Cambusnethan is a large village and suburb on the eastern edge of
Wishaw
Wishaw ( sco, Wishae or Wisha ; gd, Camas Neachdain) is a large town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the edge of the Clyde Valley, south-east of Glasgow city centre. The Burgh of Wishaw was formed in 1855 within Lanarkshire. it formed ...
,
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire ( sco, North Lanrikshire; gd, Siorrachd Lannraig a Tuath) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also ...
in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. It is approximately long, straddling both sides of the A722 on a hill overlooking Wishaw.
Etymology
The name "''Cambusnethan"'' was historically recorded as ''Kamnethan'' and in earlier sources, as ''Kamysnethyn''. The establishment of an early medieval church of the same name suggests that the name is
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
* Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Fo ...
in origin. The "Cambus" part of the name would come from "''caman''/''camas''/''camn''" a word that could be either
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
or
Cumbric
Cumbric was a variety of the Common Brittonic language spoken during the Early Middle Ages in the ''Hen Ogledd'' or "Old North" in what is now the counties of Westmorland, Cumberland and northern Lancashire in Northern England and the souther ...
and means a bend or meander. "Nethan" is harder to pinpoint. It could come from a corruption of
Ninian
Ninian is a Christian saint, first mentioned in the 8th century as being an early missionary among the Pictish peoples of what is now Scotland. For this reason he is known as the Apostle to the Southern Picts, and there are numerous dedication ...
, who travelled through southern Scotland, it could also be said to come from
Nechtan, the name of both a
Pictish king
The list of kings of the Picts is based on the Pictish Chronicle king lists. These are late documents and do not record the dates when the kings reigned. The various surviving lists disagree in places as to the names of kings, and the lengths o ...
and a mythological Celtic figure. Or possibly,
Neithon of Alt Clut
Neithon (died c. 621) was a 7th-century ruler of Alt Clut, the Brittonic kingdom later known as Strathclyde. According to the Harleian genealogies, he was the son of Guipno map Dumnagual Hen. Alfred Smyth suggests he is the same man as King Necht ...
, a king of
Strathclyde
Strathclyde ( in Gaelic, meaning "strath (valley) of the River Clyde") was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government et ...
, the kingdom that held the land for centuries.
Thus the name likely means "bend of Nethan".
History
Originally, the name ''Cambusnethan'' or ''Camnethan'' referred to the whole Wishaw area, and a portion of the Scottish county of
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland.
Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
. The ''Parish of Cam(bus)nethan'', as it was known was established in the 11th century, with the
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
standing on the banks of the
River Clyde
The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...
, in the countryside near the modern neighbourhoods of
Netherton and
Gowkthrapple
Gowkthrapple is a small neighbourhood of Wishaw, Scotland, situated around miles (1.2 km) from the town centre. The name "Gowkthrapple" is a Scots compound word made up of "gowk", meaning "idiot" or "cuckoo" and "thrapple", meaning "throa ...
. The parish would have remained a rural, lowly populated area until the 1600s at least.
The modern settlement began some time after the Middle Ages (exact time period unknown), but remained a small
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
. It grew massively alongside its neighbour,
Wishaw
Wishaw ( sco, Wishae or Wisha ; gd, Camas Neachdain) is a large town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the edge of the Clyde Valley, south-east of Glasgow city centre. The Burgh of Wishaw was formed in 1855 within Lanarkshire. it formed ...
, during the Industrial Revolution, with industries such as
railways
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
,
textiles
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
,
quarrying
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their environ ...
and in particular,
coal mining
Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...
. This established Cambusnethan's importance to the Scottish economy. Eventually, both Wishaw and Cambusnethan grew so large that the boundaries between the towns faded and both settlements became one large urban area.
Throughout the 20th century, many
housing estate
A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex or housing development) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country.
Popular throughout the United States a ...
s were built in Cambusnethan, further expanding it.
Today, Cambusnethan is much integrated with Wishaw to the point where it is mostly considered to be an area of the town rather than a town in its own right.
Transport
Cambusnethan is served by
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
service 267 every 10 minutes from
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
's
Buchanan bus station
Buchanan bus station is the main bus terminus in Glasgow, Scotland.
The bus station is the terminus for journeys between the city and other towns and cities in Scotland, as well as long-distance services to other parts of the United Kingdom ...
. It also has a separate hourly express bus services to Glasgow in the form of the First service X11. An infrequent local bus service to
Livingston
Livingston may refer to:
Businesses
* Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010)
* Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline
* Livingston International, a North American custom ...
,
West Lothian
West Lothian ( sco, Wast Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Iar) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and was one of its shires of Scotland, historic counties. The county was called Linlithgowshire until 1925. The historic county was bounded geogra ...
also serves the area.
There are the remnants of a railway line running through the area. This has been disconnected for almost 80 years with most of the track and bridges now gone, though some elements of the line still exist behind the telephone exchange and the social club. The section between the Miner's Club and the Hot Water pond (Perchy Pond) was used as a dump in the 70s/80s, and is thus mostly filled in now. People to this day still fly tip there despite the excellent new council refuse facility in
Netherton.
Local facilities
Cambusnethan has two
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland.
The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
churches: Cambusnethan North Parish Church, at the top of Kirk Road, and Cambusnethan Old and Morningside Parish Church, further down the hill. Cambusnethan Primary School is non-denominational and previously sat between the two churches on the other side of the road. Plans for a new, updated primary school have been confirmed, and in Summer 2006 construction work began at the top of Branchal Road, with the clearing of the local park and some of the woods surrounding the area. The new school was completed in Summer 2007, and the original building has been demolished.
