Mossend

Last updated

Mossend Cross 2012 MossendMainStreet2012.JPG
Mossend Cross 2012

Mossend is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, located beside the town of Bellshill, west of the villages of Holytown and New Stevenston, north of the larger town of Motherwell and south of the Eurocentral industrial park and the M8 motorway. Along with Holytown, it forms a council ward which had a population of 13,480 in 2019, Mossend's estimated population being around half of that total. [1]

Contents

The town is the site of two railway freight terminals: Mossend International Railfreight Park and Mossend EuroTerminal. [2] [3] The yard is primarily used by DB Cargo UK. Mossend formed around the steel industry, with Clydesdale Steel Works once dominating the east end of the town. It is also home to the Mossend Football Club, a local community football club for children from the age of 6 to 21 years old.

Early map references

Mossend first appears on an early Timothy Pont map at the end of the 16th century as Mossid (Moss-Side), but the name most likely originates from the area being at the end of Moss land. The name 'Mossend' appears in the Roy Lowlands 1752-55 map series. [4] Coal mining is the reason why the town began to expand, and the arrival of Iron and Steel working industry and the attendant railway put Mossend on the map.

19th-century developments

The creator of the revolutionary hot blast process, J B Neilson, opened the first iron works in the area in 1839 - Mossend Iron Works. The plant became one of the largest producers of malleable iron in Scotland and other iron works followed in the surrounding area, with Clydesdale opening in 1870 and Milnwood in 1872. Steel production using the open hearth process began in Mossend in 1880 and expanded in following years. [5]

Local schools

Holy Family Primary School, Mossend HOLY FAMILY PRIMARY SCHOOL MOSSEND.jpg
Holy Family Primary School, Mossend

Mossend has two primary schools: Mossend Primary School and the Roman Catholic Holy Family Primary School. In 1868, the Rev. James Milne built a new chapel-school for 140 pupils, dedicated to the Holy Family. Miss Mary McCluskey was appointed headmistress. In 1883 the Rev. Michael Fox erected a large addition to the chapel-school providing accommodation for 400 pupils. Under the inspiration and guidance of the Rev. John Scannell, it was realised in 1904 that a modern school was needed to cope with the increasing roll. The foundation stone was laid on 7 October 1906 by Archbishop Maguire and the three storey, red sandstone building was formally dedicated and opened on Sunday 27 January 1907. By 1916 numbers had rapidly increased and once again classrooms in the old school had to be used. In May 1923 the school roll reached 1,819.

Mossend Primary School Mossend Primary School.jpg
Mossend Primary School

Mossend Primary School in Calder Road was opened in the later part of 1880 as a single-storey building. In 1923 it was seriously damaged by underground mineral workings. In February 1924, a decision was made to demolish the building and build a new school on the same site in brick and roughcast with a stone base. During the rebuild, the pupils were taught on a part-time basis in the canteen of the former projectile works at Mossend Cross. In May 1926 the school was practically ready for occupation and was formally opened by HM Inspector William Robb.

Holy Family Roman Catholic Church

Holy Family R.C Church, Mossend Holy Family Catholic Church Mossend.jpg
Holy Family R.C Church, Mossend

One of the most striking buildings in Mossend is the church of the Holy Family, which was designed by architects Pugin and Pugin of Wesminister. It was built in 1884 to replace the smaller earlier Catholic church which remains standing beside it. The original Pugin designs envisaged a 124 ft high spire, which was never completed.

The first church building - a chapel school - was completed in 1868 and could seat up to 500 parishioners, a chapel-house was soon added in 1872 and a large addition to the chapel-school in 1883. These buildings are still standing and form what is now the Parochial Hall. In 1883 work began on the erection of a new church which was formally opened on 16 November 1884. The church was at the time described in the Scottish Catholic Directory as "A very beautiful church designed by Messrs Pugin and Pugin, Westminster ... one of the neatest, most chaste and elegant in this part of the country... accommodating upwards of 800 worshipers." [6]

Namesake in West Lothian

In the 19th and early 20th century there was another Mossend located in West Lothian around 15 miles (24 km) east of the Lanarkshire settlement; this was a village just north of West Calder, associated with the shale oil industry and cleared when that declined.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motherwell</span> Town and administrative centre in Scotland

Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, south east of Glasgow. It has a population of around 32,120. Historically in the parish of Dalziel and part of Lanarkshire, Motherwell is the headquarters for North Lanarkshire Council. Geographically the River Clyde separates Motherwell from Hamilton to the west whereas the South Calder Water separates Motherwell from Carfin to the north-east and New Stevenston and Bellshill towards the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellshill Athletic F.C.</span> Association football club in Scotland

Bellshill Athletic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the town of Bellshill, North Lanarkshire. It plays in the West of Scotland League Second Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hams Hall</span>

Hams Hall is a place near Lea Marston in North Warwickshire, England, named after the former Hams Hall manor house. A power station at Hams Hall was constructed and operated in the late 1920s; a further two power stations began generating electricity in the 1940s and 1950s. By 1993 all three power stations had been closed and demolished and an industrial park Hams Hall Distribution Park was built. An intermodal rail terminal Hams Hall Rail Freight Terminal also operates at the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 89</span> Prototype CO-CO electric locomotive

The British Rail Class 89 is a prototype electric locomotive. Only one was built, in 1986, by British Rail Engineering Limited's Crewe Works. It was used on test-trains on both the West Coast and East Coast Main Lines. The locomotive was fitted with advanced power control systems and developed more than 6,000 bhp. After being withdrawn in 1992, it was returned to service in 1996, before being again withdrawn in 2000. As of January 2021, it is in the final stages of an overhaul that will return it to the main line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellshill</span> Town in North Lanarkshire in Scotland

Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire in Scotland, ten miles southeast of Glasgow city centre and 37 mi (60 km) west of Edinburgh. Other nearby localities are Motherwell 2 mi (3 km) to the south, Hamilton 3 mi (5 km) to the southwest, Viewpark 1+12 mi (2.5 km) to the west, Holytown 2 mi (3 km) to the east and Coatbridge 3 mi (5 km) to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleland, North Lanarkshire</span> Village in Scotland

Cleland is a village near Motherwell and Wishaw in North Lanarkshire, Scotland,. As of 2018, it has a population of about 3,000. The village has a strong coal mining heritage, and is a typical example of a working class village in North Lanarkshire and the Glasgow area. Due to its location, despite being at the heart of North Lanarkshire, the village is isolated, geographically and culturally, from surrounding towns such as Motherwell, Shotts and Wishaw.

