Built between 1895 and 1897 as the Carron Company’s manager’s house and given the name, Carron Grange, by the then general manager, John Frew. A sketch and estimated cost of £3,500 was presented to the standing committee in 1895 and an additional £500 was authorised for laying out the roads. The architects were Macwhannell & Rogerson of 58 West Regent Street, Glasgow. There may have been a family connection between architect John Rogerson and Carron Company’s then chief engineer R.P. Roy, who liaised with the architects and the Company. The interior is in the “arts and crafts” style. The contractor was JJ & P McLachlan of Stenhousemuir.
The first occupant was John Frew and the last was Eric Leaver. After the post of general manager was superseded, the company planned to use the house as a facility for entertaining guests and customers, but that was short-lived. Some of the company’s old horses spent their retirement years in the grounds, which also, in the 1950s, played host to a small herd of highland cattle belonging the then manager. Carron Grange was sold to the Central Regional Council in the late 1970s for use as a teacher training centre. The house and estate were later bought by developers (Carronvale Homes) in the early 1990s and all the trees surrounding the house were cut down to make room for private housing (including the site of Hungry Hill and Mount Carron). The Grange itself was eventually sold to The Scottish Builders Federation who for a time used it as their headquarters. It was then leased as a kindergarten and whilst in use as such, was seriously damaged by fire on Sunday 18th November 2012. It has now been restored.
Brian Watters (2021)
Falkirk Local History Society 