Clarkston

   1) CLARKSTON, late a quoad sacra parish, including the villages of Arden and Ballochney, in the Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 1¼ mile (E.) from Airdrie; containing 4526 inhabitants. The parish was formed of the south-eastern portion of that of New Monkland and part of that of Shotts; it was seven miles in length, and three in breadth, lying chiefly along the south side of a pretty high dorse, which runs from west to east. The soil is in general a cold clay; in some parts is deep moss, and on the lands of Auchingray and Brownieside are considerable plantations. Agricultural improvement in this quarter has been much neglected, owing, in some measure, to the distance from which lime can be obtained, but chiefly to the attention of the proprietors of land having been turned to successful searches after minerals, by which large fortunes have been realised. Numerous iron-mines are now in operation, and the whole district abounds in coal. Contiguous to the village, are the Clarkston cotton, and Moffat paper, mills, and at the village of Gartness is an iron-rolling mill: the ores are forwarded to another parish to be manufactured. The Ballochney and Whiterigg railway runs along the north side of the district, which is also intersected by the middle road from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Besides the villages of Clarkston, Arden, and Ballochney, are five villages of considerable size, and many of smaller extent and more recent erection, for the accommodation of the miners and other work-people, of whom the increase of late years has been very great; and in various places are handsome seats and modern residences. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the presbytery of Hamilton and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The church, which is of plain rubble workmanship, was erected in 1836–7, at a cost of about £1480; it contains 730 sittings, and is surrounded by a neat burial-ground. The stipend of the minister is £70, and the patronage is vested in the male communicants. There are four schools, built by masters of public works. In the east corner of the district, is the great reservoir for supplying the Clyde and Forth canal.

   2) CLARKSTON, a village, in the parish of Cathcart, Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 2 miles (S. by W.) from Cathcart; containing 180 inhabitants. It lies on the south-western confines of the parish, and on the road from Eaglesham to Cathcart. In the village is a good school, chiefly frequented, from its contiguity to Busby, in the parish of Mearns, by the children of that place; the master has an endowment of £10 per annum, from the proprietors of the public works at Busby.