Fintry Past

Fairs, Sports, Windfarms

Balgair Fair

For perhaps hundreds of years cattle from the highlands were driven through Fintry on their way to the great trysts at Falkirk and Lanark and finally England.  The Balgair Fair was a great stopping point for grazing and trading. This area, above and west of Balfark Farm today was far larger than Fintry. It is a lost community of pubs shops, houses and at times up to 3,000 people. The great Fair was held several times a year, the last being in1890.

The cattle would spend the night on the Muir, while their drovers would find lodgings at local farms.  Balafark, with a public–house, charged 6 pence for the drover’s bed, meal and drink and, just as important, for his dog’s food, too.

Balgair Fair
Balgair Fair

Outdoor Bowling

Fintry Outdoor Bowling Club was opened in July 1933 by Sir George Wilson.  President of the Committee was Mr James Menzies of Culcreuch.   A pavilion was gifted by Mr Robert Craig, village shop owner.  It took two years to create.  The bottoming drainage stones were donated by Fintry quarrymaster Mr Walter Knights.  Mrs Menzies threw the first jack and bowl. Players adjourned to McNaughton’s Tearoom for tea and the platform party were entertained to tea in the Menzies Hall.  

It finally closed in 2015 and is now a community events space and business hub. 

Fintry Sports and Recreation Club

In 1979, the people of Fintry were asked, “If you had a sports club what would they like to see in it?” After much consideration, it was decided that rugby and squash would be the place to start. After all, Strathendrick Rugby Club was looking for a new home and the number of avid players of the up and coming sport squash was growing rapidly. The Club grew with the additions of the Fintry Riding Club, Fintry Football Club and later, in 1989, the indoor bowling hall completed the excellent community facility, as it is known today. Built mostly by local volunteers, it has become a vital part of village life.

It now also houses the village shop and Fintry Museum.

Volunteers at Fintry Sports Club foundations dig
Volunteers at Fintry Sports Club foundations dig

Fintry Development Trust

Fintry Development trust was established in 2007 to manage the income from the first ever joint partnership venture between a community (Fintry) and a wind farm developer (Falck Renewables).

Four residents worked for many years to finally secure a 15th additional turbine on Earlsburn Wind Farm at Carron Valley, a few miles outside of the village.

The income generated, is used by the Trust to support projects in Fintry which meet their aims and objects of making the community sustainable and carbon neutral.

To date projects have included village wide loft and cavity wall insulation, supporting the installation of the Sports Club biomass boiler, assisting new micro renewables heating systems in many homes, such as, air source and ground source heat pumps, contributing to the outdoor classroom at school, installing Solar PV at the nursery school, providing a community orchard and garden, installing EV charging points, and more.

The Trust gains considerable attention both at home and abroad, resulting in regular overseas visitors, community groups and universities contacting FDT to see and learn what the Trust has achieved.

Launch of the Fintry turbine
Launch of the Fintry turbine