Hamilton, United Kingdom
Hamilton is a town of 54,480 people in Scotland, United Kingdom.
Why visit Hamilton
Townapedia lists 30 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 57 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Clyde Bridge, Town house, Hamilton Mausoleum and Low Parks Museum.
Weather in Hamilton
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Hamilton
Hamilton (Scots: Hamiltoun; Scottish Gaelic: Baile Hamaltan [ˈpalə ˈhaməl̪ˠt̪ʰan]) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It sits 10 miles (16 km) south-east of Glasgow, 37 miles (60 km) south-west of Edinburgh and 74 miles (120 km) north of Carlisle. It is situated on the south bank of the River Clyde at its confluence with the Avon Water.
From the Wikipedia article Hamilton, South Lanarkshire (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Hamilton on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Photos of Hamilton
Things to do5
Clyde Bridge
Bridge · 1.3 mi
Bridge between North and South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK, carries the A723 road across River Clyde
M&D's
Monument and historic site · 2.3 mi
Theme park in Motherwell, Scotland, UK
Museums and landmarks30
Hamilton Mausoleum
Monument and historic site · 1.2 mi
Mausoleum in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK
Low Parks Museum
Museum · 0.9 mi
Museum in Hamilton, Scotland, United Kingdom
Cadzow Castle
Monument and historic site · 0.7 mi
Castle in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK
David Livingstone Centre
Museum · 3.1 mi
Category A listed building in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK
Bothwellhaugh Roman Fort
Monument and historic site · 2.1 mi
Architectural structure in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK
Memorial to the Spanish Civil War
Monument and historic site · 2.0 mi
Memorial in Motherwell, Scotland, UK
North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre
Museum · 2.2 mi
Scottish museum and heritage centre, United Kingdom
The Ross
Monument and historic site · 1.2 mi
A Category B Listed Building in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
18 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
Chatelherault Country Park
Park · 1.1 mi
Country park and designed landscape in Hamilton parish, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK
Strathclyde Country Park
Park · 2.2 mi
Country park in Lanarkshire, Scotland
New Douglas Park
Sports field and stadium · 1.4 mi
Cadzow Avenue, Hamilton
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes57
The Milano Bar
Bar and pub · Italian · 0.4 mi
Mo-Th 16:00-00:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-00:00; Su 12:30-00:00
Bar Zero
Bar and pub · 0.7 mi
Keith Street, Hamilton
Mo-Su 11:00-24:00
Oruam
Restaurant · Brazilian, Grill, International, Portuguese · 0.7 mi
77-79 Cadzow Street, Hamilton
Mo-We 12:00-21:00; Th-Fr 12:00-22:00; Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 10:00-21:00
Stonehouse
Bar and pub · 0.7 mi
45 Cadzow Street, Hamilton
Mo-Th 12:00-23:00, Fr 12:00-24:00, Sa 12:00-01:00, Su 12:30-23:00
The Quarry Bar
Bar and pub · 0.5 mi
137 Quarry Street, Hamilton
Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-00:00; Su 12:30-23:00
45 more on the map.
History
The town of Hamilton was originally known as Cadzow or Cadyou (Middle Scots: Cadȝow), the "ȝ" being the letter yogh), pronounced /kadju/. It is an ancient settlement, possibly dating back to the days of Strathclyde, 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.
During the Wars of Scottish Independence the Hamilton family initially supported the English and Walter fitz Gilbert (the head of the Hamilton family) was governor of Bothwell Castle on behalf of the English. However, he later changed loyalty to Robert the Bruce, following the Battle of Bannockburn, 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. The Hamilton family themselves most likely took their name from the lands of Humbleton or Homildon in Northumberland, or perhaps from a place near Leicester.
Read more of the history
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 also lie in Chatelherault Country Park, 2 miles (3 km) 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, and was written about by Daniel Defoe.
Hamilton Barracks was formerly the Depot of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 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's house still stands at 17 Burnbank Road and has a plaque about him.
From the History section of Hamilton, South Lanarkshire on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Hamilton
Geography
The following towns/villages directly border Hamilton: Blantyre, East Kilbride, Quarter, Strathaven, Motherwell, Bothwell, Ferniegair, Limekilnburn.
Hamilton is twinned with Châtellerault 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 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.
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, a Christian co-educational establishment comprising nursery, primary and high school.
There are 17 local authority primary schools in Hamilton; nine non-denominational and eight Roman Catholic 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 campus formerly sited on Almada Street, but now relocated to Hamilton International Technology Park in High Blantyre.
From the Wikipedia article Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Hamilton
Jock SteinScottish football player and manager (1922–1985)Photo: Anefo, CC0
William AitonBritish botanist (1731-1793)Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
Lewis FergusonScottish association football player (born 1999)Photo: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0
William CullenScottish physician, chemist and agriculturalist; (1710-1790)Photo: David Martin (1737 - 1797), Public domain
Barry FergusonScottish association football manager (born 1978)Photo: Struway, CC BY-SA 3.0
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of DundonaldBritish Royal Navy admiral (1775-1860)Photo: James Ramsay (1789–1854), Public domain
David HerdScottish footballer and manager (1934–2016)Photo: Hugo van Gelderen (ANEFO), CC0
Jamie BurnettScottish snooker playerPhoto: Martin Rulsch , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0- Nicol WilliamsonBritish actor (1936–2011)
- Paul McStayScottish association football player (born 1964)
- Craig BrownScottish footballer and manager (1940–2023)
- Colin MillerCanadian soccer player
Born in Hamilton, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship17
Hamilton Old Parish Church
Church · Protestant · 0.7 mi
Strathmore Road, Hamilton
Shopping21
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare7
Map of Hamilton
177 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Glasgow Airport (GLA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Meikle Earnock 1 mi south, about 2 min by car
- Motherwell 2 mi northeast, about 4 min by car
- Larkhall 3 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Mossend 4 mi north, about 6 min by car
- Wishaw 5 mi east, about 7 min by car
- Rutherglen 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Glasgow 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Newton Mearns 12 mi west, about 19 min by car
- Kirkintilloch 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Paisley 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Hamilton
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 05653 Cadzow Church of Scotland, Hamilton 022, WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 05653 Cadzow Church of Scotland, Hamilton 016, WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 05653 Cadzow Church of Scotland, Hamilton 026, WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 05653 Cadzow Church of Scotland, Hamilton 028, WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 05653 Cadzow Church of Scotland, Hamilton 010, WeeHolly, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hamilton Mausoleum Interior, Supergolden, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LowParksMuseum, Supergolden, CC BY-SA 3.0
- David Livingstone Centre, Blantyre, Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chatelherault Country Park covered with Snow - panoramio, pudina, CC BY 3.0
- Strathclyde Park, No machine-readable author provided. Supergolden assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Parish Church Hamilton, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
- CadzowCastle01, No machine-readable author provided. Supergolden assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0
- New Douglas Park - 1, Alasdair Middleton from Rothesay, Scotland, CC BY 2.0
- Chatelherault Hunting Lodge, Graham Laird, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hamilton Library 2002, Original uploader was Bentie85 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- Hamilton Bandstand 1912, Graemedick, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 11DukeMon1, Alan S Pastonson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 11DukeMon2, Alan S Pastonson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cadzow Glen, Jèrriais janne, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, marscot, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, hobgoblin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, hobgoblin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, sinky1965, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, marscot, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, dirkinetic, CC BY-SA 4.0
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