LENNOXTOWN, a village, in the parish of Campsie,
county of Stirling, 3 miles (N. W. by W.) from Kirk-
intilloch; containing 2821 inhabitants. This is a considerable
place, situated in the centre of the parish, and
deriving its name from the family of Lennox of Woodhead,
on whose property it was built. It stands about
nine miles north of Glasgow, and nearly a mile south of
the base of Campsie fells; the road from Kirkintilloch
to the village of Campsie passes through it, and it has a
branch, called the Campsie branch, of the Edinburgh
and Glasgow railway. On account of its centrical position,
and its proximity to large public works, it has now
become the residence of almost half the population of
the parish. Here are prepared the various chemical
products of the Campsie alum-work, at the east end of
the village; and in the neighbourhood are several coalmines
and lime-kilns. Calico-printing is extensively
carried on: indeed, the Lennox-mill printfield is said
to be the largest establishment of the kind in Scotland,
employing upwards of 7OO persons. The Kincaid and
Lillyburn printfields, and Clachan and Glenmill bleachfields,
are in the vicinity of the village, and are also very
extensive concerns, in which a great number of hands
are engaged: all these works are within the parish.
Numerous persons are, likewise, employed in a variety of
handicraft trades; and few places of the same size are
the scenes of greater enterprise and industry. Both
sheriff's courts and justice-of-peace courts are held in
the village, which is also the polling-place for the district.
A post-oihce has been established under Glasgow.
Among the most striking objects around Lennoxtown is
the elegant and newly-built mansion of Lennox Castle,
the residence of J. L. Kincaid Lennox, Esq., superior of
the village; this splendid edifice was commenced in
1837, and completed in 1841, and is in the boldest style
of old Norman architecture. The principal entrance is
by a handsome portcochere on the north front; and
from the lofty towers, which overtop the aged trees that
formerly adorned the ancient mansion-house of Woodhead,
is a prospect of considerable extent and beauty.
The grounds surrounding the castle are laid out with
artistical taste, and plans for their improvement and extension
are still in progress. Campsie parochial church,
a handsome edifice, built in 1 829, is situated here; and
a spacious school-house, consisting of two large rooms,
one of which is at present used as a juvenile and the
other as an infant school, has been erected by Messrs.
Lennox and Dalglish, assisted by subscribers, for the
benefit of the numerous children in the locality. A
Roman Catholic priest resides in the village, for the
superintendence of the Irish population in Campsie,
amounting to between COO and 1000 persons; and there
is a place of worship for members of the United Presbyterian
Church.