RUTHERGLEN an ancient royal burgh of Lanarkshire, Scotland, is situated near the left bank of the Clyde, 2 miles south-east of Glasgow. It consists chiefly of one long wide irregular street, with narrow streets, wynds, and alleys branching from it at intervals. The parish church is situated near the centre of the town, a little distance from the tower of the old church where the treaty was made in 1297 with Edward I., by which Sir John Mon-teith agreed with the English to betray the Scottish hero Wallace. The most important public building is the town-hall, a handsome structure with a large square tower. In the vicinity there are extensive collieries and ironworks, and the town possesses chemical works, a paper mill, a pottery, and a shipbuilding yard. The corporation consists of a provost, two bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, and fifteen councillors. The population of the royal burgh in 1871 was 9239, and in 1881 it was 11,473.

Rutherglen was erected into a royal burgh by King David in 1126. At this time it included a portion of Glasgow, but in 1226 the boundaries were rectified so as to exclude the whole of that city. In early times it had a castle, which was taken by Bruce from the English in 1313. It was kept in good repair till after the battle of Langside it was burnt by order of the regent Murray. After this the town for a time gradually decayed, the trade being absorbed by Glasgow. Rutherglen is included in the Kilmarnock district of parliamentary burghs.