Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
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Hamilton (; ) is a large town in
South Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire (; ) is one of 32 unitary authorities of Scotland. It borders the south-east of the Glasgow City council area and contains some of Greater Glasgow's suburban towns, as well as many rural towns and villages. It also shares bor ...
, Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire
council area {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) A council area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Ac ...
. It sits south-east of
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, south-west of
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
and north of
Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
. It is situated on the south bank of the
River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...
at its confluence with the Avon Water. Hamilton is the
county town In Great Britain and Ireland, a county town is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county, and the place where public representatives are elected to parliament. Following the establishment of county councils in ...
of the historic county of
Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark (; ), is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands of Scotland. The county is no l ...
and is the location of the headquarters of the modern
local authority Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. Local governments typically constitute a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such a ...
of South Lanarkshire. The town itself has a population of around 55,000, which makes it the 9th largest locality in Scotland, and anchors a defined settlement of 84,000 (including neighbouring
Blantyre Blantyre is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, and its second largest city, with a population of 800,264 . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe. It is ...
,
Bothwell Bothwell () is a Protected area, conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland and part of the Greater Glasgow area. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, ...
and
Uddingston Uddingston (, ) is a small town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the north side of the River Clyde, south-east of Glasgow city centre, and acts as a dormitory suburb for the city. Geography and boundaries Uddingston is located to t ...
) which is the country's 8th largest.


History

The town of Hamilton was originally known as Cadzow or CadyouHamilton's royal past
South Lanarkshire Council
(
Middle Scots Middle Scots was the Anglic language of Lowland Scotland in the period from 1450 to 1700. By the end of the 15th century, its phonology, orthography, accidence, syntax and vocabulary had diverged markedly from Early Scots, which was virtual ...
: ), the "" being the letter
yogh The letter yogh (ȝogh) ( ; Scots: ; Middle English: ) is a Latin script letter that was used in Middle English and Older Scots, representing ''y'' () and various velar phonemes. It was derived from the Insular form of the letter ''g'', Ᵹ ...
), pronounced /kadju/. It is an ancient settlement, possibly dating back to the days of
Strathclyde Strathclyde ( in Welsh language, Welsh; in Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic, meaning 'strath
alley An alley or alleyway is a narrow lane, footpath, path, or passageway, often reserved for pedestrians, which usually runs between, behind, or within buildings in towns and cities. It is also a rear access or service road (back lane), or a path, w ...
of the River Clyde') was one of nine former Local government in Scotland, local government Regions and districts of Scotland, regions of Scotland cre ...
, or perhaps earlier. The Roman fort of Bothwellhaugh lies nearby. A lost medieval settlement was excavated in the 2010s near the Clyde, only around 1 mile from the current town. It is known that kings of Strathclyde did have a hunting lodge near Cadzow, and the area may have been a royal centre during the later stages of the kingdom, as a precursor to
Cadzow Castle Cadzow Castle, now in ruins, was constructed between 1500 and 1550 at a site one mile south-east of the centre of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The earlier medieval settlement of Hamilton was formerly known as ''Cadzow'' or ''Cadyou'' ( ...
. During the
Wars of Scottish Independence The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and 14th centuries. The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of Scotla ...
the Hamilton family initially supported the English and Walter fitz Gilbert (the head of the Hamilton family) was governor of
Bothwell Castle Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle, sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located between Bothwell and Uddingston, about south-east of Glasgow. Construction of the castle wa ...
on behalf of the English. However, he later changed loyalty to
Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
, following the
Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn ( or ) was fought on 23–24 June 1314, between the army of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the army of King Edward II of England, during the First War of Scottish Independence. It was a decisive victory for Ro ...
, and ceded Bothwell to him. For this act, he was rewarded with a portion of land which had been forfeited by the Comyns at Dalserf and later the Barony and lands of Cadzow, which in time would become the town of Hamilton. Cadzow was renamed Hamilton in the time of James, Lord Hamilton, who was married to Princess Mary, the daughter of
King James II James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685, until he was deposed in the 1688 Glori ...
. The
Hamilton family The Hamiltons of the United States are a family of Scottish origin, whose most prominent member was Alexander Hamilton (1755/57–1804), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Their ancestors and relations in Scotland included the Lai ...
themselves most likely took their name from the lands of Humbleton or Homildon in
Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...
, or perhaps from a place near
Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
. The Hamiltons constructed many landmark buildings in the area including the Hamilton Mausoleum in Strathclyde Park, which has one of the longest reverb times of any manmade building at 15 seconds. The Hamilton family are major land-owners in the area to this day. Hamilton Palace was the seat of the Dukes of Hamilton until the early-twentieth century. Other historic buildings in the area include Hamilton Old Parish Church, a Georgian era building completed in 1734 and the only church to have been built by William Adam. The graveyard of the old parish church contains some Covenanter remains. Hamilton Townhouse, which now houses a library and concert hall, underwent a sympathetic modernization in 2002 and opened to the public in summer 2004. The ruins of
Cadzow Castle Cadzow Castle, now in ruins, was constructed between 1500 and 1550 at a site one mile south-east of the centre of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The earlier medieval settlement of Hamilton was formerly known as ''Cadzow'' or ''Cadyou'' ( ...
also lie in Chatelherault Country Park, from the town centre. Hamilton Palace was the largest non-royal residence in the Western world, located in the north-east of the town. A former seat of the Dukes of Hamilton, it was built in 1695, subsequently much enlarged, and demolished in 1921 due to ground subsidence. It is widely acknowledged as having been one of the grandest houses in Scotland, was visited and admired by
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
, and was written about by
Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe (; born Daniel Foe; 1660 – 24 April 1731) was an English writer, merchant and spy. He is most famous for his novel ''Robinson Crusoe'', published in 1719, which is claimed to be second only to the Bible in its number of translati ...
. Hamilton Barracks was formerly the Depot of the
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Reg ...
and the home of the 1st Battalion of the Regiment. The Regimental Museum is part of the Low Parks Museum. The Low Parks Museum is housed in what was a 16th-century inn and a staging post for journeys between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Recently refurbished, it is the oldest building in Hamilton and is to the north of the Palace Grounds. Renowned explorer and missionary
David Livingstone David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, and an explorer in Africa. Livingstone was married to Mary Moffat Livings ...
's house still stands at 17 Burnbank Road and has a plaque about him.


