Editing Alloa (section)

{{short description|Town in Clackmannanshire, Scotland}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name                    = Alloa
| gaelic_name                      = Allmhagh,<ref>Mac an Tàilleir, Iain (2003) [http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/vl-trans.htm#places ''Placenames''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225005529/http://scottish.parliament.uk/vli/language/gaelic/vl-trans.htm |date=25 December 2010 }}. (pdf) Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Retrieved 8 August 2009</ref> Alamhagh<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ainmean-aite.org/database.asp?intent=details&id=503|title=StackPath|website=Ainmean-aite.org|access-date=28 October 2021|archive-date=5 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205054723/http://www.ainmean-aite.org/database.asp?intent=details&id=503|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| scots_name                       = Allowae<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scots-online.org/dictionary/read.asp?letter=A&CurPage=18|title=The Online Scots Dictionary|first=Andy|last=Eagle|access-date=21 May 2013|archive-date=8 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708071231/http://www.scots-online.org/dictionary/read.asp?letter=A&CurPage=18|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>An alternative interpretation – Dr Jamieson, the author of the ''Scottish Dictionary'', states that the most probable etymology of the name was from Aull Waeg, signifying the way to the sea or the sea-way. Lothian's annual register for the County of Clackmannan 1877</ref>
| local_name                       =
| country                          = Scotland
| population                       = {{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Alloa}}
| population_ref                   = ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref>{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi                 = 3.52
| os_grid_reference                = NS900920
| map_alt                          = Alloa is in the south of Clackmannanshire in the centre of the Scottish mainland.
| coordinates                      = {{coord|56.116|-3.793|display=inline,title}}
| post_town                        = ALLOA
| postcode_area                    = FK
| postcode_district                = FK10
| dial_code                        = 01259
| constituency_westminster         = [[Alloa and Grangemouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Alloa and Grangemouth]]
| civil_parish                     = 
| unitary_scotland                 = [[Clackmannanshire]]
| lieutenancy_scotland             = [[Clackmannanshire]]
| constituency_scottish_parliament = [[Clackmannanshire and Dunblane (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Clackmannanshire and Dunblane]]
| website                          = 
| static_image_name                = Alloa from Clackmannan Tower.jpg
| static_image_caption             = Alloa from [[Clackmannan Tower]] with Ben Ledi and [[Wallace Monument]] in the distance
| static_image_alt                 = A town landscape with hills in the background. 
}}

'''Alloa''' (Received Pronunciation {{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|l|oʊ|ə}}; Scottish pronunciation /ˈaloʊa/; {{langx|gd|Alamhagh}}, possibly meaning "rock plain"<ref>{{Cite book|title=Place-names of Great Britain and Ireland|last=Field|first=John|date=1980|publisher=David & Charles|isbn=0389201545|location=Newton Abbot, Devon|oclc=6964610|page=23}}</ref>) is a town in [[Clackmannanshire]] in the [[Central Lowlands]] of [[Scotland]]. It is on the north bank of the Forth at the spot where some say it ceases to be the [[River Forth]] and becomes the [[Firth of Forth]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chambers|first1=Robert|last2=Chambers|first2=William|title=The gazetteer of Scotland. [With plates and maps.]|date=1838|publisher=Blackie and Son|location=Glasgow|pages=26–28|url=https://archive.org/stream/gazetteerofscov11838cham#page/26/mode/2up|access-date=31 October 2017}}</ref> Alloa is south of the [[Ochil Hills]] on the western Fife peninsula,  {{convert|6|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} east of [[Stirling]] and {{convert|13|mi|km|0}} west of [[Dunfermline]]; by water Alloa is {{convert|25|mi|km}} from [[Granton, Edinburgh|Granton]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Alloa illustrated family almanac, district directory and general register for the county of Clackmannan for 1887|date=1887|publisher=MacGregor & Steedman|location=Alloa|pages=4–12|url=https://archive.org/stream/alloaillustrated1887ephe#page/n11/mode/2up|access-date=30 October 2017}}</ref>

The town, formerly a [[burgh of barony]], is the administrative centre of Clackmannanshire Council. Historically, the economy relied heavily on trade between [[Glasgow]] and mainland Europe through its port.<ref>{{cite news|title=Old port in a new storm. Row breaks out as harbour seeks revival|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12701122.Old_port_in_a_new_storm__Row_breaks_out_as_harbour_seeks_revival/|access-date=31 October 2017|agency=The Herald|date=13 January 1994}}</ref> This became increasingly uncompetitive and the port stopped operating in 1970. The local economy is now centred on retail and leisure since the closure of major industries; only one brewer and one glassmaker survive today. Parochially, Alloa was linked with [[Tullibody]]. The towns are now distinct, albeit with Lornshill in the middle, and Alloa is about twice the size of its north-western neighbour. The population of Alloa was estimated to be approximately 20,730 residents in 2016.<ref name="Pop.">[http://www.clacksweb.org.uk/council/populationsettlement/ Population of settlements], ClacksWeb Retrieved 16 December 2018.</ref>

[[File:The Forth Valley near Alloa - geograph.org.uk - 723980.jpg|thumb|right|The Forth Valley near Alloa: [[Black Devon#Gartmorn Dam|Gartmorn Dam]], [[Alloa Inch]] and [[Tullibody Inch]] can be seen on the [[River Forth|Forth]]]]
[[File:Alloa From The Air - geograph.org.uk - 1440457.jpg|thumb|right|Alloa from the air]]
[[File:Target Dossier for Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland - DPLA - b856df47579a937bbaf7935cc5a4ca51 (page 2).jpg|thumb|right|Port of Alloa on a target dossier of the German [[Luftwaffe]], 1939]]