Motherwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Motherwell
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| Town and administrative centre | |
 Panorama over the town centre of Motherwell |
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 Motherwell
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| Area | 14.28 km2 (5.51 sq mi) |
| Population | 32,840 (2020) |
| • Density | 2,300/km2 (6,000/sq mi) |
| • Edinburgh | 31 mi (50 km) ENE |
| • London | 335 mi (539 km) SSE |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MOTHERWELL |
| Postcode district | ML1 |
| Dialling code | 01698 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
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| Scottish Parliament |
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Motherwell (also known as Scots: Mitherwall or Scottish Gaelic: Tobar na Màthar) is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located southeast of Glasgow and has a population of around 32,120 people. Motherwell is the main office for North Lanarkshire Council. The River Clyde is to the west, separating Motherwell from Hamilton. The South Calder Water is to the northeast, separating it from Carfin, New Stevenston, and Bellshill.
Motherwell is also very close to Wishaw. These two towns together form a large urban area in North Lanarkshire. They have similar populations and strong community ties.
Contents
Motherwell's Past: A Journey Through Time
A Roman road once passed through central Scotland, running along the side of the River Clyde near Motherwell. It crossed the South Calder Water close to where Bothwellhaugh Roman Fort was built. A fort and a bath house were set up at this crossing point. However, the Romans did not stay in Scotland for very long after this.
Motherwell is located in the Scottish Lowlands. This means that Britons likely lived here a long time ago. The town's name is thought to come from a well called the Lady Well. This well was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Today, a plaque on Ladywell Road marks where this well used to be. The name "Moderwelt" appeared on a map of Lanarkshire between 1583 and 1611.
At the start of the 1800s, Motherwell was a small farming village. About 600 people lived there, near the 16th-century Jerviston house. The village grew slowly, reaching 1,700 people by 1841. It was centered around the crossroads of the main road along the Clyde and the road connecting Edinburgh with Hamilton.
Motherwell changed a lot in the second half of the 1800s. The railway arrived in 1848, bringing new industries and money. By 1881, David Colville & Sons had opened iron and steel works. Motherwell also got a new water supply and became a burgh (a town with its own government). Its population grew quickly to 13,800 people.
By the end of the 1800s, the Motherwell Town Hall and Dalziel High School were built. The local football club, Motherwell F.C., was also started, and its stadium, Fir Park, was constructed.
Steelopolis: Motherwell's Industrial Heart
At the beginning of the 1900s, Motherwell was a large and growing industrial center. It had 37,000 people and many heavy industries. These included making munitions (weapons), trams, and parts for bridges. By the 1930s, most of Scotland's steel was made in Motherwell by the Colville family.
In 1959, the government convinced the Colville family to build a huge new steel works. This became the Ravenscraig. Within a few years, Ravenscraig was making over a million tons of steel each year. After the steel industry was taken over by the government, production at Ravenscraig increased even more. The blast furnaces in Motherwell produced 3 million tons of steel every year.
By the mid-1970s, Motherwell's steel industry employed more than 13,000 people.
Changes and Recovery
The 1980s brought big problems for Motherwell's industries. A steel strike in 1980 caused British Steel Corporation to lose important contracts. Then, major local customers like the Linwood car factory and Bathgate truck factory closed. By the end of the 1980s, Ravenscraig only employed 3,200 people.
Ravenscraig closed on June 24, 1992, and was taken down in July 1996. This ended 400 years of iron production in Scotland. Today, the Dalzell Plate Mill is the only part left of Motherwell's old industrial past. It still rolls steel from Middlesbrough into steel plates.
By the start of the 2000s, Motherwell began to change. The service industry started to grow, and the high unemployment from the past 20 years was mostly fixed. Motherwell and Wishaw have grown so much that they are now one continuous urban area, but they are still seen as separate towns.
Culture and Fun in Motherwell
Motherwell hosted the National Mòd in 1983. This is a big festival that celebrates Scottish Gaelic culture.
Strathclyde Park used to host a major Scottish music festival called T in the Park. This was until 1996, when it moved to a different location. In the park, you can find the ruins of Roman baths.
Motherwell's Economy
Motherwell is the main office for North Lanarkshire Council. This council serves one of Scotland's largest local areas. It is also the headquarters for Police Scotland's "Q" division. These groups serve over 327,000 people in North Lanarkshire.
