Monklands (district) facts for kids
| Monklands | |
 Municipal Buildings, Dunbeth Road, Coatbridge |
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 Monklands district within Scotland |
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| Geography | |
| Status | District |
| HQ | Coatbridge |
| History | |
| Created | 16 May 1975 |
| Abolished | 31 March 1996 |
| Succeeded by | (Part of) North Lanarkshire |
Quick facts for kids Demography |
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|---|---|
| 1991 population | 102,379 |
| Politics | |
| Governance | Monklands District Council |
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Monklands (which means Bad nam Manach in Scottish Gaelic) was a special area in Scotland that had its own local government. It existed from 1975 until 1996. During this time, it was one of nineteen areas called "districts" within a larger region known as Strathclyde.
Contents
History of Monklands
How Monklands Was Formed
In 1975, a new law in Scotland changed how local areas were governed. This law created a two-part system:
- Bigger areas called "regions" (like Strathclyde).
- Smaller areas called "districts" (like Monklands).
Monklands became one of these new districts. It was created from parts of older areas in the historic county of Lanarkshire. These older areas, which were then removed, included:
- The town of Airdrie.
- The town of Coatbridge.
- Parts of the Seventh District (like the Shottskirk area).
- Parts of the Ninth District (like Old Monkland and New Monkland).
Where the Name "Monklands" Came From
The name "Monklands" has a very old history! It comes from a time long ago, in 1162. Back then, land in this area was given to the monks from a place called Newbattle Abbey. This abbey was a religious house belonging to the Cistercian order of monks. Later, in the 1600s, the area was divided into two parishes (local church areas) named New Monkland and Old Monkland.
Towns and Villages in Monklands
Besides the main towns of Airdrie and Coatbridge, the Monklands district also included several other settlements. These were:
- Bargeddie
- Calderbank
- Caldercruix
- Chapelhall
- Glenboig
- Glenmavis
- Greengairs
- Plains
- Salsburgh
The End of Monklands District
In 1996, another new law changed local government in Scotland again. This law removed the "regions" and "districts" system. Instead, it created new, single-level areas called "unitary council areas."
The Monklands district was abolished at this time. A new, larger council area called North Lanarkshire was formed. This new area covered Monklands and other former districts like Motherwell and Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.
Monklands Today
Even though the Monklands district no longer exists as a government area, people still often use the name informally. For example:
- The main hospital in Airdrie is called University Hospital Monklands.
- When the two local football teams, Airdrieonians and Albion Rovers, play each other, their games are often called Monklands Derbies.
Monklands Council Buildings
The main office for the Monklands District Council was located in the Coatbridge Municipal Buildings. This building is in Coatbridge, which was the largest town in the district. It was originally built in 1894 as Coatbridge Town Hall. After the Monklands council was abolished in 1996, the building became extra offices for the new North Lanarkshire Council. However, the main headquarters for North Lanarkshire Council are in Motherwell Civic Centre.