Governance

Hamilton is located within the Scottish
council area {{Unreferenced, date=May 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot) A council area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Ac ...
of
South Lanarkshire South Lanarkshire (; ) is one of 32 unitary authorities of Scotland. It borders the south-east of the Glasgow City council area and contains some of Greater Glasgow's suburban towns, as well as many rural towns and villages. It also shares bor ...
. Its local government services are provided by the
unitary authority A unitary authority is a type of local government, local authority in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Unitary authorities are responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are ...
the South Lanarkshire Council, which is headquartered in Hamilton. Hamilton itself is divided between three wards, totalling 11 seats: Hamilton North and East, Hamilton West and Earnock and Hamilton South. Hamilton is represented in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
by two Members of Parliament (MPs). The following MPs were elected from Hamilton in
2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
: * Imogen Walker ( Labour) in Hamilton and Clyde Valley, first elected in
2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...
. *
Michael Shanks Michael Garrett Shanks (born December 15, 1970) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Daniel Jackson in the long-running military science fiction television series ''Stargate SG-1'' and as Dr Charles Harris in the Canadian medi ...
( Labour) in
Rutherglen Rutherglen (; , ) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, immediately south-east of the city of Glasgow, from its centre and directly south of the River Clyde. Having previously existed as a separate Lanarkshire burgh, in 1975 Rutherglen lo ...
. Hamilton is also represented in the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( ; ) is the Devolution in the United Kingdom, devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. It is located in the Holyrood, Edinburgh, Holyrood area of Edinburgh, and is frequently referred to by the metonym 'Holyrood'. ...
by two constituency MSPs. The following MSPs were elected from Hamilton in
2021 Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
: * Christina McKelvie ( SNP) in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, first elected in
2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
. * Stephanie Callaghan ( SNP) in Uddingston and Bellshill, first elected at this election, replacing Richard Lyle ( SNP). The Uddingston and Bellshill constituency covers the Whitehill and Bothwell Road areas of Hamilton.


