Aviva Directory » Local & Global » Europe » United Kingdom » Countries » Scotland » Cities & Towns » Cambuslang

Situated on the south-eastern outskirts of Greater Glasgow, Cambuslang has a population of about 30,000.

Cambuslang is just south of the River Clyde and about six miles south-east of the Glasgow city centre. It borders the town of Rutherglen to the west. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire.

Cambuslang Park, spanning 27 acres, offers a contrast of open parkland and the Borgie Glen, a steep, tree-lined ravine with a complex network of pathways. The park also features a pond, sports pitches, a war memorial, a bandstand, and woodland areas.

Its name is derived from the Gaelic cameos, later changed to camus or cambus, which meant a "crooked torrent or rivulet," a reference to the area's position along a lengthy bend in the River Clyde, and the Gaelic Launse, changed to Lang, which was the name of a saint famous as the founder of several monasteries.

In the early days, Cambuslang was the furthest point up the River Clyde navigable by large ships.

The Parish of Cambuslang in the Barony of Drumsargard, the castle ruins of which can be discerned to the south-east of Hallside, goes back to the time of King Alexander II of Scotland, in the early to the mid-13th century. The Barony of Drumsargard passed to Archibald Douglas, the 3rd Earl of Douglas, in 1370. The Douglases were displaced by James Lord Hamilton in 1452, and the area remained with the Dukes of Hamilton until 1922. However, the abolition of feudalism in Scotland didn't officially end until the end of the 20th century.

Tradition states that Saint Cadoc founded the Parish Kirk of Cambuslang in the 6th century. John Cameron of Lochiel was Rector of Cambuslang before he was appointed Bishop of Glasgow. A later Archbishop of Glasgow, James Beaton, appointed David Beaton (his nephew) Rector of Cambuslang in 1520. The Church contributed significantly to the early economy of Cambuslang.

Another contributor to the town's prosperity was its mineral reserves. The local limestone was capable of a very high polish. Coal and iron were also mined from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The Clyde Iron Works operated until 1978. The town's plate mill closed in 1982 while its heat treatment section is still operating.

Cambuslang's ironworks attracted engineering and manufacturing during the 19th and 20th centuries, and shale oil operations were present in the mid-19th century.

The opening of the turnpike road to Glasgow and the extension of rail operations to the town encouraged wealthy Glasgow businessmen to build homes in Cambuslang by the end of the 19th century, and many of these magnificent homes still exist.

Today, Cambuslang and the immediate surrounding area includes ancient sites, medieval castle ruins, the remnants of 18th-century mansions, churches, schools, public buildings, commercial and industrial buildings, and retail and leisure facilities.

The remains of an Iron Age fort can be seen on top of Dechmont Hill. Drumsagard Castle was near Hallside, now within the Drumsagard Village development, although a circular mound is all that remains. Gilbertfield Castle remains, although it is decaying.

Cambuslang has several historical churches, as well as several modern places of worship.

Cambuslang does not have a town hall and never has. However, the local offices of South Lanarkshire Council and the Cambuslang Public Library are in the town centre.

Appropriate topics for this portion of our web guide are those related to the town of Cambuslang, Scotland. These may include government or public buildings, agencies, businesses, industries, libraries, museums, and historical places, as well as entertainment venues, sports and recreation programs and facilities.

Categories

Faith & Spirituality

 

 

Recommended Resources


Search for Cambuslang on Google or Bing