PLEAN, a quoad sacra parish (for a time), in the
parish of St. Ninian's, county of Stirling, 5 miles (S.
E. by S.) from Stirling; containing S72 inhabitants.
This is the seat of an extensive colliery, which may be
considered as forming part of the great coal-field of the
district, comprehending the collieries of Bannockburn,
Greenyards, and Auchenbowie. There is a village called
Plean Camp, inhabited by colhers. The church stands
on the side of the public road between Falkirk and Stirling,
and about four miles south-east from the village of
St. Ninian's. The minister joined the Free Church at
the Disruption in 1843, and he and that portion of the
congregation which adhered to him have since continued
to occupy the place of worship. He is in receipt of a
liberal salary as chaplain of Plean Hospital, and makes
no demand upon his roiigrogatioii; the collections at the
church-door are appropriated partly in defraying expenses,
and partly in relieving the poor. There is a
school at Plean Camp for the benefit chiefly of the
children of the work-people. The hospital was founded
by the late Francis Simpson, Esq., of Plean, for the benefit
of indigent old men, soldiers and sailors to have a
preference; he endowed it with the greater part of his
fortune, and named it William Sinipaon's Asylum in memory
of his only son, who died in 1827: the founder
himself died in 1831. The present available income is
nearly £1000, and the asylum contains about thirty inmates,
who are comfortably lodged, clothed, and fed, and
each of whom receives a small weekly allowance of
pocket-money. The income will ultimately be greatly
augmented by annuities and life-rents falling in. Near
Plean mill are the ruins of an ancient tower, the greater
part of which has been used for buildings on the farm
adjoining. The district has been often chosen for the
encampment of armies: in 1314, the English lay at West
Plean on the night previous to the celebrated battle of
Bannockburn; and in 1746, on the morning of the 17th
of January, the Pretender assembled his troops on Plean
moor, whence he marched to Falkirk.