Bellstane is a small square in the High Street, at the foot of the loan. The Bellstane was originally a stone with a ring in it sunk in to the ground on the line of the Burgh boundary at the entrance to Harbor Lane. By the 19th century the Bellstane had replaced the Merkat Cross as the centre of town life. This was the venue for public auctions, stalls selling household goods with meat (on Fridays), travelling fairs, sideshows and the annual Ferry Fair.
The 'Bellstane Walk' is still one of our present day challenges during the Ferry Fair week, where men compete to carry two 80lb weights from Bellstane, along the High Street, and back to the Bellstane. The man who manages the furthest distance is proclaimed the Champion. No one has ever completed the distance.
The 'Bellstane Walk' is still one of our present day challenges during the Ferry Fair week, where men compete to carry two 80lb weights from Bellstane, along the High Street, and back to the Bellstane. The man who manages the furthest distance is proclaimed the Champion. No one has ever completed the distance.
No's 1 and 2 Bellstane, together with No's 3 and 4 Bellstane, forms a small square marking the site of the old market place. Bellstane takes its name from the ringing of the bell which was rung to tell people the market was about to start. The actual bell is now in Queensferry museum.
The Bellstane Bird is an owl carving, sitting on a bell, depicting the one which was rung at Market times, situated high on the wall at No 2, where the Bellstane Dental Practice is today.
Residents from this end of town were called Bellstane Birds and the name was adopted by the local football club.
Residents from this end of town were called Bellstane Birds and the name was adopted by the local football club.
Bellstane Birds Football Club
Bellstane Birds Football Club was a Scottish association football club based in South Queensferry. The club was founded in 1882 and disbanded in 1891. The club competed in the Scottish Cup for five seasons between 1886 and 1891. The home colours were red and blue. 'Wikipedia'
The Bellstane Birds were adventurous enough to challenge the City of Edinburgh's Heart of Midlothian in the second round of the Scottish Cup, and although the Birds were defeated by four goals to one, their players were not disgraced before the crowd of nearly 1,000 followers, during the rain and wind of a late Septembers day. The home ground and local arrangements were severely criticised by the local reporter., "steps should at once be taken", he wrote,"to have matters so arranged that when a large crowd awaits admission to the field, it may be more easily obtained than by climbing over the wall or pushing through the hedge, then as to the holes in the field, it certainly looked very bad to be carrying material in a pail to make up the deficiencies in the presence of such a concourse of spectators". As a tail piece to this tirade, the 'Hawk' as he dubbed himself, added, "the referee, I think, would be none the worse for going into training for some little time".Dr John Mason MA 1963
These images are copyright to Queensferry History Group.
The Bellstane Birds highest scoring win was in 1889,
Bellstane Birds 6 - Norton Park 3.
Their highest scoring F A Cup loss was on 11.10.1890, Bo'Ness 7 - Bellstane Birds 0.
Their highest scoring draw was on 11.09.1886 -
Broxburn Thistle 2 - Bellstane Birds 2.
Scottish F A Cup 1886 -1887, 11.09.1886, round r1, away,
against Broxburn Thistle, draw 2-2.
18.09.1886, round r1, away, against Broxburn, Thistle, lost 1-4 .
Scottish F A Cup 1887 - 1888, 03.09.1887, round r1, away, against Erin Rovers- (Bathgate) , lost 0-5.
Scottish F A cup 1888-1889, 01.09.1888, round r1, away, against Norton Park,
lost 2-3.
Scottish F A Cup 1889 - 1890, 07.09.1889, round r1, home, against Norton Park -
won 6-3
Scottish F A Cup 28.09.1889, round 2, home, against Heart of Midlothian lost 1-4.
Duffy scored for Bellstane Birds to go 1-0 up but Hearts replied through George Scott, Davie Baird, Willie Taylor and again Davie Baird.
Scottish F A Cup 1890 - 1891, 11.10.1890, round r1, away, against Bo'ness,
lost 0-7.
The Bellstane Birds also played Hearts at the first Tynecastle Park on the 12th of January 1884 in a friendly. Hearts won 10-0 with Jimmy Brogan scoring 5 of the goals. It is Bellstane Birds biggest defeat.
results from http://www.statto.com/football/teams/bellstane-birds/1890-1891/results (Also thanks to Chris Simm for additional info re football scores).
