Halfway is a largely suburban area in the town of Cambuslang

Cambuslang

Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 located within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....

. Halfway borders the smaller areas of Lightburn, Flemington and Hallside. It was named when passengers, in the days of the Glasgow to Hamilton stagecoach would stop halfway to change the horses, have a rest etc. The district also has the older name of Gilbertfield, the castle of which name still stands. There is a long history of coal-mining in the area (especially around Flemington), but no colliery is still in operation.

The above named 'castle', as it's known locally, is in fact a stately home. It was owned by Hamilton of Gilbertfield. He was a friend of Robert Burns

Robert Burns

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...

 and wrote a poem about William Wallace

William Wallace

Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....

 called Blind Harry

Blind Harry

Blind Harry , also known as Harry, Hary or Henry the Minstrel, is renowned as the author of The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace, also known as The Wallace...

's Wallace

The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace

The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace, also known as The Wallace, is a long "romantic biographical" poem by the fifteenth century Scottish makar of the name Blind Harry probably at some time in the decade before 1488...

, a rendering into contemporary English of a medieval Scots poem, which was eventually used as the basis for the screenplay that became the Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson

Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...

 blockbuster Braveheart

Braveheart

Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical drama war film directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The film was written for the screen and then novelized by Randall Wallace...

.

The area sits near Dechmont Hill, an extinct volcanic rock, 300 foot above sea level. There is evidence, written by the Welsh chroniclers, that King Arthur's

King Arthur

King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...

 12th battle, the battle of Calaan, took place there against the two sons of his rival Caw, (or Cawn), king of Strathclyde.See http://www.templum.freeserve.co.uk/history/strathclyde/arthursbattles.htm

Notable people from Halfway include boxer Scott Harrison, a World Featherweight champion; Davie Wilson

Davie Wilson

Davie Wilson is a Scottish former international footballer who played as a left winger.-Career:Wilson made just under 400 league appearances during his twelve-year playing career, making 22 appearances for Scotland and finishing runner-up with Rangers in the inaugural UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1961...

, Scotland

Scotland national football team

The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...

 and Rangers F.C striker; Kyle Hutton

Kyle Hutton

Kyle Hutton is a Scottish association footballer who currently plays for Scottish First Division club Partick Thistle on loan from Rangers-Career:...

, midfielder, who also played with Rangers; and Mick McGahey

Mick McGahey

Michael "Mick" McGahey was a Scottish miners' leader and life-long Communist, with a distinctive gravelly voice. He described himself as "a product of my class and my movement".-Early life:...

 union leader of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)