|
Population 1247. Figures
taken from 2001 Census.
Coalburn sits in a little hollow in open
countryside, just south of Lesmahagow.
The village is arranged along both sides of
a very long main street and while there is no shopping centre as such
there are handy convenience stores.
Although originally a mining village,
Coalburn is now gaining a name for itself in other areas. The nearby
Hagshawhill wind farm was Scotland's first, built in 1995. Owned by
Scottish Power the 26 turbines, each generating 600 kilowatts of power,
make a stunning sight and there are plans to double the number of
turbines.
Just to the east of Coalburn is the Talamh
Life Centre. Launched in 2000, it aims to provide sustainable solutions
to environmental problems, running courses, managing the land and
growing organic food.
Coalburn has a mixture of council
properties, stone cottages, family villas and new builds.
Coalburn Primary is a feeder school for
Lesmahagow High which will be refurbished as part of South Lanarkshire
Council's multi-million pound schools modernisation programme. The
village also has an excellent sports centre with swimming pool.
Coalburn is served by the Lanark and Carluke
Advertiser and Lanark Gazette.
History
Coalburn started life in the mid-1800s as
rows of houses around coal pits. Over time the rows have been filled out
with private and council housing and amalgamated to create Coalburn as
we know it today.
The rail line opened in 1860 and life didn't
really change for the village until the pits started closing down in the
1900s. The rail line closed in 1965.
There was a revival of Coalburn with the
opening in 1988 of Europe's largest opencast mine at Dalquhandy. This
closed in 2003 and once the regeneration and landscaping have been
completed Coalburn will be surrounded by open moorland again.
|
