Cumbernauld
Encyclopedia
Cumbernauld is a Scottish new town
in North Lanarkshire
. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire. The name comes from the Scots Gaelic
comar nan allt, meaning "meeting of the streams" as, geographically, from its high point in the Scottish Central Belt
burns (streams) flow west to the River Clyde
and east to the River Forth
.
times, with a settlement near the Antonine Wall
, the furthest and most northerly boundary of the Roman Empire. The security that the wall gave from possibly hostile tribes to the north probably allowed the foundation of a settlement. A rural population grew in the area where Cumbernauld's housing estates now stand, with the centrepoints being the 18th century Cumbernauld House
, built close to the site of the medieval Cumbernauld Castle, and Cumbernauld Village
nearby.
Cumbernauld House stands on the site of the old Cumbernauld Castle, first built as a Norman-style motte and bailey. Owned by the Comyn
s, it was situated at the east end of the park, where the motte (mound) is still visible. The Fleming family built their castle where the house now sits. One original wall can be seen in the allotment area. The castle played host to the royalty of Scotland, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who visited the castle and planted a yew tree at Castlecary Castle
, only a mile or two away, which still grows there. The roof of the great hall collapsed while the queen was staying there, though she was not hurt.
Royalty often visited the town to hunt the mysterious Scottish ox, or white cattle, which roamed in the woods around Cumbernauld. These woods were a surviving fragment of the ancient Caledonian Forest
, in which the oxen abounded. Cumbernauld House was designed by William Adam and is currently unoccupied. The old grounds are used today as a park, known as Cumbernauld Park. A mining and quarrying industry flourished after the construction of the Forth and Clyde Canal
, notably at Auchinstarry
Quarry which is now a popular location for climbing
and abseiling, and at Glencryan, where the old clay mine and its associated structures are still clearly visible.
Weaving was an important part of the town's industry before the Industrial Revolution, when all the work of that kind moved to neighbouring bigger towns such as Glasgow.
The Scottish Gaelic name from the town, , comes from its being located where streams flow west into the Clyde and east into the Forth rivers, and translates into English as 'The Meeting Of The Waters'. It was long a staging-post for changing horses between Glasgow and Edinburgh. It has variously been in Stirlingshire
, Dunbartonshire
, and the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
District of Strathclyde
region. Since 1995 it has been part of North Lanarkshire
.
was suffering from chronic shortages of housing and poor housing conditions, particularly in areas such as the Gorbals
. As a direct result the Clyde Valley Regional Plan 1946 allocated sites where satellite new towns were to be constructed to help alleviate the problem through an overspill agreement. Glasgow would also undertake the development of its peripheral housing estates. Cumbernauld was designated a new town in 1955, the third to be designated in Scotland. The others were East Kilbride
, Glenrothes
, Livingston
and Irvine (Cowling 1997).
The development, promotion and management was undertaken, until 1996, by the Cumbernauld Development Corporation (CDC). This was a quango
appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland (Cowling 1997).
Cumbernauld is the most clear example of a modernist new town vision in the UK. Housing was originally delivered through constructing a series of satellite neighbourhoods which were clustered around the hilltop town centre. Separation of people and cars was a major element of the first town masterplan and this was carried through for much of the development of the town. Cumbernauld pioneered designs for underpasses and pedestrian footbridges as well as segregated footpaths. Early neighbourhoods were designed by the CDC and were constructed at Kildrum, Cumbernauld Village, Seafar, North Carbrain and Greenfaulds. Other neighbourhoods were later developed at Condorrat, South Carbrain and Abronhill. Much of the housing of these areas won awards for their innovative designs.
During its construction, under the designer's eye of Geoffrey Copcutt, Cumbernauld town centre
's daring megastructure
architecture was highly praised. Architects, designers, town planners and students of many disciplines visited Cumbernauld from around the globe to marvel at the town, for many years heralded as a utopian construction.
When originally designated a New Town the target population was 50,000. In 1961, only five years after becoming a new town, the Area to the north of the A80 was included in the town's area with new planned neighbourhoods at Balloch, Dullatur, Westerwood and Eastfield. As a result a revised target population of 70,000 was predicted. However only now is the population starting to climb above 50,000, but this is expected to increase substantially with 2,100 houses being built between 2001 and 2008.
After the creation of the new town
, diverse industries such as high-tech, electronics
, and chemical and food processing became large employers, along with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
. The main industrial estates were developed to the east and west along the A80 at Castlecary, Wardpark and Westfield. Areas at Luggiebank and South Carbrain to the south of the town have also been developed for industry.
