Cambus, Clackmannanshire
{{short description|Village in Clackmannanshire, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name= Cambus
| gaelic_name= An Camas
| scots_name=
| local_name=
| country= Scotland
| population =
| population_ref = (2001 census)
| area_total_sq_mi=
| os_grid_reference= NS855940
| map_alt=
| coordinates = {{coord|56.123685|-3.844224|display=inline,title}}
| post_town= ALLOA
| postcode_area= FK
| postcode_district= FK10
| dial_code=
| constituency_westminster= Ochil and South Perthshire
| civil_parish=
| unitary_scotland= Clackmannanshire
| lieutenancy_scotland= Clackmannanshire
| constituency_scottish_parliament = Clackmannanshire and Dunblane
| website=
| static_image= Cambus - geograph.org.uk - 1758141.jpg
| static_image_width= 240px
| static_image_caption=
| static_image_alt=
}}
Cambus (from Scottish Gaelic An Camas, meaning the bend in the river) is a village near Alloa, Clackmannanshire. It is located to the south of Tullibody, to the northwest of Alloa, and about 4 miles east of Stirling, across the river.{{cite book|last=Hughes|first=William|title=The geography of British history: a geographical description of the British Islands at successive periods from the earliest times to the present day: with a sketch of the commencement of colonisation on the part of the English nation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7WRnAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA541|access-date=12 August 2012|year=1863|publisher=Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green|page=541}} It lies on the River Devon, near its confluence with the River Forth.
Distillery
A whisky distillery was founded in Cambus in 1806.[http://fahrenheit173.com/whisky/distilleries/?origin=Scotland Fahrenheit 173 - Whisky Distilleries] It or another was re-established by John Mowbray in 1813[http://www.whiskiesofscotland.com/distillery/cambus whiskiesofscotland.com] or perhaps 1836. In 1877 ownership was merged into the Distillers Company. The distillery was closed down in 1993.[http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/silent/cambus.htm scotchwhisky.net: Cambus Scotch Whisky Distillery] There is a song about Cambus Whisky which mentions "sober Sandy" who was reportedly a ballman{{cite book|title=A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921|date=1927|publisher=Ministry of Labour|page=228|url=https://archive.org/stream/DictionaryOfOccupationalTerms/doot#page/n232/mode/1up|access-date=3 March 2018|ref=454 - Distillers and Stillmen}} at the distillery.{{cite book|last1=Crawford|first1=John|title=Doric lays|date=1860|publisher=McPherson|location=Edinburgh|page=120|edition=Second Series|url=https://archive.org/stream/doriclays00craw#page/120/mode/2up/search/cambus|access-date=3 March 2018}}
The Cambus Iron Bridge over the Devon was constructed in the early 19th century to span the River Devon and link with the distillery founded in 1806. It is a Category A listed building and a scheduled monument.{{cite web|url=http://www.ihbc.org.uk/context_archive/58/cambus/bridge.html|title=Cambus Iron Bridge, Cambus, Clackmannanshire |publisher= Institute of Historic Building Conservation|access-date=12 August 2012}}
Security is a concern for any distillery, and in at least the 1950s the Cambus distillery was guarded at night by a flock of geese, with their wings clipped to prevent flight. During the day, to prevent the workforce being attacked, the geese were kept in an enclosure across the road, and were generally found to be intimidating by passers-by. This would have been intended to deter any would-be thieves. The degree of success is unknown, however nowadays the sign of a conventional security company is displayed on the perimeter of the site.
Brewery
Robert Knox & Son brewed in Cambus.{{cite book|last1=Crawford|first1=John|title=Doric lays|date=1860|publisher=McPherson|location=Edinburgh|page=118|edition=Second Series|url=https://archive.org/stream/doriclays00craw#page/118/mode/2up/search/cambus|access-date=3 March 2018}} Some of their beer labels still survive.{{cite web|title=Brewers in Scotland|url=http://labology.org.uk/?page_id=3575|website=The International Society for Beer Label Collectors and Brewery Research|access-date=3 March 2018}}
Famous Inhabitants
Magnus Pyke formerly lived in Cambus, close to the station and distillery.
Rail connections
From the early 1850s until 1968 Cambus was served by passenger trains of the Stirling and Dunfermline Railway. The station was to the west of the level crossing on the road into the village, and had a large signal box, which controlled two level crossings, the junction with the line to Menstrie and Alva, and access to sidings in the brewery and distillery. The line was re-opened in 2008 as part of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail link. The new railway has a passing loop to the east of the road into Cambus village, but no station at this point in time.
File:Plean, Cowie and the River Forth from the air (geograph 5222103).jpg with Menstrie and Alva at the foot of the Ochils beyond it. The bonded warehouses at Cambus, and Tullibody Inch are nearer the photographic position in the air above Cowie. Meanders on the Forth and the remains of Alloa Swing Bridge from Throsk are also visible.]]
