We have tried to choose significant locations around the village to show off some of its history. Stonehouse is among the oldest parishes in Scotland and so it is very difficult to trace its origins. It was common to name towns after the first stone house built which was more often a church. It has been known as a weaving community and has a strong agricultural heritage. In August 1973 Stonehouse was designated to be the next ‘New Town’, projected to receive a population from Glasgow in excess of 35,000, with the likelihood of an increase up to 70,000. A similar project went ahead in East Kilbride but only the Murray Drive estate in Stonehouse went ahead and although it has expanded somewhat, it continues to be a semi rural village.
This cache is outside the “Tileworks” football park. These are local authority owned and operated synthetic pitches. The cache is a small bullet shaped container on a keyring. Tweezers and pen are required.
The tileworks was a thriving business in the later part of the 19th century. Situated at the bottom of Union Street, little is known of the company other than its popular owner of the time, John Borland. Directly across from the gasworks lay one of many clay holes, later filled in with refuse. There was also a clay hole for making the tiles on the site of the football pitch. A second brick and tileworks at Greenburn in the 1850’s was owned by Dr. Mitchell, a popular employer, who would annually pay for excursions for his staff to places such as Rothesay.
The fields opposite have been used to host Stonehouse’s Agricultural Show. This year (2015) was the 158th although unofficial shows have been going on in the village for much longer. It is held on the third Saturday in May.
Congratulations to GilkerscleughCachers on the FTF within hours of going live!