Since then, the outlook has changed dramatically and the New Town has won a number of very unflattering awards including Urban Realm's "Plook on a Plinth" in both 2001 and 2005. In December 2005 the entire Town Centre won a public nomination for demolition in the Channel 4
series Demolition, where it was voted "the worst building in Britain". As a result of this, it was featured on the BBC Radio 2
comedy
program It's Been a Bad Week
, where it won the show's fictional "Worst Week of the Week Award, Awarded Weekly, on a Week-By-Week Basis." In 2003.
The intended core of Cumbernauld remains the Town Centre buildings, all of which is essentially contained within one structure, segmented into "phases", the first of which was completed in 1967, the latest of which began construction in May 2003 for completion around September 2004. Initially the basic groundwork for the new shops began in 1997 and were finally completed in summer 2007. Designed to be a commerce centre, an entertainment and business venue and a luxury accommodation site, it was widely accepted as the UK's
first shopping mall
and was the world's first multi-level covered town centre. However, the town never developed to its planned size, and the town centre has never had the life envisaged by town planners. Wealthy occupiers for the centre's penthouses never materialised and some now lie empty and derelict. Further expansion has been primarily to provide further space for shops. A substantial portion of the original Shopping Centre was demolished due to structural damage and has been redeveloped as a new shopping and leisure complex.
As well as the unfulfilled ambitions for the town, the passage of time has exposed serious defects in post-war concepts of centrally-planned retail and civic centres developed in the absence of proper community consultation or sensitivity to local environmental and economic conditions. This has been reflected in a country-wide backlash against modernist architecture in general. Cumbernauld's Town Centre is widely regarded as one of the ugliest and least-loved examples of post-war design in Scotland. The confusing layout is an abiding source of frustration for both visitors and residents, many of whom are the descendants of skilled workers who aspired to escape the frequently appalling social and housing conditions of the Glasgow conurbation
in the 1960s and 70s.
Despite its bad press, from a purely aesthetic standpoint Cumbernauld is regarded as representing a significant moment in town design, and in 1993 it was listed as one of the sixty key monuments
of post-war
architecture by the international conservation organisation DoCoMoMo.
Cumbernauld was the location for the 1981 film Gregory's Girl
and its sequel, Gregory's Two Girls
. In the film Orphans some of the scenes were shot in Carbrain.
The residential structure of Cumbernauld is noteworthy in that there were no pedestrian
crossings, i.e. zebra
or pelican
crossings, or traffic light
s —pedestrians traverse roads by bridge or underpass. This has led to the perception that the town is car-centric, and difficult to navigate by foot. In 2004, a set of traffic lights were erected in the Condorrat Village neighbourhood Main Street, soon followed by traffic / pelican lights which were erected beside the new Tesco
Extra.
Cumbernauld in the last few years has seen a surge of business activity with the expansion of Isola-Werke in the Wardpark
area, the New OKI
UK headquarters in Wardpark and Yaskawa Electronics, A.G. Barr
World Headquarters.
, who currently play in the Scottish Third Division
and reside at Broadwood Stadium
. It is home to Junior football side Cumbernauld United
who play at Guy's Meadow
. The town has a Rugby Team, Cumbernauld RFC
. There has been a gymnastics team, Cumbernauld Gymnastics Club, in the town for many years, and in the early 1990s it moved into its present base at Broadwood Gymnastics Academy, a purpose built building at the same site as Broadwood Stadium. There is also the Cumbernauld Handball Team, Tryst 77 which in 2007 came second in the British Handball Championships. The Tryst homes the Cumbernauld swimming team with many age groups competing in galas around the country.
, M74
, M80
, M876
and M9. A local campaign was recently initiated to protest at the proposed extension of the M80
within the town limits. The A80 was recently upgraded to the M80.
In terms of public transport, Cumbernauld has bus links to Glasgow
, Stirling
, Falkirk
, Dunfermline
and St Andrews
, which are operated by First Group and Stagecoach
.The town has rail links to Glasgow
, Falkirk
, Motherwell
and Edinburgh
via Cumbernauld railway station
and Croy railway station
to the north of the town. Various parts of the town are linked by local bus services, operated by smaller companies such as Canavan Travel and Dunn's Coaches. Rail services to and from the town are provided by First ScotRail
.
Cumbernauld Airport
(EGPG) is primarily used for the training of fixed wing and rotary wing pilots, it also has an aircraft
maintenance facility. The airport
has a CAA
Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee, Cormack Aircraft Services Limited. The airport
was opened by the Cumbernauld Development Corpororation in the late 1980s. Before the airport
was constructed there was a grass strip in use on the same site.
provides further education in the town.
with Christianity
predominant. There are currently about 17 churches in the town.
; Carbrain
; Carrickstone; Condorrat; Craigmarloch
; Cumbernauld Village
; Dalshannon; Eastfield; Greenfaulds; Kildrum; Lenziemill; Luggiebank
; Ravenswood; Seafar; Smithstone
; Wardpark; Westerwood; Westfield
.
