Grangemouth was founded by Sir Lawrence Dundas in 1768 as a result of the construction of the Forth and Clyde Canal.
Originally referred to as Sealock by workers brought in to labour on the canal digging and lock constructions, the name referred to the Forth and Clyde Canal connection to the sea and where it flowed into the River Forth.
This township name was never approved by the founders.

The settlement was also named Grangeburnmouth for a period and then finally to Grangemouth.
A map held at the National Library of Scotland dated 1817 by John Grassom, records the town as Grangemouth.
This more properly refers to its location at the mouth of the Grange Burn which flows into the River Forth at this time even though originally it flowed directly into the River Carron in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

As canal and general shipping traffic came to the town the area became more prosperous.
This was aided by the high tariffs at the port of Leith which caused more traffic to pass through Grangemouth instead.
Additionally, the dredging and a major re-alignment of the River Carron for deeper draught vessels and the founding of collieries to the North of the town saw the increase in trade to and from the Baltic States.
Being downstream from the world-famous Carron Company also increased the volume of shipping to the town as cast iron products and armaments were transported around the globe.
Until 1810, duties had to paid on cargoes through the customs house at Bo'ness which benefited from the duties paid and involved a journey of some four or five miles each way.
With poor roading between the towns, ships captains and agents had to undertake multiple journeys by foot or by horse and cart to register cargoes and pay their duties in weathers fair and foul.
After years of appealing Grangemouth was granted its own Customhouse and a fine three storied stone building was erected on the Northern side of the harbour.

The 1830s saw 750 ships in port and over 3,000 trade journeys using the canal.
The local shipyard had a graving or drydock built by the Earl of Zetland in 1811 and commenced building larger and larger vessels.
The harbour and the river were unable to handle the volume of shipping and larger vessels had to rely completely on the tide to reach wharves on the river bank.
A new dock was commissioned to be built and dredging and further re-alignment of the River Carron were undertaken.
200 men dug out what is now called the Old Dock and lock gates were built, allowing vessels to enter the port at any time and tide.
A canal link to the south west was named Junction lock and it was also connected to the canal.
This allowed timber logs from Scandinavia to be floated in rafts right up to the sawmills almost a mile inland.

Over the next 50 years the docks would be increased in size fourfold or more with a major land reclamation in the late 1890s pushing the entrance of the docks to the River Forth and avoiding the Carron with its limited depth and width.
There was also Grangemouth Dockyard Company established in 1885.

In November 1914 the Admiralty requisitioned Grangemouth Docks and they were banned to merchant shipping for the remaining duration of the First World War.
During this period the dock was referred to as HMS Rameses in military circles.

A 1936 LMS advert said that the docks had 121 acres (49 ha) of water (excluding timber basins), direct access to the Forth and Clyde Canal ("giving through access to Glasgow and the Clyde") and handled 3,250,000 tons of goods a year.

The now re-opened canal no longer passes through the old part of Grangemouth, but joins the tidal River Carron, which has been deepened to allow access downstream to the River Forth for canal traffic.

After Sir Lawrence Dundas, 1st Baronet died in 1781 his son Thomas Dundas commissioned the architect Henry Holland to re-plan the town, he designed the layout around the canal and its basin.
Sadly, the original two townships were almost totally demolished in the 1960s as a result of poor planning decisions and the blocking of residential development of
Grangemouth was founded by Sir Lawrence Dundas in 1768 as a result of the construction of the Forth and Clyde Canal. Originally referred to as Sealock by workers brought in to labour on the canal digging and lock constructions, the name referred to the Forth and Clyde Canal connection to the sea and where it flowed into the River Forth. This township name was never approved by the founders. 
The settlement was also named Grangeburnmouth for a period and then finally to Grangemouth. A map held at the National Library of Scotland dated 1817 by John Grassom, records the town as Grangemouth. This more properly refers to its location at the mouth of the Grange Burn which flows into the River Forth at this time even though originally it flowed directly into the River Carron in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
As canal and general shipping traffic came to the town the area became more prosperous. This was aided by the high tariffs at the port of Leith which caused more traffic to pass through Grangemouth instead. Additionally, the dredging and a major re-alignment of the River Carron for deeper draught vessels and the founding of collieries to the North of the town saw the increase in trade to and from the Baltic States. Being downstream from the world-famous Carron Company also increased the volume of shipping to the town as cast iron products and armaments were transported around the globe. Until 1810, duties had to paid on cargoes through the customs house at Bo'ness which benefited from the duties paid and involved a journey of some four or five miles each way. With poor roading between the towns, ships captains and agents had to undertake multiple journeys by foot or by horse and cart to register cargoes and pay their duties in weathers fair and foul. After years of appealing Grangemouth was granted its own Customhouse and a fine three storied stone building was erected on the Northern side of the harbour.
The 1830s saw 750 ships in port and over 3,000 trade journeys using the canal. The local shipyard had a graving or drydock built by the Earl of Zetland in 1811 and commenced building larger and larger vessels. The harbour and the river were unable to handle the volume of shipping and larger vessels had to rely completely on the tide to reach wharves on the river bank. A new dock was commissioned to be built and dredging and further re-alignment of the River Carron were undertaken. 200 men dug out what is now called the Old Dock and lock gates were built, allowing vessels to enter the port at any time and tide. A canal link to the south west was named Junction lock and it was also connected to the canal. This allowed timber logs from Scandinavia to be floated in rafts right up to the sawmills almost a mile inland.
Over the next 50 years the docks would be increased in size fourfold or more with a major land reclamation in the late 1890s pushing the entrance of the docks to the River Forth and avoiding the Carron with its limited depth and width. There was also Grangemouth Dockyard Company established in 1885.
In November 1914 the Admiralty requisitioned Grangemouth Docks and they were banned to merchant shipping for the remaining duration of the First World War. During this period the dock was referred to as HMS Rameses in military circles.
A 1936 LMS advert said that the docks had 121 acres (49 ha) of water (excluding timber basins), direct access to the Forth and Clyde Canal ("giving through access to Glasgow and the Clyde") and handled 3,250,000 tons of goods a year.
The now re-opened canal no longer passes through the old part of Grangemouth, but joins the tidal River Carron, which has been deepened to allow access downstream to the River Forth for canal traffic.
After Sir Lawrence Dundas, 1st Baronet died in 1781 his son Thomas Dundas commissioned the architect Henry Holland to re-plan the town, he designed the layout around the canal and its basin. Sadly, the original two townships were almost totally demolished in the 1960s as a result of poor planning decisions and the blocking of residential development of
Grangemouth