Motherwell was once known as the steel production capital of Scotland. It was even nicknamed Steelopolis. This was because of David Colville & Sons during the 1800s and 1900s. The skyline was once dominated by the water tower and three cooling towers of their Ravenscraig steelworks. Even though Ravenscraig closed in 1992, the town's Dalzell steel plate works is still run by Tata Steel Europe.
In recent years, Motherwell has recovered from the high unemployment and economic problems caused by the end of its heavy industry. Many call centres and business parks, like Strathclyde Business Park, have opened in the area. Big employers include William Grant & Sons (who make whisky) and Volvo Construction Equipment/Rokbak (who make heavy equipment).
Motherwell has been a Fairtrade Town since January 2007. This means it supports fair prices and good working conditions for producers in developing countries.
Getting Around Motherwell
Trains
Motherwell has three train stations: Motherwell, Airbles, and Shieldmuir. The main Motherwell station is on the West Coast Main Line, which connects Glasgow to London. It's also on the East Coast Main Line, going through Edinburgh and Newcastle. This station is right next to the Motherwell Shopping Centre.
Train companies like Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, and TransPennine Express use the main station. Abellio ScotRail also provides direct services to many places like Carstairs, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. London North Eastern Railway has a daily direct service between London King's Cross and Glasgow Central that stops at Motherwell.
The smaller station in the Airbles area of Motherwell is closer to the Civic Centre and Fir Park stadium. It runs on a line to Dalmuir via Glasgow Central low level and Hamilton Central.
Roads
Motherwell is easy to get to by road. It is right next to the M74 motorway, which goes south towards England. The M74 connects to the M6 motorway at the Anglo-Scottish border. Motherwell is also about 3 miles (5 km) from the M8 motorway, which connects Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are plans to build a new dual carriageway that will link these two motorways through the town.
Buses
Many different bus companies serve Motherwell, taking people to various places. Some examples include First Glasgow (Routes 201, 240, 242, 254 and 355), JMB Travel, Whitelaws Coaches, and United Coaches.
You can reach many nearby towns by bus from Motherwell, such as:
The three main hospitals in Lanarkshire can also be reached by bus from Motherwell:
- University Hospital Wishaw
- University Hospital Hairmyres
- University Hospital Monklands
Airports
It is now easier to get to Glasgow Airport since the M74 Extension was finished. The airport is about 16 miles (26 km) from Motherwell. Edinburgh Airport is further away, about 31 miles (50 km), and can be reached using the M8 motorway.
Places to Visit in Motherwell
Besides the town's Country Park, you can visit the North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre. This center, formerly called the Motherwell Heritage Centre, is on High Road, next to the train station. It shows the history of Motherwell, going all the way back to the Roman times. The building also has a viewing tower on the fifth floor. From there, you can get a great view of the town and even see mountains like Ben Lomond on a clear day.
The Motherwell Civic Centre is the main office for North Lanarkshire Council. Many plays and musicals are held in its concert hall and theatre. It also used to host top-level snooker events like the Scottish Masters.
Dalzell House is a historic building located south of the town, right by the River Clyde. This house is a very important building and is protected as a Category-A listed building.
One of the most popular attractions in Motherwell is the M & D's Amusement Park. It is located next to Strathclyde Loch in Strathclyde Park.
Motherwell Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Good Aid, often called Motherwell Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic church. It is the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Motherwell. The cathedral is usually open to the public. It is also used for performances by the Motherwell Diocesan Choir.
Schools in Motherwell
Primary Schools
Motherwell has several primary schools for younger students. These include:
- Cathedral Primary School
- Glencairn Primary School
- Knowetop Primary School
- Ladywell Primary School
- Logans Primary School
- Muirhouse Primary School
- Muir Street Primary School
- St. Bernadette's Primary School
- St Brendan's Primary School
- Firpark Primary School
Secondary Schools
Dalziel High School is on Crawford Street, near Duchess Park. It serves areas like North Motherwell and Airbles, with about 1,000 students. Famous former students include footballer Lee McCulloch and journalist Alan Fisher.
Braidhurst High School, in the Forgewood area, serves Forgewood and Jerviston. It's one of the smaller secondary schools in Lanarkshire, with about 500 students. The school building was recently updated with a modern glass look. Famous former students include actress Elaine C Smith and footballer Gary McAllister.