; Banton
; Castlecary
; Croy
; Dullatur
; Kelvinhead
; Kilsyth
.
Cumbernauld has many works by well known architects. Gillespie, Kidd & Coia
designed a number of buildings in the New Town, including:
Geoffrey Copcutt designed Cumbernauld Town Centre
(Phase 1).
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
in North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
. It was created in 1956 as a population overspill for Glasgow City. It is the eighth most populous settlement in Scotland and the largest in North Lanarkshire. The name comes from the Scots Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
comar nan allt, meaning "meeting of the streams" as, geographically, from its high point in the Scottish Central Belt
Central Belt
The Central Belt of Scotland is a common term used to describe the area of highest population density within Scotland. Despite the name, it is not geographically central but is nevertheless situated at the 'waist' of Scotland on a conventional map and the term 'central' is used in many local...
burns (streams) flow west to the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
and east to the River Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
.
History
Cumbernauld's history stretches to RomanRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times, with a settlement near the Antonine Wall
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. Representing the northernmost frontier barrier of the Roman Empire, it spanned approximately 39 miles and was about ten feet ...
, the furthest and most northerly boundary of the Roman Empire. The security that the wall gave from possibly hostile tribes to the north probably allowed the foundation of a settlement. A rural population grew in the area where Cumbernauld's housing estates now stand, with the centrepoints being the 18th century Cumbernauld House
Cumbernauld House
Cumbernauld House is an 18th-century country house located in Cumbernauld, Scotland. It is located near in the Cumbernauld Glen, close to Cumbernauld Village, at . The house is situated on the site of Cumbernauld Castle, which was besieged by General Monck in 1651. It was built in 1731, to designs...
, built close to the site of the medieval Cumbernauld Castle, and Cumbernauld Village
Cumbernauld Village
Cumbernauld Village is an area of the new town of Cumbernauld. Whilst Cumbernauld is a new town, having been first planned in 1956, the Village itself has a pre-mediaeval history, with a Roman settlement being built in the area due to its proximity to the Antonine Wall...
nearby.
Cumbernauld House stands on the site of the old Cumbernauld Castle, first built as a Norman-style motte and bailey. Owned by the Comyn
Comyn
Comyn can refer to:* Clan Comyn, another name for Clan Cumming.People* Dan Comyn, an Irish cricketer.* Stephen George Comyn, Naval chaplain to Lord Nelson* Valens Comyn, English MP* William Leslie Comyn, Californian shipbuilder...
s, it was situated at the east end of the park, where the motte (mound) is still visible. The Fleming family built their castle where the house now sits. One original wall can be seen in the allotment area. The castle played host to the royalty of Scotland, including Mary, Queen of Scots, who visited the castle and planted a yew tree at Castlecary Castle
Castle Cary Castle
Castle Cary Castle, is a fifteenth-century tower house, about from Falkirk, in the former county of Stirlingshire, Scotland. It is located on the site of one of the principal forts of the Roman Antonine Wall....
, only a mile or two away, which still grows there. The roof of the great hall collapsed while the queen was staying there, though she was not hurt.
Royalty often visited the town to hunt the mysterious Scottish ox, or white cattle, which roamed in the woods around Cumbernauld. These woods were a surviving fragment of the ancient Caledonian Forest
Caledonian Forest
The Caledonian Forest is the name of a type of woodland that once covered vast areas of Scotland. Today, however, only 1% of the original forest survives, covering in 84 locations. The forests are home to a wide variety of wildlife, much of which is not found elsewhere in the British...
, in which the oxen abounded. Cumbernauld House was designed by William Adam and is currently unoccupied. The old grounds are used today as a park, known as Cumbernauld Park. A mining and quarrying industry flourished after the construction of the Forth and Clyde Canal
Forth and Clyde Canal
The Forth and Clyde Canal crosses Scotland, providing a route for sea-going vessels between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. The canal is 35 miles long and its eastern end is connected to the River Forth by a short stretch of the River...
, notably at Auchinstarry
Auchinstarry
Auchinstarry is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK, near to Kilsyth, Dullatur and Queenzieburn. It is the site of a Roman fort.Auchinstarry Basin is on the Forth and Clyde Canal, and a £1.2m regeneration project has created a mooring basin for boats with 56 pontoon berths, a hard standing...
Quarry which is now a popular location for climbing
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
and abseiling, and at Glencryan, where the old clay mine and its associated structures are still clearly visible.
Weaving was an important part of the town's industry before the Industrial Revolution, when all the work of that kind moved to neighbouring bigger towns such as Glasgow.