Geography

Areas of Hamilton: * Avongrove *
Burnbank Burnbank is an area in the town of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was formerly a separate Mining town, mining village before being absorbed into the town. Location and governance Burnbank, previously an i ...
* Barncluith * Brackenhill Park *
Earnock Estate Earnock Estate is a residential area in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, which is located east of High Earnock and south of Hillhouse, Hamilton, Scotland, Hillhouse. The area was developed in the 1960s and is home to some of the oldest buil ...
* Earnock Glen *
Ferniegair Ferniegair is a village across the Avon Water from Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, on the A72 road, A72 road to Larkhall in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The village contains the entrance to Chatelherault Country Park and Hamilton Golf Club. The r ...
* Eddlewood * Fairhill * Hamilton West * High Earnock * Hillhouse * Laighstonehall * Little Earnock * Low Waters * Meikle Earnock * Neilsland * Silvertonhill * Torheads Farm * Udston * Whitehill * Woodhead Nearby prominent towns and cities: * East Kilbride *
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
*
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
*
Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
The following towns/villages directly border Hamilton:
Blantyre Blantyre is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, and its second largest city, with a population of 800,264 . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe. It is ...
, East Kilbride, Quarter,
Strathaven Strathaven ( ; from ) is a historic market town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is the largest settlement in Avondale. It is south of Hamilton. The Powmillon Burn runs through the town centre, and joins the Avon Water to the east of the to ...
,
Motherwell Motherwell (, ) is a List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Shires of Scotland, Historically in the p ...
,
Bothwell Bothwell () is a Protected area, conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland and part of the Greater Glasgow area. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, ...
,
Ferniegair Ferniegair is a village across the Avon Water from Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, on the A72 road, A72 road to Larkhall in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The village contains the entrance to Chatelherault Country Park and Hamilton Golf Club. The r ...
, Limekilnburn. Hamilton is twinned with
Châtellerault Châtellerault (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Châteulrô/Chateleràud''; ) is a commune in the Vienne department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in France. It is located in the northeast of the former province Poitou, and the residents are cal ...
in France. This connection dates from the 16th century when the title Duc de Châtellerault was conferred on James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran. The Duke's Chatelherault Hunting Lodge (now in Chatelherault Country Park), a primary school and new railway station are named ' Chatelherault' for this reason.


Economy

Service industries and local government are major employers in Hamilton. The town centre has been regenerated with new indoor shopping centres (the Regent Shopping Centre, New Cross Shopping Centre) Hamilton Retail Park and the Palace Grounds Retail Park. Restaurants and national retail outlets are situated in a redeveloped part of the Palace Grounds that are visible upon entering the town from the
M74 motorway The A74(M) and M74 form a major motorway in Scotland, connecting it to England. The routes connect the M8 motorway (Scotland), M8 motorway in central Glasgow to the Scottish-English Anglo-Scottish border, border at Gretna, Scotland, Gretna. T ...
. The creation of a circular town square has resulted in Hamilton receiving numerous town planning awards during the past decade. This development transformed the Hamilton side of Strathclyde Park, which was the original site of the Duke's palace. Hamilton has been a Fairtrade Town since 2005.


