The
village of Doune lies by the River Teith in southern Perthshire.
The main attraction is
Doune Castle, an impressive fortress overlooking
the River Teith, dates from the 14thC.
The bridge over the Teith at Doune
was built by Robert Spittal. He arrived at the ferry with no money and was
refused passage. In order to put the ferryman out of a job he had the bridge
built in 1535. In 1715 the bridge was partly destroyed by the Earl of Mar
to delay goverment troops moving north from Stirling.
In 1611 the town became a burgh of
barony.
Doune was once famous for the manufacture
of Scottish pistols, the trade having been introduced in by Robert Caddell
in 1645. In the 19thC the Buchanan brothers opened the Deanston cotton mill
which employed 1000 spinners and weavers. Both industries have now gone.
In 1793 the first post office was opened.
In 1858 the railway arrived en route from Dunblane to Callander. |