That’s Hamilton Scotland, not the more or less interesting (depending on your viewpoint) American or Australian ones…
Hamilton is (arguably) the biggest commercial centre in South Lanarkshire County. With an actual shopping centre, its own adventure swimming pool and the only nightclub for a few miles in any direction – it is one of the bigger towns in the Central Belt.
Hamilton High Street just like any other but steeped in history.
Editorial credit: lennystan / Shutterstock.com
There is a phrase in Scotland that we use to refer to a long length. When we say something is “the length of Leith Walk” we are referring to the Leith Walk in Edinburgh. This is one of the longest streets in Scotland and connects the port to the city centre. Anyway, we are getting off-topic.
Hamilton has a history that is the length of Leith Walk. If you are spending any time there you should really familiarise yourself with it.
Hamilton steeped in History – the length of Leith Walk
Instead of doing our usual top 5 attractions of Hamilton, we wanted to talk about Hamilton’s past. That way we can point you to the sights of interest as we go, then round up the modern attractions at the end. Hopefully, we will uncover some mystical stories of Hamilton of Olde. But this is Scotland, so it is more likely that the stories will be of rebellion and bloodshed…
The Hamilton Clan and Town History (in Three Minutes)
Yes, that’s right; Hamilton is named for Clan Hamilton, who owned it. All throughout the area, you can find traces of their history and remnants of their castles and houses. Oddly, the clan history is murky. There are branches of the clan everywhere. This points towards the clan having been an amalgamation of families who sought protection in one group… Not unlike how other lowland clans formed in response to consistent raids from the north.
That being said, James Hamilton married Mary Stewart – a royal princess – in the fifteenth century. This marked the beginning of a long allegiance. It is thought the royal branch of the family is descended from Walter Fitz Gilbert of Cadzow. Fitz Gilbert governed Bothwell castle on behalf of the English during the wars of independence. Later, he switched sides and joined Robert the Bruce.
Bothwell Castle lies outside of town in nearby Uddingston. Definitely visit if you can. It is a centre for Historic Scotland and, although it is a little ruined, it’s still impressive.
During the Wars of Independence, Clan Cumming sided with the English. Bruce stripped them of their lands and awarded them to Clan Hamilton. This was the area of the Cadzow Estate that we now know as Hamilton town. Although they built on the land and a portion of the family remained there; the clan head moved to Arran. After this, a Hamilton would be present for the crowning of both King
James IV and Mary Queen of Scots.
The descendants of this Arran branch were named Marquess of Hamilton, were charged with the keeping of both Stirling and Edinburgh castles, and would occupy the first seat as Lord of Paisley. They also went on to support Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite Rebellion. The Duke of Hamilton was subsequently beheaded for his sins. Branches of the family remain but they thus fell from royal favour, as the Duke was killed in London by his king’s side.
Nowadays you can visit Hamilton Palace, and the Palace Grounds extend to include shopping centres, a cinema and a night club… But the old world is still there if you know where to look. Hamilton Palace is the largest non-royal residence in Britain. That should tell you all you need to know about how important this family was.
Drop by the Mausoleum, where the former clan members were entombed. It is free to visit although you can’t get inside without paying for the tour. We would suggest that if you are in the area on the first and third Sunday of each month you book a tour.
The Mausoleum in Hamilton
Image: lennystan/Shutterstock.com
In Hamilton with Kids?
So perhaps you have come to have a fun day out in Hamilton, and not to have an educational tour. In that case, there are loads of things to do. Check out Chatelherault Country Park where there is a free adventure playground. Loads of hikes, and an old (properly haunted) manor house you can tour. It stretches all the way to Calderglen Zoo in East Kilbride… the woodland is around 500 acres with the River Clyde passing straight through.
The Labyrinth Garden at the Back of Chatelherault House is well worth a visit
Editorial credit: lennystan / Shutterstock.com
Did we mention Hamilton has its own theme park? Well, it does. It’s called M & D’s and it is one of the very few Scottish theme parks that didn’t die in the recession. It’s also set inside Strathclyde Park, which has its own loch, marina, and walks. There is also the Water Palace for a day of swimming and flumes, the cinema, and plenty of places to eat in the Palace Grounds shopping area.
Where to Eat, Drink or Party in Hamilton?
As we mentioned above, you can have a good dance at the Hamilton Palace (everything in Hamilton is called the Palace) but the local joke is that you have to wipe your feet on the way out. For fine dining try Gusti D’Italia on Townhead Street. Carrigan’s offers a nice family-friendly pub meal if that’s your preference.
Other Notable Attractions
There is a bunch of other stuff to get up to in Hamilton, besides drinking in the 500 acres of woodland.
Some free things to do in Hamilton:
- Wander Hamilton Park Racecourse on an off-day.
- See Chatleherault or Strathclyde Park.
- Visit the mausoleum.
Some attractions you need to pay for:
- The Low Parks Museum – although they operate by donation so it isn’t much.
- Catch a gig at the Town House.
- Visit the Casino… but it might not end well.
Got Five More Minutes?
If you have another spare five minutes you can browse our travel section and read about all our local guides. If not, then check out our entertainment section… there’s bound to be something of interest there.