The Scottish Gaelic name from the town, , comes from its being located where streams flow west into the Clyde and east into the Forth rivers, and translates into English as 'The Meeting Of The Waters'. It was long a staging-post for changing horses between Glasgow and Edinburgh. It has variously been in Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
, Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire
Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Until 1975 it was a county used as a primary unit of local government with its county town and administrative centre at the town...
, and the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 1975-96Cumbernauld and Kilsyth was formerly one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland....
District of Strathclyde
Strathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
region. Since 1995 it has been part of North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
.
New Town
After the Second World War GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
was suffering from chronic shortages of housing and poor housing conditions, particularly in areas such as the Gorbals
Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
. As a direct result the Clyde Valley Regional Plan 1946 allocated sites where satellite new towns were to be constructed to help alleviate the problem through an overspill agreement. Glasgow would also undertake the development of its peripheral housing estates. Cumbernauld was designated a new town in 1955, the third to be designated in Scotland. The others were East Kilbride
East Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
, Glenrothes
Glenrothes
Glenrothes is a large town situated in the heart of Fife, in east-central Scotland. It is located approximately from both Edinburgh, which lies to the south and Dundee to the north. The town had an estimated population of 38,750 in 2008, making Glenrothes the third largest settlement in Fife...
, Livingston
Livingston, Scotland
Livingston is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is the fourth post-WWII new town to be built in Scotland, designated in 1962. It is about 15 miles west of Edinburgh and 30 miles east of Glasgow, and is bordered by the towns of Broxburn to the northeast and Bathgate to the northwest.Livingston...
and Irvine (Cowling 1997).
Quango
Quango or qango is an acronym used notably in the United Kingdom, Ireland and elsewhere to label an organisation to which government has devolved power...
appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland (Cowling 1997).
Cumbernauld is the most clear example of a modernist new town vision in the UK. Housing was originally delivered through constructing a series of satellite neighbourhoods which were clustered around the hilltop town centre. Separation of people and cars was a major element of the first town masterplan and this was carried through for much of the development of the town. Cumbernauld pioneered designs for underpasses and pedestrian footbridges as well as segregated footpaths. Early neighbourhoods were designed by the CDC and were constructed at Kildrum, Cumbernauld Village, Seafar, North Carbrain and Greenfaulds. Other neighbourhoods were later developed at Condorrat, South Carbrain and Abronhill. Much of the housing of these areas won awards for their innovative designs.
During its construction, under the designer's eye of Geoffrey Copcutt, Cumbernauld town centre
Cumbernauld Town Centre
Cumbernauld town centre is the main shopping centre for the New town of Cumbernauld, Scotland. It is widely accepted as the UK's first shopping mall and was the world's first multi-level covered town centre . The centre has now been expanded by the newly completed addition of the Antonine Centre...
's daring megastructure
Megastructure
A megastructure is a very large manmade object, though the limits of precisely how large this is vary considerably. Some apply the term to any especially large or tall building....
architecture was highly praised. Architects, designers, town planners and students of many disciplines visited Cumbernauld from around the globe to marvel at the town, for many years heralded as a utopian construction.
When originally designated a New Town the target population was 50,000. In 1961, only five years after becoming a new town, the Area to the north of the A80 was included in the town's area with new planned neighbourhoods at Balloch, Dullatur, Westerwood and Eastfield. As a result a revised target population of 70,000 was predicted. However only now is the population starting to climb above 50,000, but this is expected to increase substantially with 2,100 houses being built between 2001 and 2008.
After the creation of the new town
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
, diverse industries such as high-tech, electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, and chemical and food processing became large employers, along with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is a non-ministerial department of the UK Government responsible for the collection of taxes and the payment of some forms of state support....
. The main industrial estates were developed to the east and west along the A80 at Castlecary, Wardpark and Westfield. Areas at Luggiebank and South Carbrain to the south of the town have also been developed for industry.
Modern times
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
series Demolition, where it was voted "the worst building in Britain". As a result of this, it was featured on the BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
program It's Been a Bad Week
It's Been a Bad Week
It’s Been a Bad Week is a British radio comedy on BBC Radio 2, first broadcast on 11 February 1999. It is presented by Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis, and is also referred to as Punt and Dennis: It's Been a Bad Week. More than 100 episodes have been broadcast , the latest series ending on 22 June 2006....
, where it won the show's fictional "Worst Week of the Week Award, Awarded Weekly, on a Week-By-Week Basis." In 2003.
The intended core of Cumbernauld remains the Town Centre buildings, all of which is essentially contained within one structure, segmented into "phases", the first of which was completed in 1967, the latest of which began construction in May 2003 for completion around September 2004. Initially the basic groundwork for the new shops began in 1997 and were finally completed in summer 2007. Designed to be a commerce centre, an entertainment and business venue and a luxury accommodation site, it was widely accepted as the UK's
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
first shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
and was the world's first multi-level covered town centre. However, the town never developed to its planned size, and the town centre has never had the life envisaged by town planners. Wealthy occupiers for the centre's penthouses never materialised and some now lie empty and derelict. Further expansion has been primarily to provide further space for shops. A substantial portion of the original Shopping Centre was demolished due to structural damage and has been redeveloped as a new shopping and leisure complex.