Our Lady's High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school on Dalzell Drive. It is near Fir Park Stadium. It used to be one of the largest schools in Western Europe. Famous former students include football legends Sir Matt Busby and Billy McNeill, and current players Stephen Pearson and Kieran Tierney.
Other secondary schools near Motherwell include Brannock High School in Newarthill and Taylor R.C. High School in New Stevenston.
Further Education
Motherwell has a college for further education called New College Lanarkshire. It moved to Ravenscraig in 2009 and has about 20,000 students.
Sports in Motherwell
Football
Motherwell Football Club was started in 1886. They are known as the "Steelmen" because of the town's history of steel making. They play in the Scottish Premiership at their home ground, Fir Park Stadium. Motherwell is one of the most established clubs in Scotland's top football league. Their last major trophy was the 1990–91 Scottish Cup in 1991. They have also played in European football competitions several times.
Speedway
Motherwell used to host motorcycle speedway racing at two places. From 1950 to 1954, the Lanarkshire Eagles raced at the Parkneuk Sports Stadium. A famous rider, Derrick Close, represented the Eagles and England in the 1952 Individual Speedway World Championship Final.
Greyhound Racing
Motherwell also had two greyhound racing tracks. The first, the Clyde Valley Greyhound Track, opened in 1932 and closed in 1959. The second, the Parkneuk Sports Stadium, opened in 1949 and closed in 1972.
Rugby
Dalziel Rugby Club plays at Dalziel Park, which is located between the villages of Carfin and Cleland, near Motherwell.
Cycling
There are cycle routes in Motherwell and in the nearby Strathclyde Country Park. The Greenlink Cycle Path connects Strathclyde Park directly to Motherwell Town Centre. This path was created in 2005.
Golf
Motherwell has a golf course called Colville Park Golf Club, located at Jerviston Estate. Another golf course is at the Dalziel Park Hotel and Golf Club. Torrance Park Golf Club is a third course in Newarthill.
Hockey
The Motherwell Hockey Club and Dalziel High School Former Pupils (D.H.S.F.P) Ladies Hockey Club are field hockey clubs. They play at the astroturf pitches in Dalziel Park.
Athletics
Athletics is a popular sport in Motherwell. The main club, Motherwell Athletics Club, is based at the Boathouse Gym in Strathclyde Country Park. New, top-class sports facilities have been built just outside the town. These include Dalziel Park and the Ravenscraig Sports Centre, which has a great indoor athletics track. The Ravenscraig facility hosted athletic events for the 2011 International Children's Games.
Strathclyde Park
Fun and Nature
Strathclyde Country Park has many sports and leisure facilities. It's also a great place for bird-watchers and people who enjoy fishing. Besides the M&D's theme park, there are woodland and grass areas perfect for picnics and walks. Digging in the park has uncovered interesting archaeological sites. These include a Roman mosaic, a Roman bath house, and a bridge. The park is built on the site of an old mining village called Bothwellhaugh. Much of the village was covered by water after it was abandoned.
Big Events
Strathclyde Park was a venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 International Children's Games. It hosted the triathlon event for both of these competitions. It also hosted the rowing events at the 1986 Commonwealth Games.
Sister Cities
Motherwell is connected with these cities around the world:
- Schweinfurt, Germany
- Motherwell, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Famous People from Motherwell
Many interesting people have come from Motherwell, including:
- Mark Meechan – a Scottish YouTuber
- William Clamp – a brave soldier who received the Victoria Cross
- Jim Conacher – a retired ice hockey player who played in the NHL
- Tam Cowan – a sports journalist and comedian
- The Delgados – a former indie rock band
- Alan Fisher – a broadcast journalist for Al Jazeera English
- Tommy Gemmell – a famous former footballer for Celtic and one of the Lisbon Lions
- Kieran Tierney – an Arsenal and Scottish international footballer
- Alexander Gibson – a well-known conductor
- Paul Higgins – an actor, known for The Thick of It
- Hamish Imlach – a folk singer
- Katie Leung – an actress known for the Harry Potter films
- Ethel MacDonald – an anarchist who was active during the Spanish Civil War
- Deborah Orr – a journalist
- Ian St. John – a former Scottish international footballer for Motherwell and Liverpool
- Doogie White – a rock vocalist for bands like Rainbow
See also
In Spanish: Motherwell para niños
