Hamiltoun

**Hamiltoun** (; ) is a toun in Sooth Lanrikshire, Scotland, in the wast-central Lawlands o Scotland. It serves as the main administrativ centre o the Sooth Lanrikshire cooncil area. It is the fift-mucklest toun (excludin cities) in Scotland efter Paisley, East Kilbride, Leivinstoun an Cummernauld. It lees 12 mile (19.3&nbsp;km) sootheast o Glesga, an 35 mile (56.3&nbsp;km) sooth-wast o Edinburgh on the sooth bank o the River Clyde at its confluence wi the Avon Water. Hamilton wis the coonty toun o Lanrikshire.

## History
The toun o Hamiltoun wis oreeginally kent as **Cadzow** or **Cadyou** (Middle Scots: *Cadȝow*, the "" being the letter yoch, pronoonced /kadyu/).  Durin the Wars o Scots Unthirldom the Hamilton family initially supportit the Inglis an Walter fitz Gilbert (the heid o the Hamilton family) wis govrenor o Bothwell Castle on behauf o the Inglis. Housomeivver, he later chyngit lyalty tae Robert the Bruce, follaein the Battle o Bannockburn, an cedit Bothwell tae him. For this act, he wis rewardit wi a portion o land which haed been forfeitit bi the Comyns at Dalserf an later the Barony an lands o Cadzow, that in time wad become the toun o Hamiltoun.

Cadzow wis recried tae Hamilton in the time o James Hamilton, 1st Laird Hamilton, that wis marriet tae the Princess Mary, the dochter o King James II, Keeng o Scots.

The Hamilton family constructit many landmark buildings in the airt includin the Hamilton Mausoleum in Strathclyde Park, that haes the langest echo o ony biggin in the warld. The Hamilton family hae been major land-awners in the airt tae this day.  Hamilton Palace wis the historic seat o the Dukes o Hamilton till the early-twintiet century.

Ither historic biggins in the area include Hamiltoun Auld Parish Kirk, a Georgie era biggin completit in 1734 and the anerlie kirk tae hae been biggit bi William Adam. The graveyaird o the auld parish kirk contains some Covenanter remains. The auld Edwardian Toun Haw nou hooses the leebrar an concert haw. The Tounhoose complex unnerwent a sympathetic modrenisation in 2002 an opened tae the public in simmer 2004. The ruins o Cadzow Castle lee in Chatelherault Country Park, twa mile from the town centre.

Hamilton Palace wis the maistmuckle non-ryal residence in the Wastren warld, locatit in the north-east o the toun. A umwhile seat o the Dukes o Hamilton, it wis biggit in 1695, subsequently hintle enlairgit, an demolished in 1921 due tae grund subsidence. It is widely acknowledged as haein been ane o the grandest hooses in Scotland, wis visitit an admired bi Queen Victoria, an wis wrate aboot bi Daniel Defoe.

Hamilton Barracks wis ance the Depot o The Cameronians (Scots Rifles) an the hame o the 1st Battalion o the Regiment. The Regimental Museum is pairt o the Low Parks Museum.

The Low Parks Museum is hoosed in whit wis a 16t century inn an a stagin post for journeys atween Glesga an Edinburgh. Recently refurbished, it is the auldest biggin in Hamiltoun an is tae the north o the Palace Grunds.

## Geography

Bi road the toun is tae the wast o the M74 motorwa, the main sootherly link tae Ingland, that jines the M6 juist north o Carlisle. The main route frae Edinburgh is the M8, leavin at junctions 6 or 7.

** Airts o Hamiltoun:**

* Avongrove
* Burnbank
* Barncluith
* Earnock Estate
* Earnock Glen
* Eddlewood
* Fairhill
* Ferniegair
* Hamiltoun Wast
* High Earnock
* Hillhouse
* Laighstonehall
* Little Earnock
* Low Waters
* Meikle Earnock
* Neilsland
* Silvertonhill
* Torheads Farm
* Whitehill
* Woodhead

**Nearbi touns an ceeties:**

* Glesga 12 mile
* Strathaven 7 mile
* East Kilbride 5 mile
* Mitherwell 2 mile
* Edinburgh 35 mile
* Carlisle 75 mile

## Economy
Service industries an local govrenment are major employers in Hamilton, as are HSBC/First Direct and Philips, the Dutch electronics conglomerate. The toun centre haes been regeneratit ower the last decade bi creatin twa new indoor shoppin centres (ane o them the Regent Shopping Centre) an the Palace Grounds Retail Park.