Transport

Hamilton has three railway stations,
Hamilton Central Hamilton Central is the central business district of Hamilton, New Zealand. It is located on the western banks of the Waikato River. Demographics Hamilton Central Business District, called Hamilton Centre by Stats NZ, covers and had an est ...
, Hamilton West and Chatelherault on the Argyle Line's Hamilton Circle. Hamilton Central is approx 25 minutes from Glasgow on the
Larkhall Larkhall (, ) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France. Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West. Larkhall ...
- Dalmuir service. It was once served by the
North British Railway The North British Railway was one of the two biggest of the five major Scottish railway companies prior to the 1923 Grouping. It was established in 1844, with the intention of linking with English railways at Berwick. The line opened in 1846, ...
, which had three stations in the area - Hamilton (NBR), Peacock Cross railway station and
Burnbank Burnbank is an area in the town of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was formerly a separate Mining town, mining village before being absorbed into the town. Location and governance Burnbank, previously an i ...
. Beside
Hamilton Central Hamilton Central is the central business district of Hamilton, New Zealand. It is located on the western banks of the Waikato River. Demographics Hamilton Central Business District, called Hamilton Centre by Stats NZ, covers and had an est ...
lies Hamilton Bus Station, providing links to surrounding towns and cities, also offering an express bus to
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
and also some parts of England.
National Express Mobico Group, formerly National Express Group, is a British multinational public transport company with headquarters in Birmingham, England. Domestically it currently operates bus and coach services under brands including National Express. Th ...
services run to London and Birmingham from this station. Major roads in the town include the A72 running south-east to
Larkhall Larkhall (, ) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, around southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France. Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West. Larkhall ...
, the A723 south to
Strathaven Strathaven ( ; from ) is a historic market town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is the largest settlement in Avondale. It is south of Hamilton. The Powmillon Burn runs through the town centre, and joins the Avon Water to the east of the to ...
/ north-east to
Motherwell Motherwell (, ) is a List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Shires of Scotland, Historically in the p ...
, and the A724 west towards
Rutherglen Rutherglen (; , ) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, immediately south-east of the city of Glasgow, from its centre and directly south of the River Clyde. Having previously existed as a separate Lanarkshire burgh, in 1975 Rutherglen lo ...
, while to the west at
Blantyre Blantyre is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, and its second largest city, with a population of 800,264 . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe. It is ...
, the A725 dual carriageway connects the area to East Kilbride,
Coatbridge Coatbridge (, ) is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, about east of Glasgow city centre, set in the central Lowlands. Along with neighbouring town Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, Airdrie, Coatbridge forms the area known as the Monklands (popula ...
and the M8. By road the town is to the west of the M74 motorway, the main southerly link to England, which joins the M6 just north of
Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...
. The main route from Edinburgh is the M8, leaving at junctions 6 or 7. Cycling paths run from Strathclyde Park to Chatelherault Country Park following the banks of the Clyde and Avon. These are being expanded at part of the
Sustrans Sustrans ( ) is a United Kingdom-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity, and the custodian of the National Cycle Network. Its flagship project is the National Cycle Network, which has created of signed cycle routes throughout the United ...
Connect2 project and will make up part of the National Cycle Route 74 which will run from
Uddingston Uddingston (, ) is a small town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is on the north side of the River Clyde, south-east of Glasgow city centre, and acts as a dormitory suburb for the city. Geography and boundaries Uddingston is located to t ...
to
Carlisle, Cumbria Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland (unitary authority), Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve castra, forts along Hadrian's ...


Education

There are currently three comprehensive high schools in the town – Hamilton Grammar, Holy Cross High School and St.John Ogilvie High School. The former Earnock High School merged with Blantyre High School in 2008 to create Calderside Academy. Hamilton also has one private school,
Hamilton College Hamilton College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Clinton, Oneida County, New York, Clinton, New York. It was established as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and received its c ...
, a Christian co-educational establishment comprising nursery, primary and high school. There are 17 local authority primary schools in Hamilton; nine
non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. The term has been used in the context of various faiths, including Jainism, Baháʼí Faith, Zoro ...
and eight
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
schools. There are also provisions for children with Additional Support Needs, and the Hamilton School for the Deaf. Hamilton is a university town with The
University of the West of Scotland The University of the West of Scotland (), formerly the University of Paisley, is a public university with four campuses in south-western Scotland, in the towns of Paisley, Blantyre, Dumfries and Ayr, as well as a campus in London, England. T ...
campus formerly sited on Almada Street, but now relocated to Hamilton International Technology Park in High Blantyre.


