There are nineteen different ways, in which the name of the great poet Shakespeare may be spelt. Sir Herbert Maxwell tells us that there were twenty five different ways of spelling his native place, Galloway; and in ancient charters and other documents the name of the old town of Kirkintilloch has been pretty well twisted in the same manner. It appears as Caerpentulach, Caerpentilloch, Cairpentaloch, Kyrkyntulok, Kirkyntulach, Kirkyntulloch, Kirkentulacht, Kirkintholach, Kirkintulach, Kirkintullocht, Kerkentuloch, Kirkintolach, Kirkintullach, Kirkentilloch, Kirkintulloch, and finally settles down into Kirkintilloch.

The original name was Caer-pen-tulach, signifying in the Cambro-British speech, the fort on the head or end of the hill\ and this would describe exactly its appearance when the Roman fort at the Peel—near the present parish church— stood prominently at the end of the hill on which the town is now built. The name Caer-pen-tulach was applied to the district as well as the fort, and the origin of Kirk-tilloch thus dates from the first or at least the second century.

Possibly no other town in Scotland has an equal record ; and if the Lord Mayor of London invited all the Provosts in the kingdom to a banquet, and gave each precedence according to the period when the town he represented had a name and a beginning, however humble; it seems certain that the man who would take precedence of all others would not be the Provost of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, or Paisley, but the Provost of Kirkintilloch.

It is most likely that the erection of the fort—always containing a garrison—would induce natives and, perhaps, old veterans of the Roman army, to settle down and cultivate their crops under the protection of the troops, and the nucleus of a village thus formed would, in course of time, grow into a town.

Be that as it may, it had attained to some importance in the reign of William the Lion, who gave a “Grant of liberty of a burgh at Kirkintilloch ” to William Cumyn (or Comyn), a translation of which we are enabled to give.

The document conveying this grant unfortunately gives no year—and this, it seems, was a common omission in charters of the time—otherwise it is in good business shape. The year of its execution is, however, problematical, and all that we can be certain of is, that it was not later than December, 1214, when William died. Most writers give 1170 as the year, and others 1184, but on what grounds we are unable to discover.

“Grant of Liberty of a Burgh at Kirkintilloch.

“William, by the grace of God, King of Scots, to all honest men of his whole realm, clergy and laity—Greeting, —Know those present and to come; that I have granted, and by my present charter confirmed, to William Cumyn and his heirs that they should have a burgh at Kirkintilloch, and a market upon the Thursday, with the liberties and privileges belonging to a burgh; as freely, and quietly, and honourably as any of my barons have ‘a burgh from my gift within my realm.

“Witnesses,—Alan son of Ronald my constable; William de Boscho my chancellor; Philip de Valen my chamberlain; Phillip de Mowbra; Alexander my sheriff of Stirling ; Harbert de Camera; Adam his son.

“Given at Foreis the second day of October, and extracted out of the register of the dean, canons, and chapter of the Metropolitan Church of Glasgow, by me, Richard Harbertsoun, notary public, and clerk of the said chapter, pro tempore. Witness my hand. Signed.”

Following the above grant was a charter by William Cumyn to the burgh, which unfortunately is not extant, but we give a confirmation of it by William, Earl of Wigton, with additional privileges.

