Until the end of World War II it was literally a handful of buildings, but expanded thereafter with a housing estate planned by Stirlingshire County Council in 1945.

The main local industries were a brickworks and coal mining, both now ceased.

The ruins of Manuel Priory are close to Whitecross on the eastern, West Lothian, bank of the Avon.

This was a Cistercian convent founded, or perhaps re-founded, in the reign of King Malcolm IV of Scotland (1153–1165).

The remains of the 15th century Haining Castle lie in the grounds of the former Manuel brickwork north-east of Whitecross.