Historically part of Stirlingshire, Kilsyth is at an elevation of 200 feet (60 metres) above sea level and occupies a narrow strip of land between the Kilsyth Hills to the north and the River Kelvin to the south.[4] To the east and west it is bordered by marshland and bogs. The centre of the town is close to the confluence of the Garrell and Ebroch burns.
Panorama from Croy Hill and the Antonine Wall, looking over Kilsyth towards the Kilsyth Hills.
History and development
Section of Blaeu's map based on Pont's map showing the land around "Killsayth"
There is archaeological evidence[6] of settlement since Neolithic times[7] The Romans recognised the strategic significance of Kilsyth; the Antonine Wall forts of Bar Hill and Croy Hill are clearly visible from the present-day town. In the Middle Ages, Kilsyth held a key strategic position on one of the main routes across the narrowest part of Scotland. It was the site of two, now ruined, castles at Balcastle and Colzium. These were shown in Timothy Pont's map of 1580[8] and can also been seen on Blaeu's map which was derived from it.[9] The town officially came into being in 1620 although a barony of Kilsyth preceded this. Regarding the name of the town, modern research into Kilsyth's toponymy[10] leads to different findings than earlier analysis.[11]
The civil warBattle of Kilsyth took place on hillsides between Kilsyth and Banton in 1645.[12] Kilsyth was later closely associated with the various attempts by the Jacobites to regain the crown. Bonnie Prince Charlie is reported to have spent the night in the town in January 1746.[13] The battlefield is now under Banton Loch which is a largely artificial body of water used to feed the Forth and Clyde Canal, close to its highest elevation.[14] The canal was cut through Dullatur Bog in 1769–1770 bringing economic benefit to Kilsyth. (It apparently disturbed many small toads which relocated by hopping northwards).[15]
Following its foundation as an early monastic settlement, the town has a long tradition of radical protestantism. John Livingstone described himself as being from Monyabrock, an old name for Kilsyth.[20] The town was the scene of major revivals for example under the leadership of James Robe in 1742.[21]William Hamilton Burns[22] a minister in Kilsyth, and his son William Chalmers Burns[23] a missionary to China also saw revival in 1839, part of the Second Great Awakening.[24][25]William Irvine (evangelist and founder of the Two by Twos and Cooneyites sects) was born in Kilsyth in 1863.[26] The formation of the new Church of God, the first Pentecostal Church in Scotland[27] in 1902 led to further outbreaks of revival in 1908 and to Kilsyth becoming an early focus of Pentecostalism.[28]
Administration
Kilsyth was originally part of the deanery of Lennox.[29] The parish was called variously Monyabroch, Monaeburgh, or Moniabrocd, but part of the parish was called Kelvesyth by the beginnings of the 13th century.[30] The lands passed through the hands of branches of the Callendar and Livingston families as their fortunes waxed and waned, eventually becoming the property of the Edmonstones. Kilsyth was established as a Burgh of Barony in 1620. A Town Charter was granted in 1826, permitting the holders of plots to elect a Town Council.[31] It used to be part of Stirlingshire,[32] but is now within North Lanarkshire jurisdiction.
In 2012, the multi-member ward was represented by three elected councillors; Jean Jones (Labour), Heather McVey (Labour) and Alan Stevenson (SNP). Jamie Hepburn MSP was elected as Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Scottish Parliament constituency) member of the Scottish Parliament on 5 May 2011 with a majority of 3459.[33] Since May 2015, Stuart MacDonald has been Westminster MP for the Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (UK Parliament constituency). He is a member of the Scottish National Party.[34] As he said in his maiden speech he has sometimes been mistaken for his namesake who is also an SNP MP.[35][36]
Kilsyth Community Council, as the locally elected representative body, is an active community group but enjoys very limited powers.
Since 1995 Kilsyth has been part of North Lanarkshire. The arms of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth District Council featured an open Bible and the shuttle and miner's lamp.[37] These symbols were taken from the earlier arms of Kilsyth.[38] However the open Bible and the miner's lamp were the only symbols which were carried on to the North Lanarkshire coat of arms.[39]
Attractions and events
Kilsyth has many of the elements associated with a Scottish market town, including a pedestrianised Main Street with a wide range of local and specialist independent shops,[40] attractive parks and gardens at Burngreen and Colzium complete with bandstands, welcoming hostelries[41] such as the Coachman Hotel, the Boathouse and the Scarecrow pub, and a fair choice of local restaurants - European, Indian, Chinese, and fish & chips.[42] The nearby villages of Croy, Banton, Queenzieburn, and Twechar are within easy walking distance from Kilsyth.
Townhead reservoir, known locally as Banton Loch, is the site of the Battle of Kilsyth and is the main reservoir for the Forth and Clyde Canal. A thriving marina has been developed at Auchinstarry close to the climbing wall and lakes at the old quarry.
Kilsyth Lennox Golf Club was founded in 1899. The original nine-hole course was the Balmalloch area of the town, but moved in 1905 to the present position North East of the town. Between 1997 and 2002, the majority of the greens and tees were redesigned by Rocky Roquemore, the American Golf Course architect. The club hosts a Festival of Golf in the first week in July.
Kilsyth has a public swimming pool, open seven days a week, a public library, a small cottage hospital and health centre, and a range of recreational facilities such as tennis courts and bowling clubs. A feature of Burngreen Park is a children's road safety attraction with a model road layout and bikes, etc. for hire. It is also an accredited Walkers are Welcome town.
Kilsyth held an international carnival in mid-August[43] – in 2007 this was held on Sunday August 12 and headlined the Peatbog Faeries and David Sneddon. It is held in the grounds of the wooded Colzium estate nearby. Following a two-year break, the carnival was relaunched in mid-August 2010 as a multi-day music, comedy and dance festival under the banner of the BIG KIC headlining Salsa Celtica, Dougie MacLean and Fred MacAulay. However this event is no longer held
Civic Week festivities are held in June each year, with the traditional crowning of the Civic Queen. The festival features a variety of cultural and sports activities usually featuring members of clubs/groups from the town. A Christmas Festival is held annually, supported by the Rotary Club of Kilsyth.
The town is well represented on the football front, being the home of Kilsyth Rangers F.C. who are the local junior team, and there are two amateur teams - Kilsyth United AFC & Kilsyth Amateurs. There is also the Golden Gloves Boxing Club and many other groups and organisations. Kilsyth has three primary schools: Kilsyth Primary and Balmalloch Primary, and St Patrick's Primary School (Roman Catholic). Children from each school can progress to Kilsyth Academy while children from St Patrick's Primary generally advance to St. Maurice's High School located in nearby Cumbernauld. Kilsyth Academy is situated on Corrie Road and hosts a range of functions throughout the year.
Queenzieburn and Kilsyth from the air. The four main vertical lines looking roughly eastwards at the bottom of the picture are: Glasgow Road through Queenzieburn and Kilsyth, the line of the old Kelvin Valley Railway Line near Gavell Station,[48] the River Kelvin, and the Forth and Clyde CanalKilsyth from the air from 2016
^Burns, William (1845). The new statistical account of Scotland (Vol 8 ed.). Edinburgh and London: W. Blackwood and Sons. pp. 138–168. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
^Livingstone, John (1845). Tweedie, William King (ed.). Select biographies. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: Printed for the Wodrow Society. pp. 129–370. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
^Lennie, Tom (2009). Glory in the Glen: A History of Evangelical Revivals in Scotland 1880–1940. Fearn, Ross–shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications. p. 422. ISBN978-1-84550-377-2.
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