Dunblane

Dunblane is a town and historic parish in the Stirling council area of Scotland. It lies on the River Allan, to the north of Stirling, and is known for its compact town center, historic cathedral precinct, and riverside setting.

The name Dunblane is believed to derive from Gaelic, commonly given as Dun Bhlean or Dun Blain, meaning a fort associated with St Blane. The town grew around the medieval ecclesiastical settlement that culminated in Dunblane Cathedral, also known as St Blane’s Cathedral, which dates from the 12th to the 16th centuries and became a parish church after the Reformation. The cathedral precinct and burial ground remain important local landmarks. A 19th-century bridge spanning the River Allan is also a notable feature of the town’s historic core. Dunblane Museum, located in the former lock-up, presents local history and the town’s development.

In 1996, Dunblane was the site of a mass shooting at Dunblane Primary School, in which 16 children and a teacher were killed before the perpetrator took his own life. The tragedy prompted far-reaching reforms to gun-control legislation in the United Kingdom, emphasizing restrictions on private handgun ownership and enhanced school safety measures.

Today Dunblane serves as a residential town with commuter links to Stirling and beyond. It is served by Dunblane railway station on the main line between Glasgow and Edinburgh, via Stirling, and has local schools including Dunblane Primary and Dunblane High School, along with community facilities and local services that support its population.