GARTSHERRIE, a quoad sacra parish (for a time),
in the parish of Old-Monkland, county of Lanark;
containing, with the villages of Coatbridge, Coatdyke,
Gartcloss, East Merrystone, and Summerlee, 5906 inhabitants,
of whom 1499 are in the village of Gartsherrie,
2 miles (W.) from Airdrie. This is a considerable mining
district, in the works connected with which nearly
the whole population are employed: the iron-works are
of great magnitude, including a considerable number of
blast-furnaces for smelting the ore. The coal-mine here
is worked on a very extensive scale; there are five strata
of coal, between each of which is a stratum of sandstone
and shale: the seams of coal vary in thickness from one
foot four inches to four feet. Great facility of intercourse
is afforded by the Glasgow, Garnkirk, and Coatbridge
railway, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch railway,
the Caledonian line, the Ballochney line, and the Wishaw
and Coltness. Ecclesiastically, Gartsherrie is in the
presbytery of Hamilton, synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and
the patronage is vested in the subscribers to the church:
the stipend of the minister is £150, secured by bond.
The church, erected at a cost of £3300, is an elegant
structure, with a tower rising to the height of 136 feet,
and contains 1500 sittings. Near it is the Academy,
erected in 1844, at a cost of £2300; and there is a large
Sabbath school, taught by the elders.