“To all who shall see or hear this Charter. William Earl of Wigtown, Lord Fleming and Cumbernauld, Lord Superior of the Lordship and Barony of Lenzie, of which barony the burgh and lands of Kirkintilloch with their pertinents underwritten are proper parts and pertinents, Greeting. Forasmuch as by authentic instruments and documents, and other ancient evidents, It clearly appears to us that William, formerly King of the Scots, erected the foresaid town and burgh-lands thereof with houses, tenements, yards, and other pertinents of the said town and burgh of Kirkintilloch into a burgh of barony, In favour of William Cumming; And also that the said William Cumming in feu farm and heritage for ever—Gave, sold, alienated, and disponed, In favour of certain inhabitants or burgesses of the said burgh, and their successors; the foresaid town, burgh lands thereof, with the houses, tenements, and others above written with the pertinents. And Sicklike that he gave and granted to them and their foresaids, the liberty of a free burgh of barony, with power of courts, election of bailies yearly, and other privileges, as at more length expressed in the above charter granted to the said burgesses as the same of date with the Sasine following thereon more fully bears. And Sicklike that divers others our predecessors holding of the Kings of Scotland the said free burgh of Kirkintilloch with all and singular the privileges of a burgh of barony; particularly Malcolm, Lord Fleming, High Chamberlain of Scotland, and baron of the said barony of Lenzie, our predecessor of famous memory, by charters with his own hand subscribed and duly sealed, whereof the first of date at Cumbernauld the tenth day of the month of December 1525, and the other of date at Boghall the tenth day of the month of February 1527, heritably gave and granted to the foresaid burgesses and possessors of the said burgh and lands thereof for the time and their successors. All and Haill the burgh lands and tenements lawfully and by right and custom anciently pertaining and belonging to the said burgh of Kirkintilloch lying in the said barony, and within the Sheriffdom of Dumbarton. To be holden by the said burgesses, their heirs and assignees of the said Malcolm Fleming, his heirs and successors in feu farm and heritage for ever, with the haill liberties of a feu Charter, with Courts, and their exits and amerciaments, with power also yearly of choosing, continuing, on-putting, and off-putting bailies, sergeants, officers, writers, and clerks of court, buying and selling such burgh lands and tenements, making and receiving resignations of said lands and tenements, in the hands of the said bailies state and sasine giving and delivering thereon, with all other liberties and rights belonging to a free burgh of barony, and as freely as any other burgh lands and tenements within a burgh of barony within the Kingdom of Scotland have been held or possessed by any persons whomsoever. Paying therefrom yearly the said burgesses and feuars of the said lands and tenements their heirs and successors to the said Malcolm Lord Fleming, his heirs and successors whatsoever, of twelve merks usual money of the Kingdom of Scotland of yearly feu duty, at two terms of the year, viz. Whitsunday, and Martinmas in winter, by equal portions, As at more length specified in the foresaid charters of the dates foresaid containing in themselves the boundings of the said lands and precepts of sasine with full and ample warrandice. And that the foresaid burgesses and feuars of Kirkintilloch have been infeft and seized in the foresaid burgh lands and tenements of the said burgh, with their liberties, profits and righteous pertinents set forth in the charters above mentioned, and by virtue of the precepts of sasine in them contained as is more fully expressed in the instruments of sasine following thereupon whereof the one is dated 1st January 1527, and the other 9th June 1528, under the hand and seal of Gavin Clarke Notary Public, and duly registered. And that John, sometime Earl of Wigtoun therein designed Lord Wigtoun our Grandfather by his letters of ratification and confirmation subscribed by him of date 22nd September 1617, ratified and approved and for himself and his successors for ever confirmed to the said burgesses of Kirkintilloch the foresaid charters of the burgh lands, tenements, liberties and others above written, granted by the said Malcolm Fleming or others whomsoever his predecessors.....And moreover that the said John Earl of Wigtoun our grandfather, and John, Earl of Wigtoun our father, in virtue of a certain contract entered into between them on the one part, and the said burgesses and bailies of Kirkintilloch for the time, for themselves and their successors on the other part, made of date sett in tack to the said