Bellshill factfile

How to get to Bellshill
The town of Bellshill, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, lies just north of Motherwell. You can drive there from Glasgow city centre by taking the A725, and there are also regular train and bus services from Motherwell, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

How Bellshill got its name
The name of the town is thought to originate from a farm and quarry at Belziehill which was owned by a man named Bell.

Bellshill through the ages
After the quarry closed, large coal and iron deposits were discovered and, from the 17th century, Bellshill became a mining community. Because of the large number of immigrants who came to the area during this period, Bellshill became known as Little Lithuania.

By the early 20th century the industry was in decline and many pits in the area closed. These days, because of its close proximity to Glasgow (it's just 20 minutes by car), Bellshill is a popular commuter town and over the last few years has been one of the UK's property hotspots.

Sports and leisure in Bellshill
The Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex in Bellshill has a football pitch, swimming pool, sports hall, fitness and dance studios, gym, and a health suite with steam and sauna facilities.

Bellshill Cultural Centre provides a rolling schedule of arts exhibitions and events, plus classes in creative writing, dance, drama, music and photography for both adults and children.

Strathclyde Country Park is only a mile from Bellshill and provides a huge range of outdoor activities, from sailing to cycling, water skiing to mountain biking. Caravanning and camping facilities are available.

Bellshill's claim to fame
Bellshill's thriving music scene, known as the Bellshill Sound or the Bellshill Beat, has spawned several successful indie bands since the 1980s, including The Soup Dragons, Teenage Fanclub and Mogwai.

Famous people from Bellshill
Legendary Scottish football managers Bill Shankly, Jock Stein and Sir Matt Busby, and many Scottish footballers such as Ally McCoist and Brian McClair, were born in Bellshill.

Other famous Bellshill sons and daughters include politicians Dr John Reid and the late Robin Cook, film-maker Paul McGuigan and singer Sheena Easton.