As well as the unfulfilled ambitions for the town, the passage of time has exposed serious defects in post-war concepts of centrally-planned retail and civic centres developed in the absence of proper community consultation or sensitivity to local environmental and economic conditions. This has been reflected in a country-wide backlash against modernist architecture in general. Cumbernauld's Town Centre is widely regarded as one of the ugliest and least-loved examples of post-war design in Scotland. The confusing layout is an abiding source of frustration for both visitors and residents, many of whom are the descendants of skilled workers who aspired to escape the frequently appalling social and housing conditions of the Glasgow conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
in the 1960s and 70s.
DoCoMoMo Key Scottish Monuments
DoCoMoMo Key Scottish Monuments is a list of 60 notable post-war buildings in Scotland, compiled in 1993 by the international architectural conservation organisation DoCoMoMo....
of post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
architecture by the international conservation organisation DoCoMoMo.
Cumbernauld was the location for the 1981 film Gregory's Girl
Gregory's Girl
Gregory's Girl is a 1981 Scottish coming-of-age romantic comedy film written and directed by Bill Forsyth.The film is set in and around a state secondary school in the Abronhill district of Cumbernauld. It features Gordon John Sinclair, Dee Hepburn, and Clare Grogan, among others...
and its sequel, Gregory's Two Girls
Gregory's Two Girls
Gregory's Two Girls is a 1999 British film. It is the sequel to 1981's Gregory's Girl, which also starred John Gordon Sinclair and was written and directed by Bill Forsyth...
. In the film Orphans some of the scenes were shot in Carbrain.
The residential structure of Cumbernauld is noteworthy in that there were no pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
crossings, i.e. zebra
Zebra crossing
A zebra crossing is a type of pedestrian crossing used in many places around the world. Its distinguishing feature is alternating dark and light stripes on the road surface, from which it derives its name. A zebra crossing typically gives extra rights of way to pedestrians.The use of zebra...
or pelican
Pelican crossing
A Pelican crossing is a type of pedestrian crossing featuring a pair of poles each with a standard set of traffic lights facing oncoming traffic, a push button and two illuminated, coloured men facing the pedestrian from across the road - a red, stationary man to indicate that it is not safe to...
crossings, or traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
s —pedestrians traverse roads by bridge or underpass. This has led to the perception that the town is car-centric, and difficult to navigate by foot. In 2004, a set of traffic lights were erected in the Condorrat Village neighbourhood Main Street, soon followed by traffic / pelican lights which were erected beside the new Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
Extra.
Cumbernauld in the last few years has seen a surge of business activity with the expansion of Isola-Werke in the Wardpark
Wardpark
Wardpark is an industrial estate in Cumbernauld, Scotland split by the A80 dual carriageway. The former Burroughs factory which was occupied by OKI was demolished to make way for a retail park, OKI having been relocated nearby...
area, the New OKI
Oki
-Places:*Oki District, Shimane - the Oki Islands in Japan, formerly Oki Province*Oki, Fukuoka - a town in southern Japan*Oki Islands - a group of islands in the Sea of Japan*Oki Airport - The airport serving the Oki Islands...
UK headquarters in Wardpark and Yaskawa Electronics, A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr plc or commonly known as Barr's is a British soft drinks manufacturer, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is particularly notable for the manufacture of the popular Scottish drink, Irn-Bru. A.G. Barr is the largest manufacturer of soft drinks in the United Kingdom...
World Headquarters.
Housing
The town has below-average house prices for the region despite above-average income and below-average unemployment and child poverty rates. The town's housing is well planned and generally of high quality, making it a source of local civic pride in stark contrast to the town centre megastructure. House price imbalances across central Scotland mean that large family homes of four bedrooms and above are available for occupancy in Cumbernauld at prices and rents often half that of equivalent or less salubrious dwellings in the nearby centres of Glasgow and Stirling. Unfortunately the ideals of the 1960s were never realised and half of the New Town was never built.Sport
Cumbernauld hosts many sporting clubs including Clyde F.CClyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
, who currently play in the Scottish Third Division
Scottish Football League Third Division
The Scottish Football League Third Division is the lowest division of the Scottish Football League and the fourth overall in the Scottish football league system....
and reside at Broadwood Stadium
Broadwood Stadium
Broadwood Stadium, also referred to as simply Broadwood, is a football stadium and multi-use community sports complex situated in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The stadium was opened in 1994 and since then has been the home venue of Scottish Third Division side, Clyde F.C....