burgesses as heritable proprietors of the lands of Kirkintilloch with their pertinents and their heirs and successors severally according to their respective inrerests therein, all and sundry teinds, parsonage, and vicarage of the foresaid lands of Kirkintilloch with their haill pertinents for the space of many years yet to come, thereintill specially insert, with several other couditions then agreed and ended betwixt them, the said noble Earls our grandfather and father by virtue of the said contract for certain sums of money then paid to them by the said burgesses, and for several other causes them moving. Dt Novo ratified, approved, and for ever confirmed the foresaid charters, instruments of sasine, and other evidents.....And we being resolved and inclined in more ample form to establish, strengthen, and corroborate, and in no ways impugn, infringe, or gainsay the foresaid charters and sasines, ratifications, and confirmations thereof, and other titles, evidents, documents, liberties, immunities, and privileges, and others above written, granted by our said noble and famous predecessors to the said burgesses and their foresaids. Therefore witt ye us for the causes specially above written, and also for the sum of five hundred and fifty merks usual money of this realm, fully and completely paid to us by James Findlay and John Guiding present bailies of the said burgh for themselves and the other burgesses and heritable proprietors of the said town and lands of Kirkintilloch, with the pertinents after-named, viz.—Mr. James, John, and Malcolm Flemings, Robert Bume, James and David Dalrymple, John Cunningburgh, John Wilsoune, Tohn Pettegrew, William Hendrie, Andrew Stirling, James Dollar, William Scot, Robert Stirling, James Winchester, George Ralstoune, John Smyth, and James Cunningburgh, burgesses of the west side of the water of Luggie, and James Fleming, Patrick, John, and Andrew Findlayes, John Calder, John Brune, Robert and Robert Dollars elder and younger, John Dollar, Walter Bull, William Hendrie, William Booke, David and Thomas Calders, Andrew Aichisoune, William and John Muirs, and John Andersoune, burgesses of the east side of the said water of Luggie, and heritable proprietors of the said lands town And burgh of Kirkintilloch, and for Bartholomew Miller, James and John Hendries, George Stirling, John Bankier, James Bissert, Robert Mochrie. John Cowane, James Bryce, James Bull, Alexander Findlay, John and Alexander Baxters, portioners and heritable proprietors of the burgh acres, tenements, and yeards of the said burgh, and for the haill other persons heritable proprietors, the same as well not named as named, and for each of the foresaid persons, their interests and several parts, pendicles, and divisions of the tenements, biggings, yards, arable land, mosses, muirs, meadows, pasturage and pertinents thereof whatsoever without any hurt or prejudice to the foresaid former infeftments, evidents, or rights generally and particularly above written, but for the greater force and validity of the same accumulando jura juribus to have ratified, approved, and by this our present charter for ever confirmed.....Moreover, witt ye us the said William, Earl of Wigtoun, lord superior foresaid, for the said sum of money, and for divers other good onerous causes and considerations, well and truly made, done, and performed to us and our honourable predecessors by the said burgesses, heritors, incorporations, and community of said burgh, with which we hold us as well contented and renounce all objections to the contrary, de novo, to have given, granted, alienated, and in feu farm heritably for ever demitted. . . . to the said . . . bailies . . . burgesses heritors and portioners of Kirkintilloch, and their heirs, successors, and assignees whatsoever. All and Singular the lands and others specially and generally under written, viz.: The burgh lands, tenements of lands, town and burgh of Kirkintilloch, with the haill buildings back and fore, high and laigh, yards, orchards, barns, office houses, and other buildings whatsoever, tofts, crofts, commons, mosses, meadows, grass, and pasturage, extending to a five pound land of old extent including and comprehending therein as special parts and pertinents thereof, thirty-three parts and portions of land, and one-half part and portion of land divided amongst the said burgesses and their predecessors, and commonly called the thretty-thrie and one-half new land "maillings,* and including the towns and lands of Boghead and Gartclash, with the Town pertinents, with the burgh acres of the said town and burgh, infield, outfield, free ish and entry, coals, coal-heughs, stone and lime, annexis, connexis, and all parts, pendicles, priviledges, immunities, profits, and others their pertinents whatsoever, including