Restaurants an naitional retail ootlets are situatit in a redeveloped pairt o the Palace Grounds that are visible upon enterin the toun frae the M74 motorwa. The creation o a circular Toun Square (nou the steid o a Frankie & Benny's restaurant) haes resultit in Hamiltoun receivin numerous toun plannin awards durin the past decade. This development transformed the Hamiltoun side o Strathclyde Park, which wis the oreeginal steid o the Duke's palace. The shoppin centre is still unner development.

Hamiltoun haes been a Fairtrade Toun syne 2005.

## Transport
Hamilton haes three railway stations, Hamilton Central, Hamilton West an Chatelherault, aw on the Argyle Line's Hamilton Circle. Hamilton Central is 22 minutes frae Glesga on the limited stop Larkhall-Dalmuir service.

It wis ance served bi the North British Railway, which haed three stations in the area. Hamilton (NBR), Hamilton Peacock Cross an Burnbank

Beside Hamilton Central lees Hamilton Central Bus Station, providin links tae surroondin touns an ceeties, an aw afferin an express bus tae Glesga an an aw some pairts o Ingland.

Cyclin paths run frae Strathclyde Park tae Chatelherault Country Park follaein the banks o the Clyde an Avon. These are being expandit at pairt o the Sustrans Connect2 project http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/schemes/project_detail.php?id=104  an will mak up pairt o the Naitional Cycle Route 74 which will run frae Glesga tae Carlisle, Cumbria

## Education
There are currently three comprehensive heich schuils in the toun – Hamilton Grammar, Holy Cross (Roman Catholic) an John Ogilvie (Roman Catholic). The umwhile Earnock Heich Schuil biggins on Wellhall Road wur burnt doun in Juin 2008, but bi this time the schuil haed been closed an mergit wi Blantyre Heich Schuil in Blantyre as the new Calderside Academy.

There are an aw several primary schuils in Hamiltoun, includin, St Cuthbert's, Our Lady an St Anne's, St Elizabeth's St Peter's, St Paul's, St Mark's, St Ninian's, St Mary's, Glenlee, Tounhill, Udston, Woodhead, Beckford, St John's, Woodside an Chatelherault Primary Schuils.

Hamiltoun an aw haes ane private schuil, Hamilton College, next tae the Hamilton Park Racecourse.

Hamiltoun is a university toun wi The Varsity o the Wast o Scotland campus steidit on Almada Street.

## Sports
The area near Hamilton West railway station an Peacock Cross haes chyngit wi the demolition o Hamilton Academical Fitbaa Club's oreeginal Douglas Park stadium in 1994. A retail pairk wis built on the steid wi New Douglas Park addit ahint it in 2001. Hamilton Academical F.C. (the Accies) wis formit in 1874 an is ane o Scotland's auldest senior clubs. It takes its name frae Hamilton Academy, nou cried Hamiltoun Grammar Schuil, the auldest schuil in the toun (foondit 1588). It is the anerlie professional fitbaa team in the UK tae oreeginate frae a schuil team an played in the Scots Premier League, haein wan the Scots First Diveesion title durin 2007/2008, They were relegatit 2010/2011 Saison.

The Hamilton Rugby Club can be foond at the Leigh Bent sports grund, Bent Road.  They currently play in the Scots Premier League 3.

Hamilton Park Racecourse is situatit alangside Bothwell Road.

Speedway racin wis staged in Hamilton atween 1947 an 1955. The annual meetin wis staged as pairt o the annual Lanarkshire Show an featured riders frae athort Scotland. The steid o the track wis the auld ash fitbaa pitches o Strathclyde Park – an area nou covered bi the toun square.

There are a number o heich quality fitbaa, cricket, an rugby pitches in the Palace Grounds area alangside the Mausoleum. Pairt o Strathclyde Park is steidit athin Hamiltoun's bundary, providin warld class water-sport facilities.

## Entertainment
Hamilton Town House Theatre is a 500 seat venue in the Cadzow Street area o the toun. It is the first cultural venue in Scotland to attain the prestigious Quest accreditation. A multiplex Vue Cinema is located in the redeveloped Palace Grounds area close to the Hamilton Palace nightclub.

## Toun twinnin

Hamilton is twinned wi Châtellerault in Fraunce. This connection dates frae the 16t century when the title Duc de Châtellerault wis conferred on James Hamilton, 2nt Earl o Arran. The Duke's huntin lodge (nou in Chatelherault Country Park), a primary schuil an new railway station are namit 'Chatelherault' for this reason.

## References