Plean Country Park

History

 Forest Walks for Everyone
Home History Virtual Walks About Feedback/Contacts
Plean House and the associated gardens and lands were created in the early 1800's.  The original owner was called Francis Simpson, for the majority of Simpson's life, the house and lands were just considered a private estate where he and his family lived.  Simpson's business was involved with trading in the far east.
Plean House and Stables are built in Plean Stone, a pleasant mellow sandstone is of a very pleasing, unglazed red brick.  Care and maintenance of the house, gardens and stables was by domestic servants who lived in the house, stables and three lodge houses on the lands near the house. 

After Francis Simpson died,  the house eventually became empty by 1886.  The last resident family in the house were the Thorneycrofts.  The head of the family Wallace Thorneycroft was manager and proprietor of the East Plean Colliery and this was the start of the association with the coal mining industry.

HouseMain1.jpg picture by scotsredneck
Plean House

100_1716.jpg picture by scotsredneck

 For the majority of the 20th century there was significant mining around Plean.  The managers of the mining stayed in the house and there were two bings that were established on the nearby lands which are now part of the park.

In 1963 the last Plean coal mine closed and the house became empty.  During the 70's the house was broken into and set on fire and significant damage was done.  Scottish Coal eventually handed over the 200 acres of land to Stirling council in the mid 1980's.  Work on the park started in 1987 and significant improvements and changes have taken place in terms of public access, quality of walks, protection of wildlife and the environment.