also and specially comprehending these vacant pieces and portions of land lying within the said burgh on the west side of the water of Luggie between the Tolbooth, the houses of the said David Dalrymple, James Bissert, and John Bankier, and the common ways of the said burgh, bounding them on all sides; and all which lands of buigh and town particularly foresaid lye within the parish of Wester Lenzie, barony thereof, and sheriffdom of Dumbarton, specially bounded and marched as follows in vulgarly beginand at the north eist neuk of Short’s Croft, and from thence marching southward upon the eist syd of the dyke hill and eister yeard conforme to tfre march stones yrin fixit, all belonging to James Findlay upon the west, and Eistermaynes upon the eist pairts of the sds marches, and from thence eist the north syd of the hie King’s waye, to the eist syd of Martin’s bank, and betwixt the same and Morrice bank, southward to Graham’s Dyke, and from thence eist alongs Graham’s Dyke to the march of Auchindavie callit the Chapman’s Slack, from thence south throw the mids of the Gallow-moss to the north ends of the Langmuir, from thence eist and north-eist the north ends of the said Langmuir to the lands of Shyrvay, from thence south and south-eist betwixt the lands of Gartclosh and Drumhill’ to the lands of Eister Gartschoir, conforme to the marches yrin fixit, from thence south to the bume betwixt the lands of Eister Gartschoir upon the south, and of Gartclosh upon the north, and from thence west the said bume callit the Blackburne, to the north end of the said lands belonging to Wester Gartschoir, callit Gartconnell and Foirdscroft, falls upon the south syd, and the comone lands of Kirkintilloch upon the north, from thence south ovir to the water of Luggie, and discending the said water to the north-end of the march-dyke, betwixt the Oxgange and Newland lands of Kirkintilloch, and from thence south the said dyke to the north-eist end of the Kirkland, and from thence west and south-west by the north ends of Kirkland and Oxgang lands, to the north end of the Hallone, and from thence south the said Loane, and by the eist end of the Loch of Kirkintilloch to the north end of the lands of Gartingabber, from thence west be the south syd of the said loch, to the eist syd of the Playing-pot, from thence south about the eist end of the Midlmuir of Kirkintilloch, and then west betwixt the Midlmuir and the lands of Gartingabber, to the mids of the flowing betwixt Kirkintulloch and Achinloch, and then west, comprehending the lands of Bogheid, and from the west end yrof, betwixt the same and the Coatters Lands belonging to Achinloch, northward to the mids of the bogg betwixt the lands of Eister Calder and Bogheid, from thence eist the mids of the said bogg to the bume callit the Park burne, from thence north and north-west yt bume to the Clattering foird, from thence eist to the Fall-dykes, upon the south end of the Park falls, unto the dyke betwixt the Croft of Kirkintilloch and the falls of Westermaynes, from thence north to the said dyke betwixt the croft of Kirkintulloch upon the eist, and the Westermaynes upon the west, comprehending that piece of grand pertaining to Johne Fleiming of Woodally, callit Cumynschach, from thence eist betwixt the lands of the Peill upon the north, and Robert Boyd his lands upon the south, unto the west ends of the yeard belonging to John Morsonne, from thence north to the west end of the said yeards and houses pertaining to the said John Morsonne, John Cunningbruh, John Fleiming, and Robert Burnes, all upon the eist, and the said lands of Peill upon the west, and thence eist betwixt the kirk yeard upon the north, and the yeard and house of Robert Burnes upon the south, and from thence north be the new march stones at the eist end of the kirk yeard to the south syd of David Dalrumple’s cors house, from thence west to the south syd of the Tolbuth and James Bissert’s house, and yn comprehending the yeard belonging to Bartholomo Miller at the west end of the kirk yeard, and foom thence north by the west end of the yeard belonging to George Stirling to the hie King’s waye, and thence west the said waye, upon the south syd yrof to the Parklands, and fra thence north betwixt the haugh lands and Westermaynes upon the west and barrow lands of Kirkintilloch upon the eist to the lands of Haystoune, and from thence eist betwixt the lands of Haystoune and lands of Elyishauch upon the north, barrow-land and haugh-land of Kirkintilloch upon the south, and from thence south and south-eist betwixt the said lands of Easter-maynes upon the eist and north pairts, and lands of Robert Burnes upon the west and south pairts, and from thence eist, to the eist neuk of the said Shorts Croft upon the south, and the said Easter-maynes upon the north pairts.