Sports

Hamilton Academical Football Club (the Accies) was formed in 1874 and is one of Scotland's oldest senior clubs. It takes its name from Hamilton Academy, now called
Hamilton Grammar School Hamilton Grammar School is a secondary school serving Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Its predecessors can trace their history back to 1452. With the introduction of comprehensive schools and the abolition of selective schools such as Ha ...
, the oldest school in the town (founded 1588). It is the only professional football team in the UK to originate from a school team and they currently play in the
Scottish League One The Scottish League One, known as William Hill (bookmaker), William Hill League One for sponsorship reasons, is the third tier of the Scottish Professional Football League, the league competition for men's professional association football, foot ...
. Their stadium is New Douglas Park, built in 2001 near the site of the former ground Douglas Park (which was demolished in 1994 to make way for a retail park). Hamilton Rugby Club is based at the Laigh Bent sports ground, Bent Road. They currently play in Tennent's National League Division Three. Hamilton Park Racecourse, a horseracing, wedding and event venue, is located in the town. Hamilton's Ice Rink hosts facilities for ice skating, curling, ice hockey and squash to both the general public and competitive teams. SLC Leisure has a number of facilities based in Hamilton. There are three council run Leisure Centres which comprise gyms, swimming pools, fitness classes and more Hamilton Palace Sports Grounds provide the town with rugby, cricket, tennis, football and bowling areas. Strathclyde Park Golf Centre driving range and 9-hole course is based in Hamilton, while the Hamilton Golf Club (dating from 1892) is situated across the Avon Water in nearby
Ferniegair Ferniegair is a village across the Avon Water from Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, on the A72 road, A72 road to Larkhall in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The village contains the entrance to Chatelherault Country Park and Hamilton Golf Club. The r ...
. The town is also home to several large gym chains, such as David Lloyd (formerly Virgin Active Health Club), which hosted the tennis at the 2011 International Children's Games. Speedway racing was staged in Hamilton for one off shows from 1947 to 1955 on the old ash football pitches of Strathclyde Park (now covered by the town square).


Entertainment

Hamilton Townhouse Theatre is a 712-seat venue in the Cadzow Street area of the town. It is the first cultural venue in Scotland to attain the Quest accreditation. A multiplex Vue Cinema is located in the redeveloped Palace Grounds area close to the ROC nightclub.


Notable people


Science and exploration

* Charles Alston (botanist) * Matthew Baillie (scientist) (attended the local grammar school) *
William Cullen William Cullen (; 15 April 17105 February 1790) was a British physician, chemist and agriculturalist from Hamilton, Scotland, who also served as a professor at the Edinburgh Medical School. Cullen was a central figure in the Scottish Enli ...
(physician & chemist) *
David Livingstone David Livingstone (; 19 March 1813 – 1 May 1873) was a Scottish physician, Congregationalist, pioneer Christian missionary with the London Missionary Society, and an explorer in Africa. Livingstone was married to Mary Moffat Livings ...
(explorer and missionary) (Born in Blantyre and lived in Hamilton as an adult.) * John Roberton (physician and controversial social reformer) * John Roberton (obstetrician and social reformer)


Business, military and political

* W. G. S. Adams (political scientist) * Alexander Cairncross (economist) (educated at Hamilton Academy) * Alexander Cullen (architect) * Doug Finley (Canadian
Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
and principal operational strategist of the
Conservative Party of Canada The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC; , ), sometimes referred to as the Tories, is a Government of Canada, federal List of political parties in Canada, political party in Canada. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of the two main Right-wing ...
) * William Logan (philanthropist) *
Margo MacDonald Margo Symington MacDonald (''née'' Aitken; 19 April 1943 – 4 April 2014) was a Scottish politician, teacher and broadcaster. She was the Scottish National Party (SNP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Glasgow Govan from 1973 to 1974 and was D ...
(politician) * Sir George Arthur Mitchell (businessman) * Iain Stewart (politician)


