Clackmannanshire

The Ochil Fault is the geological feature which defines the southern edge of the Ochil Hills escarpment in Scotland. North of the fault, Devonian lava flows and pyroclastic deposits slope gently down, thinning towards the north. These are in part overlain by Old Red Sandstone rocks formed later in the Devonian period. Because the deposits thin towards the north, and there are few signs of volcanic necks within the Ochil Hills themselves, it is thought that the eruptive centres were south of the fault, however these are buried deep beneath the Carboniferous rocks including coal measures which are found beneath the low-lying carse lands to the south.To put this in perspective, the prominent hill Dumyat which defines the western extremity of the Ochil Hills has a height of 418 metres (1,371 ft). The nearest colliery, Manor Powis, approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the fault, was approximately the same depth, in carse land that is scarcely above sea level, and was mining coal from Carboniferous strata at least many hundreds of metres above the top of the Devonian deposits. The Ochil Fault was active from the earliest part of the Carboniferous period, allowing the marine swamps in which the coal-producing vegetation flourished to be periodically overlain by layers of sand, forming sandstone, or silt, forming shale, in a number of cyclic subsidences. These occurred in the form of basins, and the pattern of movements was complex, however it is known that the greatest vertical movement was centred about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) east of the town of Alva, and almost certainly exceeded 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) vertically. The deepest deposits of coal measures are obviously found in this region, but this has not been mined to its full extent, probably due to the great depth involved. The point of maximum downwards movement south of the fault lies just south of the Silver Glen, which happens to be the part of the Ochil Hills where the greatest extent of mineralisation has been discovered. The minerals, including ores of silver and cobalt, were probably emplaced by hydrothermal solutions percolating upwards through various minor faults and fractures, in the Tertiary period. The Ochil Fault remained active throughout geological time, and some later movements allowed intrusive eruptions of diorite or quartz-dolerite to rise at various places along its length. Modern movements of the fault are very minor but occasionally give rise to discernible earthquakes, particularly in the village of Menstrie, and the town of Tillicoultry. However the latter may be easily confused with the collapse of old room and pillar coal mine workings which undoubtedly underlie the southern part of the town. The Ochil Fault is one of Britain's finest examples of a fault line scarp, and can be best appreciated from vantage points such as the Wallace Monument near Stirling.

Tillicoultry ( TIL-ee-KOO-tree; Scottish Gaelic: Tulach Cultraidh, perhaps from older Gaelic Tullich-cul-tir, or "the mount/hill at the back of the country") is a town in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Tillicoultry is usually referred to as Tilly by the locals. One of the Hillfoots Villages on the A91, which runs from Stirling to St. Andrews, Tillicoultry is situated at the southern base of the Ochil Hills, which provide a spectacular backdrop. The River Devon lies to the south. The river also runs through neighbouring villages Dollar and Alva to the east and west respectively. The former mining village of Coalsnaughton lies just south, whilst Alloa lies 4 miles (6 kilometres) southwest. The "hill" referred to in the first etymology is likely to be Kirkhill, at the east of the town. The alternative Latin etymology, Tellus culta, the cultivated land, suggested by Rev. William Osborne, minister of the parish from 1773 to 1794, is also possible. However, as both etymologies could equally be applied to a hundred places in Scotland, both are suspect, as neither define the town in a unique manner.

Tillicoultry railway station served the town of Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, Scotland from 1851 to 1964 on the Devon Valley Railway and the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway.

Glenfoot railway station was a temporary terminus that served the town of Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, Scotland in 1851 on the Devon Valley Railway.

Coalsnaughton or Calibar (Scottish Gaelic: Caolas Neachdainn) is a village in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. It is just south of Tillicoultry of which it also lies in its parish. The miners' row was built by Robert Bald.

Ben Cleuch is a hill in the Ochil Hills range, part of the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is the highest point in the range, Clackmannanshire and the Central Belt of Scotland; the summit is marked by a trig point within a stone windshelter and a viewpoint indicator.

Harviestoun is an estate in Tillicoultry parish, Clackmannanshire, central Scotland. It lies at the base of the Ochil Hills, around 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) east of Tillicoultry and 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of Dollar.

The Silver Glen lies approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) to the east of the town of Alva, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, and takes its name from the silver that was mined there in the early 18th century. The deposit, the richest deposit of native silver ever found in the British Isles, was discovered just as the Jacobite rising of 1715 was breaking out, and its owner, Sir John Erskine, left to join the rebels, leaving his wife in charge of the mine. Some 40 tons of ore were raised and buried in barrels in the grounds of Alva House at the foot of the Ochil Hills, about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) east of Stirling, whilst the richest of the ore was smelted and the ingots concealed under floorboards inside the house. The mine was then filled in during the aftermath of the failed rising, but its existence was revealed to the government by an employee of the Erskines. Samples of the ore were analysed by Sir Isaac Newton and found to be very rich. Sir John was later able to secure a pardon for his role in the rising, on condition he revealed all he knew about the mine, and gave a tenth of the proceeds to the government. Mining resumed a few years later and the remainder of the deposit was extracted. Later, in 1759, a vein carrying erythrite, an ore of cobalt, was found and gave a new lease of life to the mines, but it was soon exhausted.Many of the old mineworkings can still be seen, but the new landowners, The Woodland Trust, have installed locked gates on the more extensive workings, as there are unprotected shafts within. There is not much trace of silver to be found now, as the dumps have been well worked over by mineral collectors. Some fine examples of crystallized dendritic silver were found in the 1980s.There are other mine workings at Carnaughton Glen, on the west side of Alva just above the golf course, which are often confused with the Silver Glen. These are barren trials from the 1770s. Again, there is at least one shaft, this time water-filled, so casual exploration by the inexperienced is not advised.

Fishcross is a small village in Clackmannanshire in central Scotland, situated to the north of Sauchie at a crossroads just south of Tillicoultry. Formerly a mining village, the population is 484 as at 2003.A golf course and equestrian centre are located nearby and at Auchinbaird there is a fine example of a windmill built in the early 18th Century to drain a coal pit and later converted to serve as a dovecote.

Sauchie Tower, also known as Devon Tower, is a 15th-century tower house in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. The tower is located by the village of Fishcross, 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of Sauchie and 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) north of Alloa, close to the River Devon. It is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Gartmorn Dam is an artificial freshwater loch north-east of Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, UK, built in 1711-12 as a reservoir to supply water to hydraulic machines used in Alloa's mining industry. It was commissioned by John Erskine, 23rd and 6th Earl of Mar, to designs by George Sorocold, and is one of the earliest constructed reservoirs in Scotland.

Sauchie railway station served the town of Sauchie, Clackmannanshire, Scotland from 1873 to 1930 on the Devon Valley Railway.