And sicklike we have given, granted, disponed, and confirmed, and by the tenor of these presents give, grant, dispone and confirm to the said baillies, burgesses, inhabitants and community of the said burgh, the liberty and privelege of choosing, making, and appointing, continuing and changing by themselves yearly, at their will and pleasure, and as often as they shall see fit, baillies, clerks, and writers of Court, sergeants, officers, and all other members of Court necessary, and that/ without the consent of us, and our foresaid, obtained or to be obtained thereto. And which baillies, clerks, sergeants, officers, and other members of Court necessary as yearly chosen, or to be chosen, we have made, nominated, and constituted, and also by the tenor of these presents for us and our successors, make, nominate, and appoint our baillies, clerks, writers of Court, sergeants, officers,. and members of Court of the said lordship and barony of Lenzie in that part within the bounds of the said burgh, and lands above written and amongst all the inhabitants therein, sicklike and in the same manner as if they were yearly appointed by us and our foresaids, although no such appointment hereafter be made, neither shall be necessary'. With full power and liberty to the baillies by themselves of calling Courts within the foresaid bounds, administering justice, duly fining and punishing delinquents, uplifting and applying to their own proper use the fines, amerciaments and casualties therefrom arising, in the same manner as they and their predecessors were formerly in possession of allenarly. And sicklike with full power and commission to the said baillies and their clerks of Court so yearly chosen, or to be chosen, as our Commissioners and Superiors of the said lands to that effect by these presents lawfully constituted of receiving resignations, and infefting and seaseing all and Singular, the heritable proprietors of the said burgh, or of any parts thereof, whether as heirs of their predecessors or upon resignation of their authors, or in any other way according to the laws of this Kingdom, in all time coining, in their several lands, tenements, yeards, crofts, meadows, grass, pasturage, and others respectively above written, with their pertinents lying and bounded as above, and every other thing to do and perform, which to the said office of balliary pertains, which by these presents are declared by us, for ourselves and our successors, to be of as great force, strength, and effect, as if the haill premises were severally made or done by us and our foresaids. Moreover we have given, granted, and disponed, and by the tenor hereof, give, grant and dispone, to the said baillies, burgesses, and community of our said burgh of Kirkintilloch, all and sundry liberties, immunities, and privdege* at any time byegone granted to us and our predecessors by our Sovereign Lord or his predecessors, and the Estates ot Parliament of this Kingdom, in favour of a free burgh of our Barony of Lenzie, and particularly and without prejudice to the generality above written, the liberty of holding all sorts of Mercats competent to any burgh of barony according to the laws of this Kingdom, and of erecting admitting and receiving all trades competent to such burghs, together with a weekly Mercat to be held the last day of every week, and liberty and privelege of having and holding two free fairs yearly • . . and with two other free fairs yearly if we shall obtain the same from our Sovereign Lord the King in our infeftments, to be holden also within the said burgh . . . reserving nevertheless to us, our successors and assignees in all time coming for our use and behoof the customs great and small of the said fairs and weekly mercats, together with all right, title, and interest, claim of right, property or possession, petitory or possessory, which we or our predecessors, heirs and successors had, have, or any way can claim, or pretend to have, to the foresaid lands, burgh of barony, priveleges, immunities, liberties, offices and others, specially and generally above written, with the pertinents or to any part thereof, or to the mails, profits, duties, and emoluments thereof, for all years or terms byegone or to come, on account of ward, relief, nonentry, escheat, liferent, forefaulture, recognition, purforesture, disclamation, bastardy, last-heir, or any other way, infeftments, sasines, retours, or other writs of the lands and others before written, reduction, nullity or disposition of the said haill lands or greater part thereof, defect of confirmation, insufficient proof of holding, or change thereof, non-payment of feu duties due forth thereof, obliteration or loss of ancient evidents, or by virtue of whatever Acts of Parliament, or other acts of the law, or constitution of the said Kingdom of Scotland, or any other right or title whatsoever, or for whatever other cause byegone, precetding the day of the date of these presents, renouncing, transferring, and overgiving the same, with all action, instance, and suit therefor from us, our heirs and successors, in favour of the said baillies, burgesses, community and their successors, now and for ever promising not to gainsay, and supplying all other defects and imperfections whatsoever, as well not named, as named, which we will to be held as expressed in this our present charter. Reserving nevertheless forth of our forcsaid charter, and infeftments following thereupon, to us and our successors, that part and portion of land lying in the Croft of Kirkintilloch, upon the east side of the water of Luggie commonly called the Unthank, belonging to the said land of Eistermaynes, as presently possessed by our tenants thereof, and according to the march stones therein fixed, and to be fixed, and in-putt. And sicklike reserving the Kirklands within the said burgh, on the west side of the water of Luggie, viz. these two acres of land or thereby, and the houses and yeard in the East Croft of Kirkintilloch, commonly called the Vicar Land, belonging