Kilsyth
North Lanarkshire

A former mining town in the Strathkelvin district of North Lanarkshire, Kilsyth lies to the south of the Kilsyth Hills near the River Kelvin and the Forth and Clyde Canal, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Glasgow. Laid out in the 1670s by the 2nd Viscount Kilsyth, the town developed on the routeway connecting Glasgow with Stirling and later in association with coal mining, quarrying, papermaking and the manufacture of textiles and hosiery. The billiard tables for RMS Queen Mary were made in Kilsyth which was a 'dry' or alcohol-free town from 1923 to 1967. Nearby are the Townhead Reservoir and the remains of Colzium Castle and Colzium House which dates from 1575. The Battle of Kilsyth, an encounter between Covenanters and the army of Montrose, was fought near here in 1645.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry