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Motherwell
*** Shopping-Tip: Motherwell
Image:MotherwellScotland.jpg thumb|300px|Brandon Street, the main shopping street in Motherwell, on a typical Saturday
'''Motherwell''' ('''''Tobar na Màthar''''' in
Scottish Gaelic Gaelic) is a large
burgh in
North Lanarkshire,
Scotland, between
Glasgow and
Edinburgh.
Motherwell was noted as the
steel production capital of Scotland, nicknamed '''Steelopolis''', with its
skyline dominated by the
water tower and three cooling towers of the
Ravenscraig steel plant which closed in
1992. The Ravenscraig plant had one of the longest continuous casting (
concast),
hot rolling, steel production facilities in the world before it was decomissioned. The closure of Ravenscraig signalled the end of large scale steel making in Scotland. In the past decade, Motherwell has recovered from the high
unemployment and economic decline brought about by this collapse of
heavy industry. A number of
call centres and
business parks such as
Strathclyde Business Park have set up in the region. Large employers include
William Grant & Sons.
Motherwell is the headquarters for both North Lanarkshire Council, which is one of Scotland's biggest Local Authorities, and of
Strathclyde Police "N" division and they cover an overall population of 327,000 (93,000 in Motherwell and
Wishaw) people throughout
North Lanarkshire over 183 square miles.
Both are also responsible for sections of the main arterial routes which intersect North Lanarkshire and these are: the
M74 motorway M74, which runs North from the
M6 motorway M6 into Glasgow along the west side of Motherwell, the
M8 motorway M8, which runs West to East from West of Glasgow through to Edinburgh and cuts through the middle of North Lanarkshire from
Bargeddie to Shotts, the
M73 motorway M73, which runs North/South from
Baillieston to the A80(M) south of
Cumbernauld, and finally the A80(M), which runs from Stepps to
Denny, Stirlingshire Denny (
Stirlingshire) North/South and runs through Cumbernauld town centre.
The biggest Fun Park in Scotland is based within
Strathclyde Park, which features many sports facilities, as well as having woodland and grass areas ideal for visitors including
birdwatching bird-watchers,
fishing anglers, or people out for a quiet, leisurely time, and also features an excavated site of a Roman
mosaic, although this has been covered to protect it. The park itself has also gained a reputation as a meeting place for
cruising for sex gay encounters and also
boy racers however local police patrols try to dissuade this element from the park.
Image:MotherwellRailwayStation.jpg Motherwell_railway station.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|300px|[[Motherwell railway station..html" title="Meaning of 300px|[[Motherwell railway station">thumb|300px|[[Motherwell railway station.">300px|[[Motherwell railway station">thumb|300px|[[Motherwell railway station.
Other attractions and sites within Motherwell District are Carfin Pilgrimage Centre and
Carfin Grotto. The Grotto was built in nearby
Carfin, in the
1920s, mainly by local residents and miners and was originally for the benefit of the
Catholic Community, holding Processions and Pilgrimages most Sundays throughout the year and, in its heyday, saw many thousands attend open-air masses. Others who regularly use the Grotto are from the large
Lithuanians Lithuanian and
Poles Polish communities who had settled in the area, although many travelled from around Britain to attend. The one disappointment for the local Catholic community was when
Pope John Paul II visited Scotland in the 1980's and had hoped that he would visit the only Catholic Shrine in the country but were rewarded only with a "fly-past" by his helicopter.
It has a football club
Motherwell F.C., which was established in
1886. Known as the "Steelmen" because of the history of steel making in the area they are currently managed by former England international
Terry Butcher. Butcher made his home in Scotland after playing for Rangers Football Club.
One of the town's most well-known "sons" is
James Keir Hardie (
1856 -
1915) who was born a few miles outside of Motherwell and is one of the founders of the modern
Labour Party (UK) Labour Party.
The Right Honourable Dr.
John Reid (UK politician) John Reid was formerly the Member of Parliament for
Motherwell (UK Parliament constituency) Motherwell North (now renamed Hamilton North and Bellshill) is from the nearby town of
Bellshill.
The
Motherwell and Wishaw (UK Parliament constituency) Motherwell and Wishaw constituency is represented in Parliament by
Frank Roy MP who was controversially revealed to have been a member of what is perceived as a sectarian organisation called the
Ancient Order of Hibernians. He has declared that he no longer associates with such organisations.
Nearby Towns:
*
Hamilton, Scotland Hamilton
*
Airdrie, Scotland Airdrie
*
Wishaw
Local government district
From 1975 Motherwell lent its name to a
local government (Scotland) local government district (Scotland) district in the
Strathclyde region (Scotland) region of
Scotland. In 1996 administrative functions were taken over by the
North Lanarkshire unitary council. (See:
Subdivisions of Scotland)
External link
-
North Lanarkshire Council
Category:Motherwell
{{Scotland-geo-stub}}
no:Motherwell
Category:Towns in North Lanarkshire Motherwell
Category:Large burghs Motherwell
Category:Districts of Scotland Motherwell
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