Bellshill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bellshill
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 St. Andrew's Church, Bellshill |
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 Bellshill
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| Population | 19,700 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NS730575 |
| • Edinburgh | 33 mi (53 km) ENE |
| • London | 341 mi (549 km) SSE |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BELLSHILL |
| Postcode district | ML4 |
| Dialling code | 01698 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Bellshill (pronounced "Bells hill") is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is about 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles (60 km) west of Edinburgh.
Other towns nearby include Motherwell (2 miles south), Hamilton (3 miles southwest), and Coatbridge (3 miles north). The town of Bellshill, including the villages of Orbiston and Mossend, has a population of about 20,650 people.
Contents
History of Bellshill
The name Bellshill first appeared on a map in 1596. It was drawn by Timothy Pont. Later, a map by the Dutch mapmaker Joan Blaeu called the place "Belmil."
The village started with houses for quarry workers. These houses were owned by a Mr. Bell. He had a stone quarry south of Belmil. Around 1810, this new settlement became known as Bellshill. It grew by including nearby villages like Nesnas and Sykehead. Bellshill was located on the main road between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
In the late 1700s, the area around Bellshill was known for hand-loom weaving. Many people made cloth by hand. Later, in the 1800s, new machines meant many weavers lost their jobs.
Coal Mining and Industry
Coal mining became very important. By the 1870s, there were 20 deep coal mines in the area. The first mine, Thankerton, opened and was the last to close in 1953.
The growth of mining brought many workers to Bellshill. People came from other countries, especially Ireland and Lithuania. Bellshill was sometimes called 'Little Lithuania' because of these new arrivals. These immigrants faced challenges like language barriers and different customs. They often found support within their own communities.
The First World War and other political changes affected the Lithuanian community. Many families eventually became part of Scottish life. Younger generations sometimes don't know about their family's history. This is due to marriages between different groups and changes to surnames.
Famous people from this community include footballer Billy McNeill. He played for Celtic and the Scotland team.
Iron and steel production also helped the town grow in the 1800s. The first iron works, Mossend Iron Works, opened in 1839.
Modern Bellshill
Bellshill once had several railway stations. Today, only Bellshill railway station serves the town. Bellshill Maternity Hospital provided care until it closed in 2001.
In 2005, Bellshill was a "property hot spot." House prices rose a lot that year. In 2006, a new mosque opened in Mossend. It is now one of the largest mosques in Scotland. A project to improve the town centre started in 2007. It made the main street one-way and created more space for people walking.
Education in Bellshill
Bellshill has several primary schools. Belvidere Primary School closed in 2010. Holy Family Primary School started in 1868. It moved to new buildings in 1907 to welcome new Catholic families. Other primary schools include Sacred Heart Primary and Mossend Primary.
There are two large secondary schools in Bellshill. They are Bellshill Academy and Cardinal Newman High School. Cardinal Newman is a Catholic school.
Religion
Many churches serve the town of Bellshill. St Andrews United Free Church of Scotland is at Bellshill Cross. Bellshill Central Parish Church and Bellshill West Parish Church are also in the town. The Roman Catholic churches are St Gerard's, Sacred Heart, and Holy Family in Mossend.
Transport
Bellshill is important for Scotland's roads. It is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the M8 motorway. This motorway connects Glasgow and Edinburgh. It is also about the same distance north of the M74 motorway, which goes to and from England. The A725 road links these two major motorways.
Because of these busy roads, Bellshill has two large, modern industrial estates. They are called Bellshill and Righead. The Eurocentral industrial park is also nearby. It has a railway freight terminal. Bellshill is still served by a rail junction. This connects two main passenger routes: the Argyle Line and the Shotts Line. Both stop at Bellshill railway station.
Culture
The Bellshill Cultural Centre has a free library. Many famous people come from Bellshill. These include singers like Sheena Easton and sports figures like Sir Matt Busby and Billy McNeill. A statue of Billy McNeill was put up in Bellshill Cross in 2022.
Music
Bellshill is also known for its music, especially since the mid-1980s. Bands like the Soup Dragons, BMX Bandits, and Teenage Fanclub helped put Bellshill on the map. This music scene was called the Bellshill Sound or the Bellshill Beat. Famous DJ John Peel even talked about it on TV.
Bellshill continues to produce independent pop music. Members of bands like Mogwai and De Rosa are from the town.
Sport
Bellshill has a football team called Bellshill Athletic. They play in the West of Scotland Football League. In 2024, they moved up to the Second Division. They play their home games at Rockburn Park.
The town also has the Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex. It opened in 1995. It is named after the famous Manchester United manager, Sir Matt Busby, who grew up in the area. The complex has a swimming pool, a large hall, a gym, and a dance studio.
A golf course is near Strathclyde Park. The Greenlink Cycle Path goes through the golf course and parts of Bellshill.
Notable people from Bellshill
Many famous people were born in Bellshill. This is partly because Bellshill Maternity Hospital was a main hospital in the area for many years.
- Jackie Bird, journalist
- Robin Cook, politician
- Sheena Easton, singer
- Aminatta Forna, writer
- Charles Jeffrey, fashion designer
- David MacMillan, Nobel Prize winning chemist
- John Reid, politician
- Natalie J. Robb, actress
- Sharleen Spiteri, lead singer of Texas
Sportspeople
- Sir Matt Busby, football player and manager
- Mike Denness, cricketer
- Hughie Gallacher, Scotland international footballer
- Peter Grant, Scotland international footballer
- Scott Harrison, former world boxing champion
- Malky Mackay, Scotland international football player and manager
- Brian McClair, Scotland international footballer
- Ally McCoist, Scotland international football player and manager
- Tom McKean, Olympic track athlete
- Billy McNeill, Scotland international football player and manager
- Phil O'Donnell, Scotland international footballer
- Anthony Ralston, footballer
Bands from Bellshill
- BMX Bandits
- Teenage Fanclub
- The Soup Dragons
- De Rosa
Images for kids
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St. Andrew's Church, Bellshill
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Bellshill Main Street
See also
In Spanish: Bellshill para niños