. It is home to Junior football side Cumbernauld United
Cumbernauld United F.C.
Cumbernauld United Football Club are a football club from Scotland. They operate from Guy's Meadow football park in the Cumbernauld Village area of the town of Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire....
who play at Guy's Meadow
Guy's Meadow
Guy's Meadow is the home ground of Cumbernauld United F.C..The ground, based in Cumbernauld Village, has a record attendance of 2,200....
. The town has a Rugby Team, Cumbernauld RFC
Cumbernauld RFC
Cumbernauld RFC is a Scottish Rugby Union team based in Cumbernauld, Scotland.Home ground is at Auchenkilns Holdings on the south side of Condorrat.The 1st XV play in West Region Division 1, whilst also putting out a 2nd and 3rd XV.-External links:*...
. There has been a gymnastics team, Cumbernauld Gymnastics Club, in the town for many years, and in the early 1990s it moved into its present base at Broadwood Gymnastics Academy, a purpose built building at the same site as Broadwood Stadium. There is also the Cumbernauld Handball Team, Tryst 77 which in 2007 came second in the British Handball Championships. The Tryst homes the Cumbernauld swimming team with many age groups competing in galas around the country.
Transport
Nearby motorway links include the M8, M73M73 motorway
The M73 is a motorway in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is long and connects the M74 motorway with the M80 motorway, providing an eastern bypass for Glasgow. The short stretch between Junctions 1 and 2 is part of unsigned international E-road network E05, where it continues along the M8 through...
, M74
M74 motorway
The A74 and M74 motorways form a major motorway in Scotland. Following an extension opened on 28 June 2011, it connects the M8 motorway west of Glasgow to the English border at Gretna, creating an alternative route for traffic moving from the south to the west of the city...
, M80
M80 motorway
The M80 is a motorway in central Scotland, running through Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Falkirk and Stirling and links the M8, the M73 and M9 motorways. Following completion in 2011, this road is long. From 1992 - 2011, the road was in two sections; the southern section, Glasgow to Stepps and the...
, M876
M876 motorway
The M876 motorway is a motorway in Scotland. The motorway runs from Denny to Airth in the Falkirk council area, forming an approach road to the Kincardine Bridge. It was opened in 1980....
and M9. A local campaign was recently initiated to protest at the proposed extension of the M80
M80 motorway
The M80 is a motorway in central Scotland, running through Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Falkirk and Stirling and links the M8, the M73 and M9 motorways. Following completion in 2011, this road is long. From 1992 - 2011, the road was in two sections; the southern section, Glasgow to Stepps and the...
within the town limits. The A80 was recently upgraded to the M80.
In terms of public transport, Cumbernauld has bus links to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
, Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
and St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
, which are operated by First Group and Stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
.The town has rail links to Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, Motherwell
Motherwell
Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south east of Glasgow. The name "Moderwelt" appears on a map of Lanarkshire made by Timothy Pont some time between 1583 and 1611 and printed in the Netherlands in around 1652, although the settlement was probably little more...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
via Cumbernauld railway station
Cumbernauld railway station
Cumbernauld railway station is a railway station serving the town of Cumbernauld, Scotland. The station is managed by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and is located on the Cumbernauld Lines north east of Glasgow Queen Street station and the Motherwell to Cumbernauld 19 km north of...
and Croy railway station
Croy railway station
Croy railway station serves the towns of Croy and Kilsyth, as well as part of Cumbernauld, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Located on the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line 18 km north east of Glasgow Queen Street, it is also served by SPT services on the Croy Line...
to the north of the town. Various parts of the town are linked by local bus services, operated by smaller companies such as Canavan Travel and Dunn's Coaches. Rail services to and from the town are provided by First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
.
Cumbernauld Airport
Cumbernauld Airport
Cumbernauld Airport is located northeast of Glasgow at Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The airport is primarily used for the training of fixed wing and rotary wing pilots, it also boasts a helicopter charter company and a light aircraft charter operation along with aircraft...
(EGPG) is primarily used for the training of fixed wing and rotary wing pilots, it also has an aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
maintenance facility. The airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
has a CAA
CAA
-Arts:*China Academy of Art, the highest university of art in China which founded in 1928*College Art Association, a professional association in the United States for scholars of art, art history, and art criticism...
Ordinary Licence that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee, Cormack Aircraft Services Limited. The airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
was opened by the Cumbernauld Development Corpororation in the late 1980s. Before the airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
was constructed there was a grass strip in use on the same site.
Education
The Town has many primary and secondary schools to cater for the needs of the town and others surrounding it. The Cumbernauld CollegeCumbernauld College
Cumbernauld College is a higher and further education college in central Scotland. Cumbernauld College serves the communities of both North Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, and has campuses in both Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch, as well as further key outreach centres in Kilsyth, Airdrie,...
provides further education in the town.
