The Beginning:
Bridge of Allan is situated less than three miles from the centre of Stirling. It began life as a small rural village, mainly made up of cottages and a mills. The wooded hill above the town is called mine woods where copper was mined as early as the 16th century and at intervals thereafter right up to 1807. The main audit (entrance shaft) of the mine can still be seen today in mine woods. The copper was used in the mint at Stirling to produce the first coinage of bawbees for the coronation of Mary Queen of Scots in 1543. In the 18th two more shafts were created to drain spring water from the mine. This mineralised water soon attracted large numbers of people who came to "take the waters" due to its alleged healing powers. In 1820 samples of the water were analysed and shown to be rich in dissolved minerals. This eventually led to the development of the Spa.

Architecture:
Most of the buildings that you see today in Bridge of Allan are from the Victorian era. This is because there was a spate of building work that took place when the village became a Spa town. Spas were a popular past time of the Victorians throughout Britain and the Spa at Bridge of Allan attracted many people mainly made up of successful merchants and their wealthy families from the nearby cities of Glasgow & Edinburgh. It was common for them to purchase a holiday home in the village and come to Bridge of Allan for holidays.

The Spa routine began around the wells in the early morning, where it was recommended to drink four pint tumblers of mineral rich water which was pumped from the local spring. The rest of the day spent enjoying fresh air activities such as walks, Riding, Angling and in warmer months swimming in the Allan Water.

Victorian Romanticism:
Queen Victoria was very fond of Scotland and spent much of her time enjoying the herself in the clean air. Her fondness for Highland landscape encouraged people living in the cities to perceive the area as both a healthy and romantic destination which was good recuperation from the grime and pollution present in many industrial British cities.

As well as the royal endorsement the area also benefited from romantic literature describing the surrounding landscapes. The infamous writings of The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott helped bring the area from an unknown backwater to a sought after destination for recreation and holidays.

The Railway: 
In 1848, the railway first arrived in Bridge of Allan, further accelerating its development. A reading room, library and bowling green were among the facilities enjoyed by the Victorian visitors.

Landmarks:
There are many Victorian landmarks in Bridge of Allan. One of the most impressive is the the fountain of Nineveh, complete with its cast-iron Doric column it stands half way down Fountain Road. This was an 1851 whimsy of the the owner of the Westerton Estate which was named to commemorate the excavations going on at the time at the site of the original Nineveh (on the River Tigris in modern day Iraq). There is also a 4 faced Victorian clock outside the Westerton Bar and a Victorian Provosts Lamp in the local Gardens across the road.

Other interesting buildings include the 1858 Holy Trinity Church, now celebrated for the elegant furnishings added in 1904 by internationally acclaimed Scottish architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Also the Museum Hall, opposite Pullar Park, now awaiting renovation after some years of dereliction. It was hosts to many dances, exhibitions and concerts for many decades including the Beatles in the 60s.

Pathways and Walks:
There are many old alley ways and paths all over Bridge of Allan linking different areas. For longer walks there is a riverside pathway called the Darn Walk. Along up the hill from the bridge,well used by local dog walkers it leads you on a gentle path following the river to the next village north, Dunblane. It is thought to have been in use since Roman Times. This three mile walk is strongly associated with Robert Louis Stevenson, who included the route as part of his adventure novel Kidnapped. A small cave by the river bank is also said to be the original of Ben Gunn’s cave in Treasure Island.