Crosshill

   1) CROSSHILL, a village, in the parish of Kirkmichael, district of Carrick, county of Ayr, 2¾ miles (S. E.) from Maybole; containing 1163 inhabitants. This village, which is pleasantly situated on the river Girvan, has arisen within the last fifty years, and is partly built on lands let for that purpose by the proprietor of the barony of Dalhoan. The inhabitants, of whom a large majority are settlers from Ireland, are chiefly employed in the cotton manufacture established by the wholesale houses of Glasgow, who have agents residing on the spot. A considerable number of the female population, both here and throughout the parish, are employed in working and flowering muslins for the Glasgow and Paisley manufacturers, and their work is much admired for its elegance. A chapel of ease has been erected; it is a neat and substantial edifice, adapted for a congregation of more than 450, and is so arranged as to admit of future enlargement by the addition of galleries when requisite. A spacious schoolroom was erected in the village by a former proprietor, for the instruction of the children of this part of the parish, and in addition to the use of the schoolroom, the master till recently received £3. 10. from the heritors. This school has lately been taken into connexion with the schools of the General Assembly.

   2) CROSSHILL, lately a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of Old Monkland, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 4½ miles (E. by S.) from Glasgow; containing, with the villages of Baillieston, Barachnie, Craigend, West Merrystone, and Swinton, 2591 inhabitants. This district is, for the most part, beautifully situated, the land rising considerably above the vale of the Clyde, and commanding, on the south, an interesting view of all the hills and heights from the western shore to the ridge of Tinto on the east, and on the north from BenLomond all along the Campsie and Kilsyth hills. It is about eighteen square miles in extent, the whole under cultivation, with the exception of a few acres of plantation. The soil is chiefly sandy, but towards the north of a stiff clayey nature, and the farms have been latterly very much improved by tile-draining: the average rent is now about £2. 5. per acre. The freestone and coal formations prevail, and there are seven coal-mines, of which six are at present in operation. The road between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and the Monkland canal, pass through the parish, the latter affording great facilities for the conveyance of coal to Glasgow, and of manure and other heavy articles to the farmers along the whole of its line, on which are also boats for passengers. Among the chief mansions are Mount Vernon, Blairtummock, Easterhouse, Baillieston House, and Garrowhill, the last the residence for some time of a former Duchess of Atholl. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the presbytery of Hamilton and synod of Glasgow and Ayr: the church was erected in 1833, by subscriptions from the neighbouring heritors, aided by £50 from the university of Glasgow, and is a neat plain edifice, with a belfry, and contains 494 sittings, of which twenty-six are free. The stipend of the minister is £70, raised by seat-rents; patrons, the Subscribers and Pew-holders. The United Secession had a place of worship here for several years, but it has been converted into dwelling-houses. There are schools connected with some of the coal-works; and of two other schools, one is aided by the heritors of Old Monkland and the congregation of Crosshill, and the master of the other has a free house, school-house, and garden.

   3) CROSSHILL, a village, in the parish of Cathcart, Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 2 miles (S.) from Glasgow; containing 63 inhabitants. It lies in the northern part of the parish, and on the eastern confines of the county: the road from Glasgow to Cathcart runs a short distance westward of the village. There is a valuable quarry of freestone, which is extensively wrought for the erection of buildings in Glasgow.