Scots visited, and the Erskines were close to the Stuart royal family for generations. The most famous Erskine was John, 6th Earl of Mar. Nicknamed 'Bobbing John' for his habit of changing sides, he raised the Jacobite standard in 1715 and led the rising that was meant to put James Francis Edward Stuart on the throne. It failed, and Mar ended his life in exile. He was also a keen improver. Around 1713 he had Gartmorn Dam built near Alloa to supply water power for his coal workings. It is still a popular spot for walkers and birdwatchers.
Bottles, yarn and coal
Beer needed bottles, and Alloa made those too. Its glassworks started in 1750 and went on to be one of the town's major employers. Wool was another big industry. Alloa became known for spinning and dyeing yarn, and the knitting wool that came out of its mills was sold across Britain. Coal, ale, glass, yarn and a busy harbour made Alloa one of the most industrial little towns in central Scotland. Most of those trades have since faded, but they explain the town's grid of solid Victorian streets and its large civic buildings.
Why the football team are the Wasps
Alloa Athletic have played at Recreation Park since the club's early days after its founding in 1878. Their black and gold hoops explain the nickname the Wasps, and the stripes are one of the most recognisable kits in lower-league Scottish football. The club joined the Scottish League in 1921 and has spent most of its life in the lower divisions. That makes the good seasons feel big. Among the highlights is winning the Third Division title in 2011-12. Match days here are friendly and compact, with the Ochil Hills rising behind the stands.
A river town with a view of the Ochils
Alloa sits on the north bank of the Forth, and the river shaped its fortunes. Ships loaded coal, glass and ale at the harbour, and the town was once linked to the south bank by a swing railway bridge. Today the Clackmannanshire Bridge, opened in 2008, carries traffic across the water. The multi-span concrete box-girder bridge is now one of the town's most photographed sights. Clackmannanshire is known as the Wee County, and Alloa is its largest town. To the north the Ochil Hills offer steep walks, including a route up Dumyat, the hill that looks out over Stirling and the Wallace Monument.