to James Fleming of Oxgang, and holding of our Sovereign Lord the King, and these other two acres of land, and yearly rent of six merks money foresaid, belonging to John Stark of Auchinvoil, commonly called Priestland, and holding of us, and the Prebends of Biggar, and also with that half acre of land, lying in the west end of Kirkintilloch, together with that yard in the middle of the said Burgh, commonly called the Lairdie-yeard belonging to Mr. James Fleming, and holding 01 us, and the Chaplains of Kirkintilloch, all bounded as is contained in the infeftments thereof. As also specially providing, that it shall not be leisinn to the said baillies, burgesses, community, and their successors to apply for any use the foresaid vacant pieces and portions of land upon the west side of the said water near the Tolbooth bounded as above, but to keep them empty as a fit place for publick Mercat in time of Fairs, and the weekly Mercat above written, for which use allenarly the foresaid pieces of land are given by us to them, and not otherwise. Having and holding, all and haill the foresaid burgh lands, and tenements of lands of the said town and burgh of Kirkintilloch, with houses, buildings, yeards, common, muir-lands, commonly called the Newland Maillings, burgh-acres, priveleges, parts, pendicles, and pertinents thereof foresaid, extending, lying, and bounded as above, by the said baillies, and their successors in the office of bailiary, to be chosen yearly by the said burgesses, and by the said burgesses, their heirs and assignees foresaid of us, our heirs and successors in feu farm and heritage for ever, by all their righteous marches and divisions, old and new, as they lye in length and breadth, with houses, biggings, yeards, crofts, plains, ways, roads, waters, lakes, lochs, rivers, mosses, muirs, meadows, grass, and pasturage, fowling, hunting, fishing, peats, turfs, cunings, cuningairs, doves, dove-coats, coals, coalheughs, woods, forests, and growing timber, brewing, breweries, forges, and broom, stones, stone-quarries, stone and lime, with courts their exits and amerciaments, herezelds, and common pasturage, with free ish and entry, and all and sundry other liberties, advantages, profits and easements, as well not named as named, as well above ground as below, as well far as near, rights and priveleges belonging or that may belong to a free burgh of barony, freely, quietly, fully, entirely, honourably, well, and in peace, and as freely as any burgh lands and tenements within a burgh of barony in Scotland are had and holden by any whatsoever (reserving as above reserved). Paying thence yearly, the said baillies, burgesses, and heritors of Kirkintilloch, or their heirs and successors above written, to us, our heirs and successors, or to our Chamberlains in our name, the sum of twelve merks, usual money of this Kingdom of Scotland, as the yearly rent and feu duty, for the foresaid lands, at the two usual terms in the year viz. Whitsunday and Martinmas in winter, by equal portions, together with the services used and wont to be done to us, and our predecessors in time byegone. And also the heirs of the said burgesses, and their heirs successively paying to us and our successors the sum of ten merks money foresaid for each of their entry by the said baillies to a whole New Land Mailling, and the sum of five merks to a half thereof, when it shall happen, and the singular successors of the said burgesses paying to us, and our foresaids the sum of'twenty pounds money above written for each of their entry to a whole New Land Mailling, and the sum of ten pounds to a half thereof, and although the said baillies, burgesses, and their foresaids formerly had set to them in Tack the said teinds of Kirkintilloch, in virtue of said contract by which, and now by this our charter they are bound to pay to us and our foresaids, the same sums and entry, yet, nevertheless, we declare by these presents that the said clauses shall not at all infer double payment of the said sums for entry, but shall be in all time coming in full satisfaction to us and our successors for our confirmation of the said evidents and lands above written, and for all other burden, exaction, question, demand, or secular service that can be required in time coming for the said lands, or for the entries thereof by whomsoever. And we the said William, Earl of Wigtoune, our heirs-male, as well of line, as of tailzie, provision, or conquest, executors, and successors whatsoever shall warrant, acquit, and for ever defend against all mortals, the foresaid charter. . . . Moreover we have given and granted and give and grant to the foresaid baillies, burgesses, community and their successors, our full consent to obtaining confirmation of our Sovereign Lord under the great seal of Scotland of these presents.....

In witness whereof these presents (written by David Calder, Writer in Monkland) are subscribed with our hand, and our proper seal is appended at Cumbernauld the twentyseventh day of the month of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and seventy. Before these witnesses Mr. Charles Fleiming our brother german, Mr. Robert Bennet, Minister of the Kirk of Kirkintilloch, Mr. Anthony Murray, our chamberlain, and George Murray our servant, and the said David Calder, (sic subscribitur) Wigtoune, Charles Fleiming testis, R. Bennet testis, A. Murray testis, Georg Moray testis. D. Calder testis.”

Kirkintilloch is the chief town of the parish of its name ; and stands forty miles west from Edinburgh, twenty south-south west from Stirling, sixteen east from Dumbarton, sixteen west from Falkirk, seven north from Glasgow, seven west from Cumbernauld, five south-west from Kilsyth, four south-east from Campsie, and five south-east from Campsie Glen.

Its situation is from one hundred and fourteen to two hundred and fifty feet above sea level; on the Forth and Clyde canal, the Lenzie and Aberfoil branch of the North British Railway, and on Luggie water, adjacent to its influx to the Kelvin.