Blantyre, South Lanarkshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blantyre
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 Shuttle Row, the birthplace of David Livingstone |
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 Blantyre
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| Population | 16,800 (2020) |
| OS grid reference | NS685575 |
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| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Glasgow |
| Postcode district | G72 |
| Dialling code | 01698 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Blantyre is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It has about 16,900 people living there. The town is surrounded by rivers. The River Clyde is to the north. The Rotten Calder is to the west.
Blantyre is famous as the birthplace of David Livingstone. He was a well-known explorer and missionary in the 1800s. Because of his work, a large city in Malawi is also named Blantyre.
Contents
Discovering Blantyre's Past
The name Blantyre might come from an old word meaning "top of the land." It could also be linked to a saint named Blane.
Blantyre started as several small villages. Over time, these villages grew together. They formed the single town you see today. You can find many different styles of homes here. These show how the town has changed over many years.
High Blantyre: The Oldest Area
High Blantyre is the eastern and southern part of the town. It is thought to be where people first settled. A Bronze Age village was found nearby. This was about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Blantyre Parish Church.
This area was once a big mining community. Many coal pits were located here. Weaving was another important job. A railway station served High Blantyre from the 1860s to the 1950s. High Blantyre Primary School opened in 1875. Its current buildings were built in 2005.
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Town Centre and Beyond
The main road through Blantyre is Glasgow Road. At its western end is the Priory Bridge area. This bridge crosses the Calder River. It was named after the old Blantyre Priory. Monks lived there around the year 1235.
Near the bridge is the Coatshill housing area. It has its own schools. Across the main road is Wheatlands. Further east is the modern town centre. This area grew from mining communities. Here you will find Calderside Academy, the local secondary school. There is also Stonefield public park and Blantyre Leisure Centre. The Clydeview Shopping Centre opened in 1980.
North of the town centre is The Village. This is the oldest industrial part of Blantyre. It was once a mill settlement by the River Clyde. The town's train station is here. An iron footbridge crosses the Clyde. It lets people walk to Bothwell.
The Blantyre Mining Disaster
On October 22, 1877, a terrible event happened in Blantyre. A coal mine exploded. This was due to methane gas. It killed 207 miners, including men and boys. The youngest victim was only 11 years old.
A monument stands at High Blantyre cross. It remembers those who died. The mine site is now under the East Kilbride expressway.
Nearby Places to Explore
Blantyre is close to several other towns and cities:
- Hamilton (right next door)
- Glasgow (about 8 miles or 13 km away)
- Bothwell (about 2 miles or 3.2 km away)
- Uddingston (about 3 miles or 4.8 km away)
- Cambuslang (about 2.5 miles or 4 km away)
- East Kilbride (about 4 miles or 6.4 km away)
Sports and Fun in Blantyre
Blantyre has a lively sports scene.
Football Teams
Blantyre has a football club called Blantyre Victoria. They are known as the Vics. They have won the Scottish Junior Cup three times. Their home ground is called Castle Park.
Another football club is Blantyre Celtic. The original club stopped playing in the 1990s. But it started up again in 2010 as an amateur team.
Speedway Racing
Blantyre has a history with speedway racing. In the early days, a group of riders from Blantyre were famous. They even had their own track in Motherwell in 1930. Speedway races were held at the Blantyre Greyhound Stadium. This was the home of the Glasgow Tigers from 1977 to 1981.
Skateboarding Park
Blantyre Skate Park is a popular spot for young people. It has a 4-foot (1.2 m) spine section. There is also an 8-foot (2.4 m) halfpipe. You can find a 2-foot (0.6 m) mini-bowl there too. The park also has a street section with fun boxes.
Redlees Park: History and Nature
During World War II, an anti-aircraft battery was set up here. It was on open land near Blantyre Farm Road. This camp was later used for housing. Today, some of the old buildings are part of Redlees Urban Park. This park was created by the local council.
Learning in Blantyre
Blantyre has several schools for different age groups.
Primary Schools
- St Blane's Primary School (220 pupils in 2019-20)
- St Joseph's Primary School (300 pupils)
- High Blantyre Primary School (244 pupils)
- David Livingstone Memorial Primary School (268 pupils)
- Auchinraith Primary School (295 pupils)
Secondary Schools
- Calderside Academy (1253 pupils)
- John Ogilvie High School (1027 pupils)
Higher Education
The University of the West of Scotland has a campus here. It moved to the Hamilton International Technology Park in Blantyre in 2018.
Important Places in Blantyre
Blantyre has many useful places for its residents:
- Blantyre Leisure Centre: A sports centre with a swimming pool. It opened in 1982.
- Stonefield Park: A park with a special skate-park.
- Victoria Nursing Home: A care home for older people.
- David Livingstone Birthplace Museum: A museum at the birthplace of David Livingstone.
- Six churches: Including Blantyre Congregational Church and St. Joseph's.
- David Dale House: A local council building.
- Blantyre Credit Union: Helps people with money.
- Terminal One: A fully equipped Youth Centre.
Youth Activities
In 1983, the Blantyre Youth Council was formed. They helped young people in the area. This led to the creation of the Terminal One youth centre. It offers many services for young people. It is supported by the local council and other groups.
David Livingstone: Blantyre's Famous Son
Blantyre's most famous person is David Livingstone. He was a missionary and explorer in the 1800s. He was the first European to see the "Mosi-oa-Tunya" waterfalls. He named them Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria.
His birthplace is now a museum. It is located on the banks of the River Clyde. The museum opened in 1929. It has a playpark, a cafe, and an African Garden. A pedestrian footbridge crosses the River Clyde nearby. It connects the area to Bothwell.
A large city in Malawi is named Blantyre. This is to honor David Livingstone. He explored that part of Africa.
Famous People from Blantyre
Many notable people have come from Blantyre:
- John Brown: A footballer who played for Rangers.
- Martin Bulloch: The drummer for the band Mogwai.
- John Fallon: A footballer who played for Celtic.
- Ryan Fletcher: An actor.
- Ken McKinlay: A speedway rider.
- Steven Smith: A footballer who played for Rangers and other teams.
- William Bauchop Wilson: The first United States Secretary of Labor.
