Airdrie
North Lanarkshire

Located in the Monklands district of North Lanarkshire to the immediate east of Coatbridge, 11 miles (18 km) east of Glasgow, the former industrial town of Airdrie developed from a farm steading in the 17th Century through the efforts of Robert Hamilton (1650 - 1701) who helped create a market established in 1695. In the 18th century it became a centre for handloom weaving and in 1821 it achieved the status of burgh, one of the last in Scotland to be granted a charter. In the 19th century Airdrie expanded with coal mining, oil-shale extraction and cotton milling, the area around it supplying much of the ironstone which supported the foundries at Coatbridge. Engineering and the brewing of beer, railway wagons, bricks and paper were also important industries. Now largely a residential settlement with knitwear, liqueur-production and cosmetics industries, Airdrie lost its burgh status in 1975 when it became part of Monklands district.

Notable buildings include the Sir John Wilson Town Hall (1912), the Wellwynd Church (1847), the West Parish Church (1834), St Margaret's RC Church (1839), Airdrie Town House (1826), Cairnhill House (1841), Airdrie Academy (1895) and the Weavers Cottages Museum.

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