Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coordinates: 55°46′39″N 4°03′18″W / 55.77742°N 4.05505°W
| Hamilton | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Hamaltan | |
  Hamilton shown within Scotland |
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| Population | 48,546[1] (2001 census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Council area | South Lanarkshire |
| Lieutenancy area | Lanarkshire |
| Constituent country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HAMILTON |
| Postcode district | ML3 |
| Dialling code | 01698 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| European Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | Lanark and Hamilton East |
| Rutherglen and Hamilton West | |
| Scottish Parliament | Hamilton South |
| Hamilton North and Bellshill | |
| Central Scotland | |
| List of places: UK • Scotland | |
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth largest town (excluding cities) in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld, and is situated 7 miles (11.3 km) south-east of Glasgow, and 35 miles (56.3 km) south-west of Edinburgh on the south bank of the River Clyde at its confluence with the Avon Water.
Hamilton was the county town of Lanarkshire.
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[edit] History
The town of Hamilton was originally known as Cadzow (Middle Scots: Cadȝow, the "ȝ" being the letter yogh, pronounced Cadihou), but was re-named in honor of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton. The Hamilton family constructed many landmark buildings in the area including the Mausoleum in Strathclyde Park, which has the longest echo of any building in the world.
Other historic buildings in the area include Hamilton Old Parish Church, a Georgian era building completed in 1734 and the only church to have been built by William Adam. The graveyard of the old parish church contains some Covenanter remains. The former Edwardian Town Hall now houses the library and concert hall. The Townhouse complex underwent a sympathetic modernization in 2002 and opened to the public in summer 2004. The ruins of Cadzow Castle also lie in Chatelherault Country Park, two miles from the town centre.
Hamilton Palace was the largest non-royal residence in the Western world, located in the north-east of the town. A former seat of the Dukes of Hamilton, it was built in 1695, subsequently much enlarged, and demolished in 1921 due to ground subsidence. It is widely acknowledged as having been one of the grandest houses in Scotland, was visited and admired by Queen Victoria, and was written about by Daniel Defoe.
Hamilton is twinned with Châtellerault in France. This connection dates from the 16th century when the title Duc de Châtellerault was conferred on James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran. The Duke's hunting lodge (now in Chatelherault Country Park), a primary school and new railway station are named 'Chatelherault' for this reason.
To the north of the Palace Grounds is the Low Parks Museum, housed in an old inn and recently refurbished. The oldest building in Hamilton, the museum, was a 16th century inn and an old staging post for journeys between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The museum contains extensive exhibits on Hamilton Palace and also on the local Cameronian Scottish Rifles regiment (disbanded in 1968).
[edit] Economy
Service industries and local government are major employers in Hamilton, as are HSBC/First Direct and Philips, the Dutch electronics conglomerate. The town centre has been regenerated over the last decade by creating two new indoor shopping centres (One of them known as the Regent Shopping Centre) and the Palace Grounds Retail Park.
Restaurants and national retail outlets are situated in a redeveloped part of the Palace Grounds that are visible upon entering the town from the M74 motorway. The creation of a circular Town Square (now the site of a Frankie & Bennies restaurant) has resulted in Hamilton receiving numerous town planning awards during the past decade. This development transformed the Hamilton side of Strathclyde Park, which was the original site of the Duke's palace. The area is still under development with the remainder of the indoor town centre due to be finished by early 2009.
Hamilton has been a Fairtrade Town since 2005.
[edit] Sport
The area near Hamilton West railway station and Peacock Cross has also changed with the demolition of Hamilton Academical Football Club's original Douglas Park stadium in 1994. A retail park was built on the site with New Douglas Park added behind it in 2001. Hamilton Academical F.C. (the Accies) was formed in 1874 and is one of Scotland's oldest senior clubs. It takes its name from Hamilton Academy, now called Hamilton Grammar School, the oldest school in the town (founded 1588). It is the only professional football team in the UK to originate from a school team and play in the Scottish Premier League, having won the Scottish First Division title during 2007/2008.
The Hamilton Rugby Club can be found at the Laigh Bent sports ground, Bent Road. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League 3.
Hamilton Park Racecourse is situated alongside the town's Bothwell Road.
Speedway racing was staged in Hamilton between 1947 and 1955. The annual meeting was staged as part of the annual Lanarkshire Show and featured riders from across Scotland. The site of the track was the old ash football pitches of Strathclyde Park – an area now covered by the town square.
There are a number of high quality football, cricket, and rugby pitches in the Palace Grounds area alongside the Mausoleum. Furthermore, part of Strathclyde Park is sited within Hamilton's boundary, providing world class water-sport facilities.
[edit] Entertainment
Hamilton Town House Theatre is a 500 seat venue in the Cadzow Street area of the town. It is the first cultural venue in Scotland to attain the prestigious Quest accreditation. A multiplex Vue Cinema is located in the redeveloped Palace Grounds area close to the Hamilton Palace nightclub.
[edit] Education
There are currently three comprehensive high schools in the town – Hamilton Grammar, John Ogilvie and Holy Cross. Hamilton also has one private school, Hamilton College, next to the Hamilton Park Racecourse.
Hamilton is a university town with The University of the West of Scotland campus sited on Almada Street.
[edit] Transport
Hamilton has its own bus station which provides services nationwide. Hamilton has three railway staions: Hamilton West railway station, Hamilton Central railway station and Chatelherault railway station, each on the Argyle Line's Hamilton Circle. Hamilton can be reached by exiting at junction 6 of the M74.
[edit] Cycling
Hamilton has decient cycling paths from Strathclyde Park to Chaterault following the banks of the Clyde and Avon. This is currently being expanded at part of the Sustrains Connect 2 project.
[edit] Tourism
Hamilton is very rich in history with many places of interest worth visiting as listed above. It is the first large town you will come to in Scotland if coming north from England. The Hamilton Tourist Information Centre has mysteriously dissapeared, and the service stations/supermarkets are loaded for leaflets promoting places in Glasgow and beyond, (but not Hamilton), however Hamilton, is well worth a visit, and hopefully South Lanarkshire Council will see this soon. The Museum is a good starting point for further information.
[edit] Famous Hamiltonians
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[edit] Geography
Hamilton has three railway stations, Hamilton Central, Hamilton West & Chatelerault on the Hamilton Circle railway line and is 22 minutes from Glasgow.
By road the town is to the west of the M74 motorway, the main southerly link to England which joins the M6 just north of Carlisle.
The main route from Edinburgh is the M8, leaving at junctions 6 or 7.
Areas of Hamilton:
- Avongrove
- Burnbank
- Barncluith
- Earnock Estate
- Eddlewood
- Fairhill
- Ferniegair
- High Earnock
- Hillhouse
- Little Earnock
- Low Waters
- Meikle Earnock
- Silvertonhill
- Torheads Farm
- West Craigs
- Whitehill
Towns and cities near Hamilton:
- Glasgow 12 miles
- Strathaven 7 miles
- East Kilbride 5 miles
- Motherwell 2 miles
- Edinburgh 35 miles
- Carlisle 75 miles
[edit] See also
Communication links:
- Hamilton Circle Railway Line
- Glasgow International Airport (25 minutes drive)
- Edinburgh International Airport (35 minutes drive)
- Glasgow Prestwick Airport (45 minutes drive)
[edit] Town twinning
Châtellerault, France
[edit] References
[edit] External links
[edit] Tourism
[edit] Other
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