Stonehouse is a rural village in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located on Avon Water in an area of natural beauty and historical interest, near to the Clyde Valley. It is also situated on the A71 trunk road between Edinburgh and Kilmarnock, close to the towns of Hamilton, Larkhall and Strathaven.
An Overview of Stonehouse
In 1971, Stonehouse was designated to become one of Scotland's New Towns. It would be designed to accommodate population overspill from the city of Glasgow similar to the towns of East Kilbride, Cumbernauld and Livingston, in particular, which proved to be very successful New Towns, undoubtedly offering a transformation in the living conditions of many local residents. However a determined attempt to regenerate areas within Glasgow by renewing older properties precipitated a change in policy and in light of these considerations, indecision as to whether to build or not lasted several years until finally in 1976 it was decided that Stonehouse would not be built into a New Town.
The population of Stonehouse is circa 5000.
The old village centre has several rows of late 18th century and early 19th century weavers' cottages, some of which have double windows which were originally intended to maximise the amount of light coming in, for weavers working on their looms.
The village's oldest structure are the ruins of St Ninian's Church, which date from the 17th century and stand in an ancient graveyard on the edge of the village.
Close by is the Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park which has pathways down to the Avon Water, a bandstand and other recreational facilities.
Stonehouse – The Name
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Ancient & Historical
 United Presbyterian Church |
 Scene near Glen-Avon |
 Montage of scenes: a falls, the fair at Auld Stonehouse, and Glassford Bridge |
 Free Church |
 Cross and King Street |
 Cross and Trongate |
 Churchyard and River Avon |
 Cam'Nethan House (Residence of General Lockhart) |
 Bridges |
 Junction of the Avon and Cander |
Cot Castle
This castle was built on a cliff face to the south of Stonehouse, near the banks of the Avon. This was a rectangular tower house of three stories or more and also included a hall, chamber, kitchen and a chapel.
Holy Wells
There have been four holy wells within the Stonehouse area. All the wells are of pagan origin and are said to have had healing properties and may also have been used for christian baptisms. Evidence of all four wells can still be found, though some are more prominent than others. More information to follow.
Site of Holm Castle (aka Holmhead Castle)
Situated near Holm Farm, to the north of Stonehouse, this castle became a ruin in the early 19th century and nothing remains of it now.
Site of Ringsdale Castle
Situated off Plotcock Road, Glassford Road and Millheugh Road and on the west bank of the Avon Gorge is the site of a 16th century castle, for which a few stones of it remain but these have fallen down the gorge and onto the river banks. It was a tower house, for which the name may derive from the anicent language of the Britons, with "Rhyn" meaning hill or pormontory.
Schools & Education
Stonehouse has two Primary Schools situated within the village - Stonehouse Primary and Newfield Primary. Both these schools are within the catchment area of Larkhall Academy, but some children in the village attend Strathaven Academy. The local Catholic Primary School is St Patricks Primary School in Strathaven.
Stonehouse Primary School
This was formerly known as Townhead Public School and became the village's main primary school after 1947 and before the Newfield Primary School opend in 1979.
Newfield primary school
As a result of the village rapidly expanding since the Second World War, Newfield Primary School was opened in 1979.
Roads & Transportation
Stonehouse has regular and convenient bus transportation to the nearby towns of Larkhall, Hamilton, East Kilbride and Strathaven. For information on bus services, go to *Bus services through Stonehouse
Stonehouse is situated close to the M74 motorway, with a junction at Canderside Toll (approx. 1 mile from the village), which provides an easy link to the rest of UK.
Stonehouse is also on the A71 trunk road, which stretches between Edinburgh and Kilmarnock. A by-pass was constructed around the old village area, rejoining the original route of the A71 near Stonehouse Hospital at the village’s Newfield area.
Railways and stations
The railway was closed in 1965. There was a junction in Stonehouse where the Coalburn branch diverged from the line to Strathaven.
Today, the nearest train station for Stonehouse is at Larkhall. South Lanarkshire Council have recently undertaken a feasibility study in order to examine whether the railway from Larkhall could be extended towards Stonehouse; however the major obstacles are the viaduct which whilst the piers remain, the decking was removed in 1984. Also in the mid 1990s the A71 bypass was partially built over the trackbed of the former line.
Stonehouse to Dalserf Railway (closed)
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Stonehouse to Strathaven Railway (closed)
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Places Of Worship
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St Ninians Church
This church was built in 1894, at a time when the Old Parish Church lacked space. In 1929, after the Union of the Churches, this was renamed to St Ninian's Parish Church of Scotland. The ruins of the church are situated within its own cemetery off Manse Road.
Stonehouse United Reformed Church
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Paterson Free Church
Renamed to honour H A Paterson, the church's minister who died in 1901, this church was originally called the United Free Church and was built in 1879. Prior to this was the church for the Associates Secession or Burgher denomination, which was built nearby in 1796 and existed until 1878.
Parks, Gardens & Play Areas
Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park The Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park was presented to the village by Alexander Hamilton (a former Stonehouse resident) in 1925, along with its bandstand from the Great Glasgow Exhibition of 1911, which was purchased from Glasgow District Council in 1924. The bandstand looks over the Avon Valley giving one of the most beautiful views in the village.
The park itself was once famous for containing the longest chute in Scotland, which was opened in 1933 by Councillor Thomas Wilson and was dismantled in 1967.
