Description

Thomas Meik & Son, 1878-1881 (rebuilt). Small tidal harbour and wet dock. Straight rubble W pier and L-plan concrete E pier enclosing rectangular harbour. Disused lock entrance at S end of E pier leading to concrete-walled dock.

Statement of Interest

As early as 1550 Bo'ness Harbour was undergoing improvements for continental trade which resulted in it becoming one of the top Scottish ports trading with Holland and The Baltic. An Act of Parliament in 1707 authorised the erection of a new harbour, with a new east pier added in 1733 and extended 1787. Travelling through Bo'ness in 1769, Pennant wrote "There is a good quay, much frequented by shipping; for considerable quantities of coal are sent from hence to London; and their are besides some Greenland ships belonging to the town". This year saw the revival of whale fishing. Difficult times for Bo'ness Harbour followed when in 1790 the Forth & Clyde Canal opened and 1810 saw Grangemouth promoted to separate port. The New Statistical Account notes details of the harbour with the east pier at 368' long extended by a further 180', and the west pier at some 568' long, with a harbour depth at spring tides of 20'. By 1843 the seaport was in decline, but the subsequent extension of the W pier of 1876 built using slag block construction which may be unique, followed by construction of the inner dock and installation of hydraulic machinery (the scheme being complete by 1881) led to a revival in trade. At this time the major exports were pit props, bunker coal, coal and coke. Trade was buoyant until about 1900 when a slow decline, exacerbated by closure to commercial shipping during WWII, led finally to closure in 1959. During WWI a flotilla of destroyers was based at Bo'ness and the harbour became a temporary naval base during WWII.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56627006

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)