MC Metals was a metal recycling company based in the Springburn area of Glasgow, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brunswick railway station</span> Railway station in England

Brunswick railway station serves the Toxteth district of Liverpool, England, on the Northern Line of the Merseyrail network. The station serves the nearby district of Dingle and is situated on a short section of track between two tunnels, between the now in-filled Toxteth and Harrington Docks. The station also serves businesses on the Brunswick Dock estate, which gives it name to the station. The residential area of Grafton Street is reached by steps or ramp from the southbound platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada Dock Branch</span> Railway line serving Canada Dock, Liverpool, England

The Canada Dock Branch is a 4-mile 59 chain long railway line in Liverpool, England. The line's route is from the large Edge Hill rail junction in the east of Liverpool to Seaforth Dock to the north. The line was originally built by the London and North Western Railway terminating at Canada Dock, with a later branch extension added to Alexandra Dock and links onto the MDHC railway lines. The line is not electrified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newarthill</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Newarthill is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, situated roughly three miles north-east of the town of Motherwell. It has a population of around 6,200. Most local amenities are shared with the adjacent villages of Carfin, Holytown and New Stevenston which have a combined population of around 20,000 across the four localities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holyhead railway station</span> Railway station in Anglesey, Wales

Holyhead railway station serves the Welsh town of Holyhead on Holy Island, Anglesey. The station is the western terminus of the North Wales Main Line 105+12 miles (170 km) west of Crewe and is managed by Transport for Wales Rail. It connects with the Port of Holyhead ferry terminal. The station is connected to the town centre by a stainless steel pedestrian/cycle bridge named The Celtic Gateway.

Holytown is a village situated to the east of Bellshill and north of Motherwell in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Most local amenities are shared with the adjacent villages of Carfin, Newarthill and New Stevenston which have a combined population of around 20,000 across the four localities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crewe Electric TMD</span> Railway traction maintenance depot in Cheshire, England

Crewe Electric TMD is a traction maintenance depot for AC electric and diesel-electric locomotives; it is operated currently by DB Cargo UK. The depot is situated to the north-west of Crewe railway station on the Crewe-Chester railway line, opposite Crewe Works. Road access is from Wistaston Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toton TMD</span> Largest rail depot in the United Kingdom

Toton Traction Maintenance Depot or Toton Sidings is a large traction maintenance depot located in Toton, Nottinghamshire. The TOPS depot code for the depot is TO. Before TOPS, the shed code was 16A.

The Wishaw and Coltness Railway was an early Scottish mineral railway. It ran for approximately 11 miles from Chapel Colliery, at Newmains in North Lanarkshire connecting to the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway near Whifflet, giving a means of transport for minerals around Newmains to market in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor High School, New Stevenston</span> Comprehensive secondary school in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland

Taylor High School is a six-year Roman Catholic comprehensive secondary school in New Stevenston, Motherwell, Scotland. It is named after Monsignor Thomas Nimmo Taylor who was Parish Priest at St. Francis Xavier Church, Carfin for almost 50 years and who was responsible for the development of the Carfin Lourdes Grotto in 1922.

Salsburgh is a semi-rural former coal mining village in greenbelt farmland within the district of North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The closest major towns to the village are Shotts, three miles southeast, and Airdrie three miles northwest.

Cleland and Midcalder Line is a historic railway line in Scotland. Built by the Caledonian Railway and opened in 1869, it provides a link between Glasgow and Edinburgh through the mining communities of Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Stevenston</span> Village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland

New Stevenston is a village situated between Motherwell and Bellshill in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Most local amenities are shared with the adjacent villages of Carfin, Holytown and Newarthill which have a combined population of around 20,000 across the four localities.

The Caledonian Railway branches in North Lanarkshire built on the Caledonian Railway main line, which opened in 1848. In the following years the considerable increase of iron production and coal extraction in North Lanarkshire led to a progressive expansion of branch lines in the area between the eastern margin of Glasgow and Bellside in the east, and between Coatbridge, Airdrie and Motherwell. Mineral traffic was dominant and for some years passenger operation followed the construction of some of the mineral connections. In 1861 the Rutherglen and Coatbridge line was opened, extended later to Airdrie, rivalling the established Monkland Railways route. In 1869 the connection from Cleland to Midcalder was opened, connecting mineral sites but also forming a new passenger route to Edinburgh.

References

  1. Electoral Ward: Mossend and Holytown, Scottish Government Statistics
  2. Rhodes, Michael (2–15 November 1989). "This is Mossend". Rail . No. 108. EMAP National Publications. pp. 24–30. ISSN   0953-4563. OCLC   49953699.
  3. Mossend, Gazetteer for Scotland
  4. "Roy Lowlands 1752-1755". National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  5. Mossend Lanarkshire, Vision of Britain (Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, 1882-84)
  6. http://www.holyfamilymossend.co.uk Holy Family Parish Website

Further reading

55°49′13″N4°00′29″W / 55.82030°N 4.00810°W / 55.82030; -4.00810