Raploch's History

 

 

The first mention of the place known as Raploch was recorded during the reign  of James I in the 15th century. The site had witnessed several notable moments in Scottish history, the most significant on 11 September, 1297, when a Scottish army, led by William Wallace and Andrew Moray, defeated the English army led by the Earl of Surrey at Stirling Bridge.

 

There are various interpretations of the name, including one meaning "place of the archer" or archery area. It has also been suggested that the name derives from the large pond or lochan which had formed beneath Stirling Castle.

 

From the 1780s, the area was witness to a significant influx of population from both the Highland clearances and, later, the Irish famines. Indeed a census taken around the middle of the 19th century tells us that there was a large population of native Irish people living in Raploch at the time.

 

At the turn of the 20th century, Raploch Village was home to a wide mix of professions and several nationalities. In 1919, Stirling Council began a large house building programme to accommodate families from the Top of the Town. Phase Two of this programme was halted in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II. Phase Three began at the start of the 1950s and completed the change that had begun 40 years before.