Art and literature

* Joanna Baillie (poet) (lived in the town as a child) * Martin Boyce (artist) * David Carlyle (actor) * Thomas Clark (writer) * Robin Jenkins (novelist) (attended Hamilton Academy) * John Mather (artist)


Sport

* Jim Bett (Aberdeen & Scotland footballer) * Craig Brown (Scotland football manager and former Aberdeen FC Manager) * Jamie Burnett (snooker professional) * Bill Carnihan (footballer) *
Davie Cooper David Cooper (25 February 1956 – 23 March 1995) was a Scottish professional association football, footballer who played as a winger (association football), winger. Born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Hamilton, Cooper played as a youth for l ...
(Clydebank, Rangers, Motherwell & Scotland footballer) * Barry Ferguson (Rangers & Scotland Captain) * Steven Fletcher (Wolves & Scotland footballer) * Elenor Gordon (swimmer) * Paul Hartley (Dundee manager & Scotland footballer) * David Herd (Arsenal, Manchester United & Scotland footballer) * John Paul McBride (St. Johnstone footballer) * Walter McGowan (boxer) * Paul McStay (Celtic & Scotland footballer) * Jackie Oakes (
Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewo ...
,
Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is a professional football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's (West Gorton), they became Ardwick Assoc ...
and
Queen of the South F.C. Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club formed in 1919 in Dumfries. The club plays in , the third tier of Scottish football. They are traditionally nicknamed the '' Doonhamers'' but are more usually referred ...
footballer) * Phil O'Donnell (Motherwell, Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday & Scotland footballer) * Bobby Shearer (Rangers & Scotland footballer) *
Jock Stein John Stein (5 October 1922 – 10 September 1985) was a Scottish association football, football player and manager (association football), manager. He was the first manager of a club from a Northern European country to win the European Champio ...
(Celtic & Scotland manager) born Burnbank * John Fox Watson (Real Madrid & Fulham footballer)


Entertainment and broadcasting

* Jackie Bird (broadcaster) (attended school in Hamilton) *
Laurie Brett Laurie Brett (born 28 March 1969) is a Scottish actress, best known for her roles as Jane Beale in the BBC One soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Christine Mulgrew in the BBC One drama series '' Waterloo Road''. Early and personal life Brett was b ...
(actress) * Ian Buchanan (actor) *
Brian Connolly Brian Francis Connolly (5 October 1945 – 10 February 1997) was a Scottish singer-songwriter, musician and actor, best known as the lead singer of glam rock band Sweet between 1968 and 1979 and known for his charismatic stage presence and di ...
(musician) * Patricia Dainton (actress) * Sir Harry Lauder (entertainer) (lived in Hamilton) * Allan Lee (film editor) * Marie McLaughlin (opera singer) *
Mark McManus Mark McManus (21 February 1935 – 6 June 1994) was a Scottish actor known for his roles in the British television series '' Sam,'' '' Bulman, The Brothers, Strangers,'' and '' Dramarama'' and the feature film '' 2000 Weeks''. He was best know ...
(actor) *
James MacPherson James Macpherson ( Gaelic: ''Seumas MacMhuirich'' or ''Seumas Mac a' Phearsain''; 27 October 1736 – 17 February 1796) was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector, and politician. He is known for the Ossian cycle of epic poems, which he ...
(actor) *
Nicol Williamson Thomas Nicol Williamson (14 September 1936 – 16 December 2011) was a British actor. He was once described by playwright John Osborne as "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando". He was also described by Samuel Beckett as "touched by genius" an ...
(Actor, Tony Award nominee)


See also

*'' Hamilton Advertiser'' * List of places in South Lanarkshire * Hamilton United Reformed Church * Hamilton Circle Railway Line * National Cycle Route 74


References


External links


Hamilton
on VisitScotland
Hamilton Palace – A virtual reconstruction

Hamilton Through the Ages: Images of Our Town

Historic Hamilton
{{authority control Towns in South Lanarkshire Large burghs Former county towns in Scotland Parishes in Lanarkshire