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Hamilton, South Lanarkshire facts for kids

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Hamilton
Town and administrative centre

From the top left: Statue of Davie Cooper, Town centre, The Mausoleum & The Townhouse
Hamilton is located in South Lanarkshire
Hamilton
Hamilton
Area 16.3 km2 (6.3 sq mi)
Population 54,480 (2020)
• Density 3,342/km2 (8,660/sq mi)
OS grid reference NS712557
• Edinburgh 35 mi (56 km)
• London 336 mi (541 km)
Council area
Lieutenancy area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town HAMILTON
Postcode district ML3
Dialling code 01698
Police Strathclyde
Fire Strathclyde
Ambulance Scottish
EU Parliament Scotland
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
  • Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse (Primarily)
  • Uddingston and Bellshill (Whitehill and Bothwell Road areas)
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°46′37″N 4°02′20″W / 55.777°N 4.039°W / 55.777; -4.039

Hamilton (Scots: Hamiltoun; Scottish Gaelic: Baile Hamaltan) is a large town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is the main office centre for the South Lanarkshire council area. Hamilton is about 10 miles (16 km) south-east of Glasgow and 37 miles (60 km) south-west of Edinburgh.

The town is located on the south bank of the River Clyde, where it meets the Avon Water. Hamilton is the historic county town of Lanarkshire. Around 55,000 people live in Hamilton itself. This makes it the 9th largest town in Scotland. If you include nearby areas like Blantyre, Bothwell, and Uddingston, the population is about 84,000.

Hamilton's Past: A Journey Through Time

The town of Hamilton was first called Cadzow or Cadyou. It is a very old settlement, possibly from the time of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. A Roman fort called Bothwellhaugh is also nearby.

How Hamilton Got Its Name

During the Wars of Scottish Independence, the Hamilton family first supported the English. However, Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow (the head of the family) later joined Robert the Bruce. This happened after the Battle of Bannockburn. As a reward, he received land, including the area of Cadzow. This land later became the town of Hamilton.

Cadzow was renamed Hamilton by James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton. He was married to Princess Mary, the daughter of King James II. The Hamilton family likely got their name from places in England.

Famous Buildings and History

The Hamilton family built many important buildings. One is the Hamilton Mausoleum in Strathclyde Park. It is famous for having a very long echo, lasting 15 seconds! The Hamilton family still owns a lot of land in the area today.

Hamilton Library 2002
Hamilton Townhouse and library, a key building in Hamilton.

Hamilton Palace was once the home of the Dukes of Hamilton. It was the largest non-royal house in the Western world. Built in 1695, it was made much bigger over time. Sadly, it was pulled down in 1921 because the ground was sinking. Even Queen Victoria visited and admired this grand house.

Other historic buildings include Hamilton Old Parish Church. This church was finished in 1734 and was designed by William Adam. The ruins of Cadzow Castle are also in Chatelherault Country Park, about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the town centre.

Hamilton Townhouse now has a library and a concert hall. It was updated in 2002 and opened again in 2004. Hamilton Barracks used to be a military base. The Low Parks Museum is in the oldest building in Hamilton. It was once an inn from the 16th century.

The house of the famous explorer David Livingstone is still at 17 Burnbank Road. There is a special plaque there about him.

How Hamilton is Governed

Hamilton is part of the South Lanarkshire council area in Scotland. The local government services are run by the South Lanarkshire Council. Their main offices are in Hamilton.

Local and National Representation

Hamilton is split into three areas for local elections. These areas have 11 elected members in total.

The town is represented in the UK Parliament by two Members of Parliament (MPs). These MPs speak for Hamilton in the UK government.

  • Imogen Walker (Labour) for Hamilton and Clyde Valley.
  • Michael Shanks (Labour) for Rutherglen.

Hamilton also has two MSPs who represent the town in the Scottish Parliament.

  • Christina McKelvie (SNP) for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
  • Stephanie Callaghan (SNP) for Uddingston and Bellshill. This area covers parts of Hamilton.

Hamilton's Location and Surroundings

Old Parish Church Hamilton
Hamilton Old Parish Church, a historic landmark.

Hamilton has many different areas within the town. Some of these include:

  • Avongrove
  • Burnbank
  • Barncluith
  • Brackenhill Park
  • Earnock Estate
  • Earnock Glen
  • Ferniegair
  • Eddlewood
  • Fairhill
  • Hamilton West
  • High Earnock
  • Hillhouse
  • Laighstonehall
  • Little Earnock
  • Low Waters
  • Meikle Earnock
  • Neilsland
  • Silvertonhill
  • Torheads Farm
  • Udston
  • Whitehill
  • Woodhead

Nearby Places to Explore

Here are some major towns and cities close to Hamilton:

Towns and villages that directly border Hamilton include Blantyre, East Kilbride, Quarter, Strathaven, Motherwell, Bothwell, Ferniegair, and Limekilnburn.

