Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Garturk

Garturk, a quoad sacra parish in the south-eastern district of Old Monkland parish, Lanarkshire. It was constituted in January 1870; and its post-town is Coatbridge, 1¼ mile to the NW. It comprises a compact area, including the villages of Whifflet, Rose hall, and Calder, and also the Calder Iron-works, belonging to the firm of William Dixon (Limited). These works are interesting, as the place where the famous and valuable blackband ironstone, which has proved such a source of wealth to Scotland, was first discovered. The discovery was made in 1805 by Robert Mushet, from whom it received the name of 'Mushet Blackband,' and as such it is still known. In this parish there are also several other large iron and engineering works, and numerous coal mines of considerable depth. The parish, which is in the presbytery of Hamilton and synod of Glasgow and Ayr, was endowed at a cost of upwards of £8000, of which £1500 was from the General Assembly's Endowment Fund, the remainder being raised by voluntary subscription. The church, erected in 1869 and renewed in 1880, is a handsome edifice-the interior, which is richly ornamented, being one of the finest specimens of the Decorated style to be seen in this part of the country. Adjoining the church and under the same roof with it is a very comfortable manse, prettily situated amidst a plantation of trees. The parish contains two good schools-one close beside the church, supported by the proprietors of Calder Iron-works; the other in Rosehall, maintained by the owners of Rosehall colliery. With respective accommodation for 227 and 173 children, these schools had (1881) an average attendance of 278 and 208, and grants of £238, 9s. and £172, 1s. Pop. (1871) 3883, (1881) 4266.—Ord. Sur., sh. 31, 1867.


(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a quoad sacra parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 4th order divisions")
Administrative units: Lanarkshire ScoCnty
Place: Garturk

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