Raploch

Raploch
Raploch is located in Stirling
Raploch
Raploch
Location within the Stirling council area
Council area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSTIRLING
Postcode districtFK8
Dialling code01786
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
56°07′47″N 3°56′50″W / 56.1297°N 3.9471°W / 56.1297; -3.9471

Raploch, known locally as The Raploch or The Raptap, is a district of the city of Stirling, which lies to the south of the River Forth in central Scotland.

The first houses were built in the late 17th century, after the land had been sold by the Earl of Mar to the patrons of Cowane's Hospital in Stirling. Economic conditions led to stagnation but housing began again in earnest at the start of the 19th century.

The real expansion came in the middle of the 20th century, when council housing replaced decrepit housing in the old town.

Perhaps one of the most notable people to have come from the district is football legend Billy Bremner, who also attended the local St. Mary's Roman Catholic primary school. A more recent football star from Raploch is David Goodwillie.[1]

The Raploch was the subject of a 2002 BBC Scotland documentary entitled Raploch Stories, and in a 2017 sequel Raploch Stories Revisited.

Since 2004, the Raploch area has undergone a great deal of physical regeneration.[2]

In 2008 the area became the home of the UK's first El Sistema children's orchestra, called Big Noise Raploch. A children's orchestra with over 100 members, who performed with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela[3] on 21 June 2012 and on a BBC Scotland Christmas Eve (2012) Special in Stirling's Holy Rude Church.

References

  1. ^ David Goodwillie can become as successful as Duncan Ferguson, says Dick Taylor www.dailyrecord.co.uk, 20 June 2010
  2. ^ Adams, David; Tiesdell, Steve (2013). Shaping Places: Urban Planning, Design and Development. Routledge. pp. 115–6. ISBN 9780415497961. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  3. ^ "El Sistema: How a Venezuelan music scheme changed Raploch". BBC News. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  • Mair, Craig (1990). Stirling: The Royal Burgh. John Donald Publishers. ISBN 0-85976-420-6.