Primary schools
- Abronhill Primary
- Baird Memorial Primary
- Carbrain Primary
- Condorrat Primary
- Cumbernauld Primary
- Eastfield Primary
- Kildrum Primary
- Ravenswood Primary
- St Andrew's Primary
- St. Francis of Assisi Primary
- St. Helen's Primary
- St. Lucy's Primary
- St. Margaret of Scotland Primary
- St. Mary's Primary
- Westfield Primary
- Whitelees Primary
- Woodlands Primary
Secondary schools
- Abronhill High SchoolAbronhill High SchoolAbronhill High School is a non-denominational, comprehensive, secondary school in Abronhill, a suburb of the Scottish new town of Cumbernauld. The school roll was 473 pupils in 2008...
- Cumbernauld High SchoolCumbernauld High SchoolCumbernauld High School was the first comprehensive secondary school in the then 'New Town' of Cumbernauld. It opened in 1964 and is a non-denominational, co-educational, secondary school...
- Greenfaulds High SchoolGreenfaulds High SchoolGreenfaulds High School is a non-denominational six-year comprehensive secondary school, which was opened in 1971. Greenfaulds is situated in the west of Cumbernauld and provides a service to the Greenfaulds, Ravenswood, Condorrat, Westfield, Eastfield, Balloch areas and parts of Seafar.The head...
- Our Lady's High SchoolOur Lady's High, Cumbernauld-History:Our Lady's high school is a wretched sinkhole of despair where dreams go to die which opened in 1968. It caters for pupils living in Cumbernauld, Muirhead, Cardowan and Stepps and in addition we also have pupils from Condorrat, Dullatur, Moodiesburn and Castlecary...
- St. Maurice's High School
Religion
The Cumbernauld area reflects the religions and beliefs of ScotlandReligion in Scotland
Christianity is the largest religion in Scotland. At the 2001 census 65% of the Scottish population was Christian. The Church of Scotland, often known as The Kirk, is recognised in law as the national church of Scotland. It is not an established church and is independent of state control. However,...
with Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
predominant. There are currently about 17 churches in the town.
Famous residents
- Neil Primrose, of the band TravisTravis (band)Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
was born and raised in Cumbernauld - Jon FratelliJon FratelliJon Fratelli is a Scottish musician and songwriter best known for his work with the band The Fratellis. He has also played in a band called Codeine Velvet Club but is currently performing as a solo artist.-Early years:Little is known about Lawler's life before he joined the Fratellis. He attended St...
, of the bands The FratellisThe FratellisThe Fratellis were an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli , bass guitarist Barry Fratelli , and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli .The band released 2 albums during their career, Costello Music in 2006 and Here We Stand in...
& Codeine Velvet ClubCodeine Velvet ClubCodeine Velvet Club was a Scottish alternative rock band formed in 2008 by Lou Hickey and Jon Lawler. The band's debut album Codeine Velvet Club was released on 28 December 2009 in the UK and on 6 April 2010 in the US....
lives in Cumbernauld with his family - Ken BuchananKen BuchananKen Buchanan is a former boxing undisputed world lightweight champion. Many consider Buchanan to be the best boxer ever to come out of Scotland.- Early career :...
, a former world boxing champion is a resident of Cumbernauld - Craig FergusonCraig FergusonCraig Ferguson is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS...
, comedian, writer, actor and talk show host - Lynn FergusonLynn FergusonLynn Ferguson is a Scottish writer, actress, comedienne and presenter. She is the sister of comedian Craig Ferguson and is known for voicing the character of Mac in the animated film, Chicken Run.-Early life:...
, actress and writer, best known for playing Mac in Chicken RunChicken RunChicken Run is a 2000 British stop-motion animation film made by the Aardman Animations studios, the production studio of the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit films... - Paula SagePaula SagePaula Sage is a Scottish actress, Special Olympics netball player, and advocate for people with Down's syndrome from Cumbernauld.-Biography:She is an ambassador for Down's Syndrome Scotland and Mencap, and a patron of the Ann Craft Trust....
, actress and Special OlympicsSpecial OlympicsSpecial Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
athlete, appeared in the television dramas River City and AfterLife - The DykeeniesThe DykeeniesThe Dykeenies are a Scottish indie rock band from Cumbernauld, formed in 2005. The group consists of brothers Brian Henderson and Andrew Henderson , along with Steven Ramsay and John Kerr...
, band
Areas of the town
Abronhill; Balloch; BlackwoodBlackwood, Cumbernauld
Blackwood is an area in Cumbernauld, a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The first parts were constructed in approximately 1995. It is located west of Cumbernauld, on the road to Kirkintilloch....
