In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Wilsontown like this:
Wilsontown, a mining village in Carnwath parish, E Lanarkshire, on Mouse Water, 2 miles below its source, and on the road from Lanark to West Calder. By road it is 8 ¾ miles NNE of Lanark, 6 SE of Shotts Ironworks, and 6 NNE of Carnwath village; whilst by a branch line of the Caledonian, formed under an act of 1859, it is 2 ¾ miles WNW of Auchengray Junction and 8 ½ N of Carstairs. ...
Founded in 1779 by two brothers of the name of Wilson for the manufacture of pig-iron, it throve for a time so well that in 1807 its works supported upwards of 2000 persons, with aggregate wages of fully £3000 per month. They were closed, however, from 1812 to 1821, when they were for some years resumed, but on a very diminished scale, by Mr Dixon of Calder Ironworks; and coal mining is now the staple industry. The sculptor, James Fillans (1808-52), was a native. Pop. (1841) 113, (1871) 585, (1881) 808.—Ord. Sur., sh. 23, 1865.
Wilsontown through time
Wilsontown is now part of South Lanarkshire district. Click here for graphs and data of how South Lanarkshire has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Wilsontown itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Wilsontown in South Lanarkshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/22295
Date accessed: 24th April 2024
Not where you were looking for?
Click here for more detailed advice on finding places within A Vision of Britain through Time, and maybe some references to other places called "Wilsontown".