HOLYTOWN, a quoad sacra parish (for a time), in the parish of Bothwell, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 11 miles (E. by S.) from Glasgow; containing, with the villages of Chapelhall and Newarthill, 8169 inhabitants, of whom 900 are in the village of Holytown. This district is situated in a part of the county abounding with coal and ironstone, both of which are wrought to a very great extent. The collieries comprise all the various seams, and not less than from twenty to thirty are in operation; the ell coal, the nine feet, and the splint coal are found in abundance in the mines of Chapelhall. On the Woodhall estate, ironstone of good quality, principally that called blackband, is plentiful; and it is wrought at Calderbraes, near the village of Holytown, and at Greenside, near Newhouse. The Monkland Iron and Steel Company have extensive works near Chapelhall, in which are three blast-furnaces, making together about 1440 tons of pig-iron monthly, and six others producing 2880 tons: in the same establishment are mills and forges in which 400 tons of malleable iron are manufactured weekly. Some works at Cairnbroe, also, belonging to a firm, contain six blast-furnaces, yielding 600 tons of iron per week; and two more furnaces are in contemplation. About one hundred tons of steel are made by the Monkland Company annually, of which thirty tons are wrought into files; and about sixty tons of scrap iron per month are collected by them, and manufactured into engines for steamboats and other purposes. In the company's works more than '2400 persons, including miners, are constantly employed; and the average annual amount of the produce of the various iron-works in the district is estimated at £676,000. Among the principal mansions are, Woodhall, an ancient house in good preservation; Cleland House, a handsome modern mansion, beautifully situated on the South Calder; Carfin and Jerviston, both on the banks of the same river; Lauchope House, an elegant mansion recently erected, and tastefully embellished; and Cardanoch, a beautiful house in the Elizabethan style. The village stands on the great road from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and the district is intersected by the Caledonian railway, by the roads from Stirling to Carlisle, and from Edinburgh to Ayr and Hamilton, and by the Monkland canal. It is inhabited chiefly by persons employed in the collieries and iron-works. The post has a good delivery. The quoad sacra parish of Holytown was about four miles in length, and of nearly equal breadth, comprising an area of 12,000 acres, of which one-half are arable, and of the remainder about one-third woodland and plantations and two-thirds meadow and pasture. The soil is a cold and tenacious clay, difficult to work, but, from the improved state of husbandry, producing favourable crops, though not more than sufficient for the supply of the population. Ecclesiastically Holytown is within the bounds of the presbytery of Hamilton, synod of Glasgow and Ayr. A preaching station was for some time established in the district, which, within the last few years, was replaced by the erection of a handsome church, containing 830 sittings; the minister derives his stipend, £80, from the seat-rents and collections, and has a commodious and comfortable manse. This church is under the patronage of the male communicants. There is also a place of worship for the United Presbyterian Synod. District parochial schools are supported by small endowments, in addition to the fees; five schools are maintained by the parties connected with the several works, in which more than 1000 children receive instruction; and three more are about to be erected by subscription. There are also eight Sabbath schools; and to those of Holytown, Newarthill, Chapelhall, and Cairnbroe, libraries are attached.