Editing Airdrie, North Lanarkshire (section)

===Early history===
[[File:Blaeu - Atlas of Scotland 1654 - GLOTTIANA PRÆFECTVRA INFERIOR - Lower Clydesdale.png|thumb|right|[[Joan Blaeu|Blaeu]]'s map<ref>{{cite web|last1=Blaeu|first1=Joan|url=http://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/#zoom=15&lat=55.8640&lon=-3.9798&layers=17&b=1&point=55.8635,-3.9820|title=Glottiana Praefectura Inferior|website=National Library of Scotland|access-date=30 December 2017}}</ref> based on [[Timothy Pont|Pont]]'s original<ref>{{cite web|title=Glasgow and the county of Lanark - Pont 34|url=http://maps.nls.uk/rec/297|website=Maps of Scotland|publisher=Timothy Pont (16th century)|access-date=31 December 2017}}</ref> "Glasgow and the county of Lanark" map c.1596 depicting Ardry (Airdrie), Burnsyd (Burnfoot), Carnhil (Cairnhill), Gartly (Gartlea), and Ruchsols (Rochsoles) amongst others.]]
[[File:Arms of Airdrie.jpg|thumb|left|Arms of Airdrie - The town's motto is the Latin word Vigilantibus (Being Watchful). It comes from Aitcheson of Rochsolloch<ref>{{cite web|title=Airdrie|url=http://www.ngw.nl/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Airdrie|website=Heraldry of the World|access-date=5 January 2018}}</ref>]]
[[File:She's oor ain toon still - geograph.org.uk - 1316877.jpg|thumb|right|"Be Airdrie what she will, She's oor ain toon still." anonymous quotation on Graham Street]]
There is no evidence to support the claim ([[George Chalmers (antiquarian)|George Chalmers]], Caledonia<ref>{{cite book|last1=Chalmers|first1=George|title=Caledonia : or, a historical and topographical account of North Britain, from the most ancient to the present times with a dictionary of places chorographical & philological|date=1887|publisher=Gardner|location=Paisley|page=246|edition=Vol 1|url=https://archive.org/stream/caledoniaorhisto01chal#page/246/mode/1up/search/Arderyth|access-date=5 January 2018}}</ref>) that Airdrie is the site of the ancient [[Battle of Arfderydd|battle of Arderyth]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Skene|first1=William Forbes|title=Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland|date=1868|publisher=Neill and Co.|location=Edinburgh|pages=91–98|edition=Vol VI|url=https://archive.org/stream/proceedingssoci25scotgoog#page/n140/mode/2up/search/Arderyth|access-date=5 January 2018}}</ref> Under the patronage of King [[Malcolm IV of Scotland]] Cistercian monks established an abbey at [[Melrose Abbey|Melrose]] in 1136. Five years later a daughter house was founded at [[Newbattle Abbey]] in Lothian. In 1160, Malcolm granted lands in central Scotland to the monks of Newbattle. These became known as the "Munklands" (Register of the Great Seal 1323).<ref name="JamesKnox">{{cite book|last1=Knox|first1=James, Sir|title=Airdrie: A Historical Sketch|date=1921|publisher=Baird & Hamilton|location=Airdrie|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015074854087;view=1up;size=150|access-date=4 January 2018}}</ref>{{rp|p=3}}

Malcolm's Charter constitutes the oldest documentary record of place-names in the Monklands. The area of land granted by the Charter is clearly defined by direct reference to geographical and topographical features thus: ''Dunpeldre by its right boundaries, namely with Metheraugh and Mayeuth and Clarnephin as far as Dunduffes in the east.'' The name ''Dunpeldre'' is found in the modern name Drumpellier, ''Metheraugh'' is Medrox; ''Mayeuth'' is Myvot and ''Clarnephin'' refers to the [[North Calder Water]] in the east of the parish (from old Brittonic name ''claur n afon'' meaning plain of the river). ''Dunduffes'' has become directly translated into the modern [[Black Hill transmitting station|Black Hill]] which, as the Charter states, lies at the eastern extremity of the parish. The Charter does not mention anything resembling Airdrie, although this is where Airdrie is located.<ref name="JamesKnox"/>{{rp|p=3}}