AM Hunting Lodge
Chatelherault Hunting Lodge, a beautiful historic building.

Hamilton is twinned with Châtellerault in France. This connection started in the 16th century. The title of Duc de Châtellerault was given to James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran. Because of this, the Duke's Chatelherault Hunting Lodge (now in Chatelherault Country Park), a primary school, and a new railway station are all named 'Chatelherault'.

Hamilton's Economy: How People Work and Shop

Many people in Hamilton work in service industries or for the local government. The town centre has been updated with new indoor shopping centres like the Regent Shopping Centre and New Cross Shopping Centre. There are also retail parks.

You can find restaurants and big shops in a new area called the Palace Grounds. This area is easy to see when you enter the town from the M74 motorway. Hamilton has won awards for its town planning because of a new circular town square. This development changed the Hamilton side of Strathclyde Park. Hamilton has also been a Fairtrade Town since 2005. This means it supports fair prices for goods from developing countries.

Getting Around Hamilton: Transport Links

Hamilton has three railway stations: Hamilton Central, Hamilton West, and Chatelherault. These stations are on the Argyle Line's Hamilton Circle. A train from Hamilton Central to Glasgow takes about 25 minutes.

Next to Hamilton Central is Hamilton Bus Station. From here, you can catch buses to nearby towns and cities. There are also express buses to Glasgow and some parts of England.

Roads and Cycling

Major roads in Hamilton include the A72, A723, and A724. The A725 dual carriageway connects the area to East Kilbride and the M8. The M74 motorway is the main road link to England.

Cycling paths run from Strathclyde Park to Chatelherault Country Park. These paths follow the banks of the Clyde and Avon rivers. They are part of the National Cycle Route 74, which will go from Uddingston to Carlisle, Cumbria.

Learning in Hamilton: Schools and University

Hamilton has three main high schools: Hamilton Grammar, Holy Cross High School, and St.John Ogilvie High School. There is also a private school called Hamilton College. This school has nursery, primary, and high school levels.

There are 17 primary schools in Hamilton. Nine are non-religious, and eight are Roman Catholic schools. Hamilton also has special schools for children with Additional Support Needs, including the Hamilton School for the Deaf.

Hamilton is also a university town. The University of the West of Scotland campus used to be on Almada Street. It has now moved to Hamilton International Technology Park in High Blantyre.

Sports and Fun in Hamilton

DavieCooperStatue
Statue in Hamilton of Davie Cooper, a famous Scottish footballer.

Hamilton Academical Football Club (the Accies) was started in 1874. It is one of Scotland's oldest football clubs. The club got its name from Hamilton Academy, which is now Hamilton Grammar School. The Accies are the only professional football team in the UK that started as a school team. They play at New Douglas Park.

Hamilton Rugby Club plays at the Laigh Bent sports ground. They are in Tennent's National League Division Three.

Hamilton Park Racecourse is a place for horse racing, weddings, and other events. Hamilton's Ice Rink offers ice skating, curling, and ice hockey.

SLC Leisure has many sports facilities in Hamilton. There are three council-run Leisure Centres with gyms, swimming pools, and fitness classes. The Hamilton Palace Sports Grounds have areas for rugby, cricket, tennis, football, and bowling. There are also several large gym chains, like David Lloyd.

Entertainment and Culture

The Hamilton Townhouse Theatre is a large venue with 712 seats. It is known for its high quality and has won an award called Quest accreditation. There is also a Vue Cinema in the redeveloped Palace Grounds area.

Famous People from Hamilton

Many notable people have come from Hamilton.

Science and Exploration

Art and Literature

  • Joanna Baillie (a poet)
  • Martin Boyce (an artist)
  • David Carlyle (an actor)
  • Thomas Clark (a writer)
  • Robin Jenkins (a novelist)
  • John Mather (an artist)

Sport

  • Jim Bett (footballer)
  • Craig Brown (football manager)
  • Jamie Burnett (snooker professional)
  • Davie Cooper (footballer)
  • Barry Ferguson (footballer)
  • Steven Fletcher (footballer)
  • Elenor Gordon (swimmer)
  • Paul Hartley (football manager and former footballer)
  • David Herd (footballer)
  • John Paul McBride (footballer)
  • Walter McGowan (boxer)
  • Paul McStay (footballer)
  • Jackie Oakes (footballer)
  • Phil O'Donnell (footballer)
  • Bobby Shearer (footballer)
  • Jock Stein (football manager)
  • John Fox Watson (footballer)

Entertainment and Broadcasting

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hamilton (Escocia) para niños

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