700
populous town of Airdrie, a very handsome chapel of ease, which was built in
1791 by a subscription of the inhabitants for their accommodation, Airdrie
stands on a beautiful rising ground, from which the place obtained its Celtic
name, signifying in the Gaelic the king's height or rising ground. This thriving
town, which is a burgh of barony, has increased rapidly during late times. In
1675, Robert Hamilton of Airdrie, obtained an act of parliament for holding a
weekly market and four annual fairs at the town of Airdrie (c). It was then
a mere village with only a few inhabitants. In 1792 this town contained
1762 persons, and in 1821 its population had increased to 4860 busy people.
The rest of the parish of New Monkland contained then 2502 persons,
making the population of the whole parish 7362 in 1821. [Old Monkland
parish church has 775 communicants; stipend, £554. The quoad sacra churches
of Baillieston, Bargeddie, Coats (Coatbridge), Gartsherrie, Garturk, and the
chapels of ease of Calderbank and Mount Vernon, have among them 3349 com-
municants. The Free churches of Baillieston, Coatbridge (3), and Whifflet
have 1290 members. U.P. churches at Baillieston and Coatbridge have 1267
members. There are also Episcopal churches at Baillieston and Coatbridge;
Roman Catholic churches at Baillieston, Coatbridge and Whifflet; Congrega-
tional, Evangelical Union, and Baptist at Coatbridge. NEW MONKLAND parish
church has 550 communicants; stipend, £504. The quoad sacra churches of
Airdrie, Clarkston, Flowerhill, Meadowfield and Greengairs have 2766 com-
municants. Five Free churches have 1333, and 2 U.P. churches have 726
members. There are also, Episcopal, 2 Roman Catholic, 1 Congregational, 1
Evangelical Union, 1 Wesleyan Methodist, and 1 R.P. churches].
27. The parish of BOTH WELL was formerly of very great extent, as it com-
prehended the present parish of Both well, and also the large parish of Shotts.
It thus extended throughout the whole distance, from the Clyde on the west,
to the boundaries of Lothian on the eastward. The ancient castle of Bothwell
was formerly a place of great strength when inhabited by the potent Douglases.
It stands on the steep bank of the Clyde, and about a mile south-eastward
from it stand the church and village of Bothwell, three furlongs distant from
the river. Whether the name was applied originally to the site of the castle
or to the site of the church is somewhat uncertain. In the Latin charters of
early times, the name appears generally in the form of Bothvill, Bothvyll, and
sometimes Bothwill. The modern form of the name is Bothwell. This name may
be derived from the British loth-will, signifying the habitation of the stranger.
In the several dialects of the Celtic both signifies a cottage, a mansion, or a habi-
tation, and the British gwill,in composition will, means a stranger, an interloper (d).
(c)  Acta Parl., ix. 499.
(d)  In the Diplom. Scot., pl. liii., in a charter of David II, we may see the Chapel de Both and the
lands of .Both-mernok.