The Falkirk Steeple stands at the top of the High Street, a Category A listed building that has been the focal point of the town centre since 1814. The current steeple replaced an earlier tolbooth, and its distinctive clock tower has kept the hours for two centuries of Falkirk commerce and community life. The neighbouring Old Parish Church dates from 1811 and sits in a churchyard that has been a burial ground since at least the 12th century.
The High Street around the steeple retains something of its traditional character, with the old square and the narrow closes leading off it. It is worth a short walk to get a sense of the old town layout, even if much of the surrounding development is more recent. The steeple can be seen from some distance and serves as a useful landmark for orienting yourself around the town centre.