Today the park possesses a floodlit athletics track, football pitch, multi-surface games area as well as woodland walks and various play areas.
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Sports Facilities And Recreation
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Tileworks Sports Ground
The Tileworks sports ground has a floodlit all weather playing surface designed for football or tennis. The facility also has indoor changing facilities and a full size grass pitch used by Stonehouse Violet FC.
Adjacent to the park is a BMX track.
Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park has a floodlit athletics track, a football pitch for rugby and football and a multi-surface games area, suitable for roller blading, basketball and other ball games.
Stonehouse Bowling Club
The bowling club was first formed in 1857 at Loch Hall but later moved to its present location in Vicars Road
Buildings Of Interest In Stonehouse
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Stonehouse senior citizens hall
This hall started life as the Gas Office. It is situated in the village square at Stonehouse Cross and shares the building with Stonehouse Library.
Stonehouse Public Institute
The Institute was formerly the Miners Welfare Hall. It was built in the early 1900's on New Street, close to the cross and is used for a variety of events and concerts. The smaller part of the building was also used as a radio studio, providing a local FM radio station for most of South Lanarkshire.
Stonehouse Libray
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Stonehouse public hall
This hall was built in the late 1800's at Trongate, close to the cross.
Industrial Sites & Industrial Heritage
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Nature Walks, Forests, Woods, Glens, Marshes & Countryside
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Cander Moss
This reserve is a remnant of a large area of raised bog and is maintained by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The site is rich with all types of wildlife that can be found in this type of habitat. However, there are no footpaths and access across it is difficult.
Lochs, Ponds & Reservoirs
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Rivers & Waterways
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Avon Water
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Cander Water
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Hills & Braes
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Grossyet Knowe
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Sodom Hill
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Monuments & Memorials
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War Memorial
Stonehouse War Memorial is situated in the middle of Stonehouse Cemetery and lists those who died in both World Wars. The World War 1 soldiers names are on the side that faces the cemetery gates and the World War 2 names are on the opposite side.
The memorial is in the form of a cross on a long shaft which stands on a four tiered octagonal plinth. There is no decoration on either the plinth or cross.
World War 1 ROLL OF HONOUR:
Allan George, Alston Hugh Barr William Bennett James Brown John Brownlie Robert Burns John Cochrane James Cooper James Military Medal Cooper William Craig Robert Cross Frederick Cuthbertson Robert Dunsmore David Fallow William Ferguson William Fleming George Forsyth Samuel French Jack Military Medal Gibson William Gillies Thomas Gilmour William Gray Robert J. Grimason Thomas Hamilton Angus P. Hamilton James G. Hamilton Peter Hamilton Robert Hutchison Alexander Kirkland Peter Leiper Archie Burns Leishman John M. McLean Harold Daniel McLellan George Millar Gavin Millar Thomas Milne Alex Moore Alex Muir William Murdoch Dan Plenderleith Alen Prentice John Reid Roy Robertson Thomas Rowan Nicholas Russell Robert Sievewright Allan Military Medal Smith Thomas Sorbie John Sorbie Mitchell Stewart Archie Stewart Matthew Tait Thomas Thomson Robert R. Thomson Thomas Torrance Military Medal Todd Robert Johnston Torrance Abraham Walker James S. Wardrope John Watt William Whitelaw John Whitelaw Neil Wilson Robert Wilson Robert
World War 2 ROLL OF HONOUR: Ashley Jack Black Gavin D.C.M. Burns James Chalmers John Dunsmore William Grant Godfrey J.C. Hamilton Archibald Keddie Jessie McInnes Alexander G. McInnes Hugh D. Mclelland William Millar Gavin Park John Ruthven George Sage George Sorbie William Tait Archibald C. Wilson Thomas
Cemeteries & Burial Sites
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Stonehouse Cemetery
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St Ninians Church Cemetery
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Glebe Cemetery
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Bridges
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Stonehouse Viaduct
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Linthaugh Bridge
Linthaugh Bridge crosses the Avon water at the bottom of Linthaugh Brae. The bridge was built in 1772.
Hospitals
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Stonehouse hospital
Stonehouse Hospital first opened in 1896 and provided care for sufferers of tuberculosis and other diseases and was said to be "the best isolation hospital in Scotland," at a time when many of the local residents lived with very poor sanitation and contaminated water supplies. Many children died when they were still infants and the age expectancy of men was typically 26 years. Typhus, whooping cough, diptheria and cholera were spread easily at that time and in 1893 the parochial board considered building a fever hospital.
Museums & Visitor Centres
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Shopping
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Stonehouse Village Centre
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Streets Of Stonehouse
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Events & Festivals
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Community Groups And Organisations in Stonehouse
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Sports Groups And Organisations in Stonehouse
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Local Media Serving Stonehouse
- L107 Radio
- Clyde 1
- Clyde 2
- Rock Radio
- Real Radio
- Smooth Radio
- Galaxy 106 Scotland
- Insight Radio
- Radio Awaz
- Celtic Music Radio
- Revival
Plus all BBC Services, Classic FM, Talksport and Absolute Radio on FM, AM, DAB, Satellite and Freeview.
External links
- Stonehouse Community Website
- Stonehouse Heritage Group
- St. Ninian's Parish Church Stonehouse
- The Glasgow Story
- Map sources for Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire
See also
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