Airdrie owes its existence to its location on the 'Hogs Back' – a ridge of land running from east to west.<ref>{{cite web|title=Airdrie|url=http://www.monklands.co.uk/airdrie/|website=Monklands Memories|access-date=4 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111113307/http://www.monklands.co.uk/airdrie/|archive-date=11 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> One very important aspect of the town's history was the [[Cistercian]] monks of [[Newbattle Abbey]], which is why the area is called the Monklands. The monks were farmers and some of their place names survive, e.g., Ryefield and Whifflet (the wheat flats). Much of the land they used is known today as 'The Four Isles' (a housing estate named after four Scottish islands): [[Isle of Mull|Mull]], [[Islay]], [[Iona]] and [[Luing]] in the Petersburn area of modern Airdrie.  The [[monk]]s of Newbattle had numerous establishments throughout the area including a [[farm]] grange at Drumpellier, Coatbridge, a court house at [[Kipps]], a [[chapel]] in the area of Chapelhall and a number of corn [[Mill (grinding)|mills]]. The Monks were also expert in the construction of roads. In the 12th century, they established the original Glasgow to [[Edinburgh]] road via Airdrie and [[Bathgate]], to link up with their lands in Newbattle in [[East Lothian]].<ref name="JamesKnox"/>{{rp|p=3}}
[[File:The Robert Hamilton Memorial - geograph.org.uk - 1315490.jpg|thumb|right|The Robert Hamilton Memorial]]

Definitive evidence of the existence of Airdrie as a tenantry was only made clear in 1503. The old monks' road was via Cliftonhill (an area now in neighbouring Coatbridge), Airdrie House (now the site of [[Monklands Hospital]]), Aitchison Street, High Street, Hallcraig Street, Flowerhill Street and Colliertree Road. The first houses in Airdrie were built along this road. Development was slow and it was only around 1650 that evidence of the number of [[population|inhabitants]] was known at around 500 for the Airdrie area. A large contingent of Airdrieonians fought at the [[Battle of Bothwell Brig]] during the Covenanter Rebellion of 1679; their banner can still be viewed at the local library.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/banner-headline-covenanters-2508399|title=Banner headline for Covenanters|date=19 February 2002|newspaper=The Scotsman|access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref>

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Airdrie Fairs and Market Act 1695
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of Scotland
| long_title            = Act in favours of Robert Hamilton of Airdry for four yearly fairs & a weekly Mercat at the toun of Airdry.
| year                  = 1695
| citation              = [[List of acts of the Parliament of Scotland from 1695|1695]] c. 94
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 17 July 1695
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = 
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
A significant event in Airdrie's history was the 1695 passing of a special act of Parliament, the '''{{visible anchor|Airdrie Fairs and Market Act 1695}}'' (c. 94)<ref name="JamesKnox"/>{{rp|p=17}} in the Scottish Parliament allowing Robert Hamilton of Airdrie to hold four fairs yearly and a weekly market in the town of 'Airdry'. This helped develop Airdrie from a 'farm town' into a thriving 'market town'.<ref>{{cite web|title=1986 AIRDRIE AN OPEN AIR MARKET|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/domesday/dblock/GB-276000-663000/page/8|website=Domesday Reloaded|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 January 2018|ref=D-block GB-276000-663000}}</ref>

However, Airdrie really came to prominence through its [[weaving]] industry. Airdrie Weavers Society was founded in 1781 and [[flax]] was being grown in sixteen farms in and around the [[burgh]]. In the last decade of the eighteenth century, [[coal mining]] was in progress and around thirty [[Coal mining|colliers]] were employed. Weaving continued to flourish making up a substantial part of the population of over 2,500 around the turn of the 19th century.<ref name="JamesKnox"/>{{rp|p=73-85}}

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Airdrie Improvement Act 1821
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = 
| year                  = 1821
| citation              = [[1 & 2 Geo. 4]]. c. lx
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 28 May 1821
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = {{ubli|Airdrie Corporation Order Confirmation Act 1951}}
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = repealed
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo4/1-2/60/pdfs/ukla_18210060_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
Given its large number of weavers, its geographic location and a large number of unemployed soldiers following the end of the [[Napoleonic Wars]], Airdrie became a major centre of support for the [[Radical War]] of 1820. The rapid pace of population growth continued and by 1821 there were 4,862 inhabitants. At this time, the number of houses being built increased dramatically and in 1821, by a local [[act of Parliament]], the '''{{visible anchor|Airdrie Improvement Act 1821}}''' ([[1 & 2 Geo. 4]]. c. lx), Airdrie became a free and independent [[burgh of barony]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vlex.co.uk/vid/airdrie-improvement-act-1821-808481269|title=Airdrie Improvement Act 1821|publisher=Vlex| access-date=8 October 2022}}</ref>

In 1821, the first election of a town council took place and by August it had appointed an assessor, [[Procurator Fiscal|procurator fiscal]], master of police and a [[town crier]]. Anyone who had paid their 3 [[guineas]] was allowed to vote; there is even a record of a John Mackay voting despite being under 10 years old.<ref name="JamesKnox"/>{{rp|p=63}}

In 1824, it was decided to build the [[Airdrie Town House]], originally designed by Alexander Baird and now a local landmark known as the 'town clock'.<ref name=townhouse>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num= LB20926|desc= Bank Street, The Townhouse |access-date=29 March 2021}}</ref> In 1832, the Town House was used as a hospital due to the [[cholera]] outbreak of this year.<ref name=townhouse/>