The local sub-post office, which sits at the entrance to the Memorial Park (East Gate) but now is shut down for good. The nearest post offices is located in
Newmains
Newmains is a village and former mining community on the eastern edge of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south-east of Glasgow. Although it is considered by the local authority to have a town centre in its own right.
History
The story of a ...
or Wishaw which both are beside Cambusnethan.
Following the demise of the New Day there are currently two pubs: The Horse and Anchor and The Auld Hoose. There are two convenience stores in the area, Bobbys and Northmuir licensed grocer's shop. An Indian takeaway, the Tandoori Mahal, has traded in the last few years in the shop adjacent to Bobbys.
Cambusnethan also provides the area code (01698 38xxxx) for most of eastern Wishaw via the large
BT telephone exchange
A telephone exchange, telephone switch, or central office is a telecommunications system used in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or in large enterprises. It interconnects telephone subscriber lines or virtual circuits of digital syst ...
.
Another very popular meeting place is the Cambusnethan Miners' Club at the foot of Woodhall Road, also known as the red road.
The site of the old Cambusnethan Primary School has become housing. The new Primary School is situated on Branchal Road
Boys' Brigade
Cambusnethan has two active
BB companies: 1st Cambusnethan, which is affiliated to the Old Parish Church, and 2nd Cambusnethan, affiliated to the North Parish Church.
1st and 2nd Cambusnethan has 3 sections Anchors for 5-7yr olds (Primary School Years 1-3), Juniors for 7-11yr olds (Primary School Years 4-6) and Company/Seniors for 12 to 18 (Primary School Year 7 to Secondary Year 3 for Company Section and Secondary School year 4 to 6 for Seniors).
Boys at the BB's are trying their best to achieve the Queen's Badge.
Local landmarks
![The Belhaven and Stenton Mausoleum - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/The_Belhaven_and_Stenton_Mausoleum_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1658236.jpg)
A well-known local landmark is '"The Bing", well known for children to slide down it in a wheely bin or a bread crate, a large loose stone hill formed by extensive mining operations, which were active in the area until the 1960s. Cambusnethan was a major
coal mining
Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...
centre at the start of the 20th century and, when it was all finished, the shafts were closed and the spoil heaps landscaped to create The Bing.
Cambusnethan House or Priory is a few miles west of the area and is a stunning Gothic house by Scottish architect
James Gillespie Graham
James Gillespie Graham (11 June 1776 – 11 March 1855) was a Scottish architect, prominent in the early 19th century.
Life
Graham was born in Dunblane on 11 June 1776. He was the son of Malcolm Gillespie, a solicitor. He was christened as J ...
. It was so named because, before Wishaw existed, Cambusnethan was the name of the whole burgh stretching from
Newmains
Newmains is a village and former mining community on the eastern edge of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south-east of Glasgow. Although it is considered by the local authority to have a town centre in its own right.
History
The story of a ...
to the
River Clyde
The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...
. Today the main town sits between Cambusnethan and the River Clyde.
Notable residents
*
Alex Duthart
Alex Duthart (7 October 1925 – 27 November 1986) was a Scottish drummer. He is widely regarded as having revolutionised pipe band snare drum playing.
Life
Duthart was born on 7 October 1925 in Cambusnethan, near Wishaw in North Lanarkshire ...
(7 October 1925 – 27 November 1986) was a Scottish drummer who revolutionised Scottish pipe band drumming.
*Dame Dr.
Ruth Silver
Dame Ruth Muldoon Silver (born January 1945, North Lanarkshire) is a British academic administrator and promoter of education policy. She was Principal of Lewisham College for 17 years until 2009, and was chair of the Working Men's College gove ...
, DBE is the Principal of Lewisham College and an adviser to the Select Committee in the House of Commons and a member of the Skills Commission.
*Pte
William Johnstone Milne
William Johnstone Milne VC (21 December 1892 – 9 April 1917) was a First World War Canadian soldier. Milne was a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that ...
. Born 21 December 1891. Killed in Action at Thelus, France, 9 April 1917 serving in the 16th Battalion, Manitoba (Canadian Scottish) Regiment. Posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross.
*Sir
James Denham-Steuart
Sir James Steuart, 3rd Baronet of Goodtrees and 7th Baronet of Coltness (; 21 October 1712 – 26 November 1780), also known as Sir James Steuart Denham and Sir James Denham Steuart, was a prominent Scottish Jacobite and author of "probably ...
, 7th Baronet of
Coltness
Coltness is the largest suburb of the town of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The 2001 census indicated a population of almost 4,500.
Lying to the north east of Wishaw town centre, Coltness is an area of mainly local authority built h ...
, an early economist whose ''Inquiry into the Principles of Political Oeconomy'' predates
Adam Smith
Adam Smith (baptized 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the thinking of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as "The Father of Economics"——— ...
's ''
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations
''An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations'', generally referred to by its shortened title ''The Wealth of Nations'', is the ''Masterpiece, magnum opus'' of the Scottish people, Scottish economist and moral philosopher Ada ...
'' by nine years, is buried
Steuart family genealogy at ElectricScotland.com
/ref> in the family vault at old Cambusnethan church (now a ruin).
* Tom and Jack Alexander. The Scottish music singing duo known as the Alexander Brothers.
See also
* Murder of Zoe Nelson
References
Areas of Wishaw
Mining communities in Scotland