; Carbrain
Carbrain, Cumbernauld
Carbrain is a neighborhood in the Scottish new town of Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire. Construction of Cumbernauld began in 1963, and most areas of Carbrain were inhabited by the early 1970s. For the first several years, Carbrain was considered to be highly desirable as an escape from poor...
; Carrickstone; Condorrat; Craigmarloch
Craigmarloch, Cumbernauld
Craigmarloch is a residential area of the town of Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was the last such area that the Cumbernauld Development Corporation laid out and began construction of. The area is designed to be like a village, with features such as a village green, a main street,...
; Cumbernauld Village
Cumbernauld Village
Cumbernauld Village is an area of the new town of Cumbernauld. Whilst Cumbernauld is a new town, having been first planned in 1956, the Village itself has a pre-mediaeval history, with a Roman settlement being built in the area due to its proximity to the Antonine Wall...
; Dalshannon; Eastfield; Greenfaulds; Kildrum; Lenziemill; Luggiebank
Luggiebank, Cumbernauld
-Overview:Luggiebank, Cumbernauld is a small village to the south of Cumbernauld and is now essentially a suburb of the town. It is situated on what used to be the Striling Road from Lanark, but as a result of a by pass the old road is now a cul de sac.The village consists of around 30 houses and...
; Ravenswood; Seafar; Smithstone
Smithstone, Cumbernauld
Smithstone is an area of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire. The area was originally a farm of the same name and was up until recently when North Lanarkshire Council sold off the land to developers for housing and it is now anticipated that up to 700+ houses will be built in the Area...
; Wardpark; Westerwood; Westfield
Westfield, Cumbernauld
Westfield is an area of the town of Cumbernauld in Scotland. Westfield is a popular residential area originally built by Cumbernauld Development Corporation in the late 1970's / early 1980's . It is located near the village of Condorrat and Broadwood Stadium, home of Clyde FC. The area is...
.
Nearby towns and villages
BanknockBanknock
Banknock is a village within the Falkirk council area in Central Scotland. The village is west-southwest of Falkirk, east-northeast of Kilsyth and north-northeast of Cumbernauld....
; Banton
Banton, Scotland
Banton is a village located near to the town of Kilsyth in Scotland. Originally a cluster of houses and a farm to the north was what existed of the village and then coal-mining brought about the settlement we see today...
; Castlecary
Castlecary
Castlecary is a small village on the border between the North Lanarkshire and Falkirk council areas in Scotland. It is close to the new town of Cumbernauld....
; Croy
Croy, North Lanarkshire
Croy is a village in North Lanarkshire), Scotland. A former mining community, Croy is situated some 21 km from Glasgow and 60 km from Edinburgh on the main railway line between the two cities, with a frequent service to both...
; Dullatur
Dullatur
Dullatur is a village within the vicinity of Cumbernauld, Scotland. Its name is anglicised from the Gaelic "Dubh Leitir", which means dark slope...
; Kelvinhead
Kelvinhead
Kelvinhead is a very small community within the vicinity of the village of Banton in Scotland. Located close to the source of the River Kelvin, it is little more than a collection of a few houses along the A803 road between Kilsyth and Banknock....
; Kilsyth
Kilsyth
Kilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...
.
Notable buildings
Gillespie, Kidd & Coia
Gillespie, Kidd & Coia were a Scottish architectural firm famous for their application of modernism in churches and universities, as well as at St Peter's Seminary in Cardross. Though founded in 1927, it is for their work in the post-war period that they are best known...
designed a number of buildings in the New Town, including:
- Sacred Heart Church
- Cumbernauld CollegeCumbernauld CollegeCumbernauld College is a higher and further education college in central Scotland. Cumbernauld College serves the communities of both North Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, and has campuses in both Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch, as well as further key outreach centres in Kilsyth, Airdrie,...
- Our Lady's High School
- Kildrum Primary
Geoffrey Copcutt designed Cumbernauld Town Centre
Cumbernauld Town Centre
Cumbernauld town centre is the main shopping centre for the New town of Cumbernauld, Scotland. It is widely accepted as the UK's first shopping mall and was the world's first multi-level covered town centre . The centre has now been expanded by the newly completed addition of the Antonine Centre...
(Phase 1).
See also
- List of places in North Lanarkshire
- List of settlements in Scotland by population
External links
- Cumbernauld News, Cumbernauld's local newspaperCumbernauld News & Kilsyth ChronicleThe Cumbernauld News & Kilsyth Chronicle is a local paper serving the areas of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and all the other villages in between the two towns.-History:...
- Cumbernauld Media
- National Library of Scotland: SCOTTISH SCREEN ARCHIVE (archive films about Cumbernauld)