.518 



LANARKSHIRE. 



Isio, 



In the yer 1 7M, the revenue amounted to 88,170 1 



80,87? 17 7 



. ... 40,45+ U 10 



4fi,974 16 10 



38,361 14 10 



1S17 ....... 45,000 



Monklimd This canal connects the city of Glasgow with the ex- 

 canal. tensive coal fit-Ms in the parishes of Old and New Monk- 



l.ind. It was projected and cut, principally for the 

 purpose of supplying that city with coal. It is 35 feet 

 in breadth on the level of the water, and 24 at the bot- 

 tom ; its depth is 4 feet G inches ; and the upper and 

 lower levels (at a place called Blackhill, where the 

 ground ascends to the east) are connected by 4 locks 

 of 2 chambers, of 71 feet in length. The principal ar- 

 ticle carried on the canal is coal ; but, besides this, there 

 are also transported iron, rn.arture, &c. paying a certain 

 tonnage per mile; and as it is now ^connected with the 

 Forth and Clyde Canal, its utility is every year becom- 

 ing more apparent, and more especially since boats have 

 been established upon it for the conveyance of passen- 

 gers. 



Ardrossan About the year 1805, this canal was projected by the 

 canal. Earl of Egiinton. It was intended to form a commu- 

 nication betwixt the city of Glasgow and the frith of 

 Clyde at Ardrossan. A stock having been raised by 

 subscription, a survey made, and legislative authority 

 obtained, the operations were begun in 1 807 ; and in 

 October 1811, that part of the canal, betwixt Port Eg- 

 iinton, near Glasgow, and the village of Johnston, was 

 opened, being a distance of 1 1 rsiles. Upon this part 

 of the canal, which is all that has been yet finished, the 

 sum of ,110,000 Sterling has been expended. The 

 cutting of the remaining part of it to the harbour of 

 Ardrossan, is estimated at 1 43,000 ; but, owing to the 

 want of funds, the work is at present at a stand. When 

 completed, its length will be 32f miles ; its breadth is 

 30 feet, and 4^ in depth. Before it is completed, it will 

 require 21 locks, viz. 8 betwixt Johnston and the sum- 

 mit level, and 13 betwixt that point and the sea at 

 Ardrossan. Besides the vessels employed upon this ca- 

 nal for commercial purposes, there are 3 boats for the 

 conveyance of passengers to and from the city of Glas- 

 gow. 



Roads and Previous to the year 1755, the roads were made and 

 kridgcs. repaired by the statute labour. As the work was done 

 with much reluctance, and in a very indifferent manner, 

 turnpikes were introduced about that time, and since 

 then a great alteration for the better has taken place. 

 The principal roads are those leading from Glasgow to 

 Edinburgh ; from Glasgow to Carlisle ; from thence to 

 Greenock, Ayr, Paisley, Lanark, Muirkirk, Dumfries, 

 and Stirling; and from Edinburgh, by Hamilton, into 

 Ayrshire ; from the same city, by Biggar, to Leadhills, 

 &c. ; and from Lanark to Edinburgh. From the great 

 resort to the city of Glasgow, the tolls upon such of ihe 

 roads in this county as lead thither, let annually at a 

 great rent. These in the immediate neighbourhood, in 

 1815, yielded 20,000 Sterling ; and one in particular, 

 the Gallowgate toll, let at no less a sum than 5630 

 Sterling, being nearly 100 more than the rent of the 

 preceding year. 



The chief bridges in the county are upon the Clyde. 

 In the upper part of the river, are the bridges over Lit- 

 tle Clyde ; and at Elvanfoot, alongst which the great 

 road leads from Glasgow to Carlisle. Fartiier down, 

 are Wolf Clyde bridge and Thankerton bridge. Hynd- 

 ford bridge, two miles from Lanark, crosses the river 

 where it is 140 feet in breadth, and is a very beautiful 



Lanark- 

 shire 



structure, built about 40 years ago. The old bridge of La- 

 nark was erected about the end of the 18th century. It 

 has three very fine semicircSkr arches, and had lately '*" ""V^ 

 a gateway, but which is now removed. Gwion bridge 

 is situated nearly halfway betwixt Lanark and Hamil- 

 ton. It is the latest structure on the Clyde, and was 

 opened 12th January 1SI8, for the accon modation of 

 the public. Hamilton bridge was built in 1780. From 

 a sudden inundation of the Clyde, part of it gave way, 

 and fell into the river about five years ago, and it has 

 never. yet been repaired. Bothwell bridge is an ancient 

 structure, famous for a skirmish in the reign of Charles 

 II. between the covenanters and the king's army, in 

 which the former were defeated with great slaughter. 

 Rutht-rglen bridge, near that town, was built in the 

 year 1 77ti. The old bridge of Glasgow. This is the 

 most ancient structure, it is believed, on the river, hav- 

 ing been erected by 'Bishop Rae in 1S45. It consisted 

 of eight arches. Two of these on the north side, have 

 for many years been built up. One of its arches fell in 



16'71, and was again rebuilt : it was also since widened 

 and repaired. Eastward from this bridge, is a very 

 handsome wooden bridge erected in 1803, and placed 

 in the situation of a stone bridge, founded in 1794; but 

 which, before it was completed, was swept away by an 

 inundation. The New or Jamaica- street bridge, is the 

 lowest on the Clyde. It was founded in 1767, and 

 opened for carriages in 1772. The aqueduct bridge 

 across the Kelvin, and alongst which the great canal is 

 carried, is a very strong and beautiful structure, about 

 three miles north-west from Glasgow. It is the largest 

 in Britain, being 275 feet in length, and 68 feet in height 

 above the river Kelvin. It cost the Canal Company 

 9058, and was founded in the year 1787. Excepting 

 an old Roman bridge over the South Calder, the most 

 ancient bridge upon the other rivers of the county is 

 perhaps Avon bridge, near Hamilton. It was built 

 previous to the middle of the i6th century. The old 

 bridge of Partick, over the Kelvin below Glasgow, is 

 likewise of some antiquity, having been founded about 

 the year 1577 ; and great part of it erected at the ex- 

 pence of Crawford of Jordan Hill, whose arms are still 

 to be seen on the west side. 



A reference having been made to Lanarkshire in the 

 article GLASGOW, in this work, for an account of the 

 Gorbals, in that county, the following short historical 

 sketch and description of that barony is in consequence 

 inserted here. 



The barony of Gorbals, including the populous vil- Gorbals, 

 lages of HutchesonTown,Lawrieston, and Tradestown, Hutchison 

 is situated on the south bank of the Clyde, immediately T wn > 

 opposite to the city of Glasgow. The lands of Gor- "T 

 bals appear anciently to have belonged to the see of 

 Glasgow, with the exception of a certain space towards 

 the eastern boundary, which, in the 13tb entury, was 

 the property (together with the grounds upon which 

 the Bridgegatc of Glasgow is built) of Lady Campbell 

 of Lochow. That lady having erected an hospital for 

 lepers upon her lands near Gorbals, named St. Ninian's 

 Croft, she assigned the revenues thereof, together with 

 the feu duties ot Bridgegate, for its support, and which 

 were collected as late as the year 1 6'<4. 



Upon the erection of the barony and regaliry of Glas- 

 gow by James 11 in 1450, the lands of Gorbals were 

 included in that jurisdiction; and, immediately after the 

 Reformation, they were feued out by Archbishop Bo\d 

 to George Elphinston, merchant in Glasgow, whose son 

 Sir George Elphinston, Lord Justice-Clerk, obtained 

 a charter of confirmation from James VI. in Kill ot the 



