Old Kirkintilloch

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Kirkintilloch found itself at the centre of a transport network that was unrivalled in Scotland. The cutting of the Forth & Clyde Canal, and the subsequent building of the Monkland & Kirkintilloch Railway, meant that it became a transport hub that was ideally situated to trade with Scotland's cities, as well as exploiting its own local mineral reserves. It flourished, with mining and iron-founding just two of the industries that generated employment and large amounts of revenue. Local businesses such as Mavor & Coulson and the Star Foundry illustrate Kirky's industrial past, while the story of Lanfine and Broomhill homes recalls another local employer and important presence in the district.