Harthill, Scotland
| Harthill | |
|---|---|
 Main Street and church in centre of Harthill village, looking east |
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 Harthill
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| Harthill shown within North Lanarkshire | |
| Population | 3,575 (2001 Census) |
| OS grid reference | NS906643 |
| Civil parish | |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | SHOTTS |
| Postcode district | ML7 |
| Dialling code | 01501 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Harthill is a rural village in North Lanarkshire in Scotland, on the border with the neighbouring county of West Lothian about half-way between Glasgow (21 mi [34 km]) and Edinburgh (25 mi [40 km]) It lies on the River Almond about 2.5 mi (4.0 km) west of the small town of Whitburn. The closest major towns are Bathgate (6 mi [9.7 km]) and Livingston (10 mi [16 km]). Major towns within North Lanarkshire, such as Wishaw, Airdrie, Motherwell, Coatbridge and Bellshill are all around 10 to 15 mi (16 to 24 km) to the west. It is sometimes considered an isogloss, as it is around here that there is a distinct change from West Central Scots to East Central Scots. The M8 motorway bypasses the village and has a service station named after it.
Harthill grew up as a result of the coal mining industries of North Lanarkshire, and some of the original old miners' homes remain. Originally part of Linlithgowshire, it was eventually split between the ancient counties of West Lothian and Lanarkshire. The village of Greenrigg is adjacent to Harthill on the east side and lies in West Lothian. Remaining miners' homes, otherwise known as 'miners rows', are also in Greenrigg, and the occupants worked in nearby Greenrigg and Polkemmet Collieries, which were in West Lothian.
Polkemmet deep mine coal pit closed around the time of the last miners' strike in 1984. The only evidence remaining is a few miners' cottages and houses, which the National Coal Board (NCB) had sold some time before the closures. A steam engine used to pull the coal wagons is on display in the local Polkemmet Country Park, formerly the private estate of the local land owning Baillie dynasty. Several other mines were dotted around the surrounding area, including the Benhar pits (Eastfield) to the west side of Harthill. These closed some years prior to the 1984 miners' strike. The Benhar pits were also very important in Harthill and Eastfield's socio-economic development. Harthill, Eastfield and Greenrigg form something of a single village entity now, but each retains its independent close-knit identity.
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