One of the three 'Eastern Villages' of Stirling Council Area, situated 3 miles (5 km) southeast of Bannockburn. There were once two distinct settlements; the old village of Plean situated to the east of Plean House and the collier village of East Plean, developed from the late 19th century a half-mile (0.8 km) to the north. Plean Quarry was leased for a time by Sir James Gowans (1821-90) who sent its sandstone for building works as far away as London. There were two main collieries and multiple shafts. Twelve men were killed in an explosion in East Plean Colliery in 1922. The last pit closed in January 1963.
Facilities include East Plean Primary School, Plean Library, a community centre (the Balfour Centre) and Plean Parish Church (dating from 1839). Plean Estate has been opened to the public as a country park. Its classical country mansion, which was built in the late 18th Century by William Simpson a wealthy East India trader, was last occupied in 1970. Plean once had a station located a half-mile (1 km)to the north of the village, on the Scottish Central Line, which still operates.
