Tour Scotland 4K Spring travel video, with music, of a road trip drive West on the A977 road and Alloa on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit to Clackmannan in Clackmannanshire, Britain, United Kingdom. Clackmannanshire, often called the Wee County, or more often, the Wee Coonty by locals, is the smallest county or region in Scotland. Located on the north bank of the River Forth, Clackmannanshire is bordered by Stirlingshire to the West, Perthshire and Kinross to the North and the Kingdom of Fife to the East. Clackmannan's time of greatest prosperity was in the late 17th Century. Clackmannan harbour was situated where the Black Devon meets the Forth, but the harbour silted up, the nearby port of Alloa expanded, and Clackmannan fell into ruin and decline. The Sheriff Court was transferred to Alloa in 1822 when Alloa became the county town. The end of the 17th century saw the beginning of the decline of the Bruces of Clackmannan. From the 1650s Sir Henry Bruce developed the extensive coalfields of Clackmannan, being fortunate in having coal seams near the harbour, but the cost of draining the seams below the Forth and Black Devon were great. Sir Henry died in 1674 leaving immense debts to his son, David Bruce. David Bruce was the hereditary Sheriff at Clackmannan and a member of the British Parliament during the reigns of King Charles II and King James VII & II. He refused to take the Oaths of allegiance to William and Mary and was removed from Parliament in 1693. The collieries were poorly managed and David Bruce went bankrupt in 1708. To pay his creditors, he sold the estate and the Sheriffdom to Colonel William Dalrymple, 2nd son of the Earl 0f Stair. David died in Clackmannan in 1712, and his son, Henry, 15th Baron of Clackmannan, came out for Prince Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, in the 1745 Jacobite uprising. He died in 1772, but his widow Catherine Bruce of Newton continued to live in the old mansion and tower until her death. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome.
The date for astronomical Spring is 20th March, ending on 21st June, while by the meteorological calendar, Spring starts on 1st March. When driving on Scottish roads in Scotland slow down and enjoy the trip
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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