WISHAW, a police burgh of Lanarkshire, Scotland, and an important mining and iron town, is situated on the face of a hill, a short distance south of the South Calder water, and on the Caledonian Railway, 12 miles east-south-east of Glasgow. It is rather irregularly built, but contains some spacious streets, although the majority of the houses are inhabited by the working classes. It has numerous churches belonging to the different denominations, and a public library. Wishaw has risen to importance since the development of the coal and iron industry within recent years. The coal-pits of the district are among the most extensive in Scotland, and in the town there are iron and steel works, malleable-iron works, fireclay works, and a distillery. Wishaw was created a police burgh in 1855, and in 1874 the limits of the burgh were extended so as to include the villages of Cambusnethan and Craigneuk. The population of Wishaw according to its old limits was '8812 in 1871 and 8953 in 1881, that of the extended area in 1881 being 13,112, of which 1829 belonged to Cambusnethan and 2330 to Craigneuk. The town has borne in succession the following names:—New Town of Cambusnethan, New Town of Wishaw, Wishaw-town, and Wishaw.
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