Rutherglen is a parish, hamlet, and market town located in the lower district of Lanark County, Scotland. It is situated 2½ miles south-east of Glasgow city center and is believed to be named after Reutherus, King of Scotland, the fifth to descend from Fergus I. The town is home to a number of churches, including the current church built in 1794 which can accommodate 800 people, a simple chapel with 800 rooms, a free church, and a relief church. Rutherglen is located 41 miles west of Edinburgh, 304 miles north of Cardiff, and 342 miles northwest of London.
It belongs to the unitary authority of South Lanarkshire and is in the G73 postal district. For practical reasons, it can be considered a suburb of Glasgow city. The area borders Burnside proper and includes several hillside streets with views of the Burgh of Rutherglen and Glasgow. The Burgh area of Rutherglen includes the former heart of the Royal Burgh of Rutherglen and the surrounding area.
It was granted its statute in 1126 by royal charter from King David I of Scotland, who ruled from 1124 to 1153. This area has modern and attractive developments and maintains the green theme of Glasgow and Rutherglen with gardens everywhere. The center of Rutherglen and the magnificent town hall have also undergone a major renovation to take on a new role as a multifunctional art, wedding, and museum complex. Rutherglen was once known for its large horse fairs that took place on the wide main street in the 17th century. During the 19th century, it went from being a town of weavers and miners to a more industrialized area with its own shipyard established by Thomas Bollen Seath in 1856. In October 1863, this second site was named Rutherglen in honor of John Wallace's Scottish birthplace and became the booking office for buses bound for Melbourne.
The town also had a long tradition of coal mining that died out in 1950. The Cuningar Circuit is an area south of the River Clyde near the Farme Cross region of the Royal Burg of Rutherglen. This guide explores the history and main genealogical records related to this parish in Scotland. From its royal charter to its modern developments, Rutherglen has been an important part of Scotland's history for centuries.
