Bo'ness
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ŗBo'ness (originally known as Borrowstounness) is a small town in Scotland, lying on a hillside on the south bank of the River Forth. It should not be confused with Bowness-on-Windermere in England. It is in the Council Area of Falkirk, although it is often referred to as being in West Lothian.
In the Roman period, it lay at the eastern end of the Antonine Wall. Present-day attractions in the town include the Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway and the Birkhill Clay Mine. Kinneil House, built by the powerful Hamilton family in the 15th century, lies on the west edge of the town. In the grounds are a cottage where James Watt lived and worked and the boiler of a Newcomen engine engine he built.
The town was a recognised port from the 16th century; a harbour was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1707. The harbour, constructed progressively during the 18th century, was extended and complemented by a dry dock in 1881 (works designed by civil engineers Thomas Meik and Patrick Meik). The commercial port (heavily used for the transport of coal and pit props) eventually closed in 1959, badly affected by silting and the gradual downturn of the Scottish coal-mining industry. Plans exist to reopen the port.
Bo'ness was a site for coal mining from medieval times. Clay mining was carried out on a smaller scale. The shore was the site of industrial salt making, evaporating sea water over coal fires. The town was home to sizable potteries, one product being the black wally dogs which sat in pairs over many fireplaces. Metalworking is still carried out and the Bo'ness Iron Company's drain covers are to be found in many far flung places.
Bo'ness is now a commuter town, with many of its residents travelling to work in Edinburgh or Glasgow. The other main source of employment are the petrochemical facilities located in nearby Grangemouth.