55°58′41″N4°34′51″W / 55.9780°N 4.5808°W /55.9780; -4.5808
TheVale of Leven (Scottish Gaelic:Magh Leamhna) is an area ofWest Dunbartonshire,Scotland, in the valley of theRiver Leven. Historically, it was part ofThe Lennox, the name of which derives from the Gaelic termLeamhnach, meaningfield of the Leven.Leamnha is thought to mean elm-water.[1][2]
Geographically the valley of the Vale of Leven runs fromLoch Lomond in the north toDumbarton in the south. However, the term "Vale of Leven" or just "The Vale" is commonly used locally to refer to the urban area towards the north of the valley that consists of a number of communities. These were historically separate villages but have expanded into oneconurbation. The largest of these communities is the town ofAlexandria, which sits on the west bank of the Leven. Alexandria is connected to the village ofRenton to the south and to the village ofBalloch in the north. Across the river from Alexandria IsBonhill which is connected toJamestown to the north. The combined population of these areas in 2020 was approximately 22,000.
The area's name lends itself to Alexandria's local football club,Vale of Leven F.C.; the secondary school,Vale of Leven Academy; theVale of Leven District General Hospital and other local organisations.
The Vale of Leven is the valley of theRiver Leven betweenLoch Lomond in the north and theRiver Clyde atDumbarton in the south. To the east are theKilpatrick Hills. The western hills form a minor off-shoot of theScottish Highlands, comprising Ben Bouie, Mount Mallow and Carman muir. The valley was shaped byglacial action associated with the last glacial period in Britain, theLoch Lomond Readvance.[3] While the valley itself is mostly sedimentary and metamorphic, the surrounding hills are composed of 340 million year old igneous rock from thecarboniferous. Notably,Dumbarton Rock consists of the remnants of a volcanic plug formed during the same period.[4]
Carman Hill is a largehillfort sitting west of Renton. Despite its impressive size, a lack of detailed archaeological investigations make the timing of its inhabitation and many other basic details uncertain, but its close geographical proximity to the major fortress of Alcluith atDumbarton Rock (sited where the River Leven meets the River Clyde) suggests a relationship with this importantiron age centre.[5] After incorporation of Alcluith's successor state, Strathclyde, into the kingdom of Scotland, the Vale of Leven became the political centre of theEarldom of Lennox. By the 13th century nearby Dumbarton was centrally controlled by the crown as aroyal burgh, however the Vale of Leven remained a relatively wild area. As an example, in 1230 when the Earl of Lennox granted valuable fishing rights on the River Leven to local monks, he had to promise them protection to enable them to work there.[6] After theWars of Independence,Robert the Bruce purchased land in Cardross and the Vale of Leven. He lived and ruled from there until his death in 1329.[6] There is a smallKing Robert the Bruce Heritage Centre situated at the train station in Renton.
The Vale of Leven was an area of small farms and relatively low population until industrialisation started with the establishment of a bleach-field at Dalquhurn, Renton in 1715. Both dyeing and bleaching industries were attracted to the area by the reliable and fast flowing waters of the River Leven. By the 1830's dye works had spread along the river from Renton to Balloch. Individual works included those at Dalquhurn, Cordale, Bonhill, Alexandria, Milton, Dalmonach, Dillichip, Ferryfield and Levenbank. People emigrated from the Highlands, from Ireland and from northern England to staff this industry, and the five villages of The Vale grew. In 1897 several of these works amalgamated as the UnitedTurkey Red Company. The last dyeworks in the area was the British Silk Factory which closed in 1980.[6][7][8] Current notable employers include Loch Lomond Distilleries, Chivas Brothers distillers, and Aggreko Generators. The tourism and hospitality industries are also important local employers.
The area is traditionally industrial, based particularly on the dyeing industry, but with the decline of manufacturing in Scotland has had to look to new areas for employment. The area had exceptionally high levels ofunemployment in the 1920s and 1930s, which gave it a radical reputation, withCommunism andSocialism being popular political philosophies in particular. During that time it was known as one of the "Little Moscows" in Britain i.e. an area where theCommunist Party of Great Britain had exceptional strength.[9] The Vale of Leven District Council (which disappeared in thelocal government reorganisation of the 1970s) could have had the distinction of being the only local council in Great Britain where the Communist Party were ever the largest single party, although unlike most of the "little Moscows" it was not acoal mining area. The Communist Party went into serious decline locally in the 1950s under the influence of theCold War, more quickly than in some other "little Moscows". However, there was an important industrial struggle during the early 1970s when thePlessey factory experienced a lengthy sit-in, objecting to its proposed closure.
In recent years theLabour Party and theScottish National Party have been the dominant parties in the area, thoughJim Bollan of theWest Dunbartonshire Community Party and formerly theScottish Socialist Party has been a councillor for the Leven ward ofWest Dunbartonshire council since 2007.
The Vale of Leven was a hotspot for the early development of Scottish football. This relatively small area gave birth to numerous football clubs, of which the most successful wereVale of Leven FC andRenton FC.[6][10] Neither is currently a senior team, but by 1888 the 2 clubs had won 5Scottish Cup finals between them. As well as football teams, The Vale currently is home to the Vale of Leven Golf Club, the Vale of Leven Cricket Club, the Loch Lomond Rugby Club, a swimming pool, several bowling clubs, and the Vale of Leven & District Angling Club. The latter reflects the River Leven's historic recognition as a salmon and trout river.[7]
Two major walking and/or cycling routes cross the Vale of Leven. National Cycling Network route 7 (Glasgow to Balloch) runs along the length of the River Leven and theJohn Muir Way crosses the northern end of the valley. There are also many local hill walking routes leading toCardross,Helensburgh andGlen Fruin to the west and into the Kilpatrick hills to the east.
Train links to Glasgow with railway stations at Balloch, Alexandria and Renton. Bus links to Glasgow via Dumbarton andClydebank. Also bus routes toDrymen, Helensburgh, andLuss. The A82 trunk road from Glasgow toFort William runs through the Vale of Leven.
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