Waterfoot, East Renfrewshire
Encyclopedia
Waterfoot is a small village in East Renfrewshire
and South Lanarkshire
, Scotland
. It is situated on the B767 road between Clarkston
and Eaglesham
, which are approximately one mile north and south respectively, while Newton Mearns
is about two miles to the west and East Kilbride
about 3 miles to the east.
The new Glasgow Southern Orbital road (part of the A726) passes just to the south of Waterfoot.
The village lies on the west bank of the White Cart Water
, and the original settlement grew up around a farm, mill
and smithy
. One early record of the village is in Timothy Pont
's maps of Scotland (1583 - 1596).
Waterfoot today is, however, purely residential in character, having expanded in the latter half of the 20th century as a commuter dormitory village. Although Waterfoot is relatively affluent, there are no shops or other services, with residents having to travel to neighbouring settlements to access amenities. The 2001 census
reported that Waterfoot had a population of 1,279.
It should also be noted that a small part of Waterfoot on the east side of the white cart lies in the South Lanarkshire
Council area. Over the years this has caused many boundary issues between the former Eastwood and East Kilbride district councils. A similar problem existed at one time in nearby Busby
. A feature that made Busby unique as it was in both Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire. The issue was resolved in 1993 when the boundary commission formally transferred the "Lanarkshire" part of Busby from East Kilbride district to Eastwood District, ending the long dispute between the two councils. However despite calls for the "Lanarkshire" part of Waterfoot to also be transferred to Eastwood this did not happen and only the area around Busby was transferred. This discrepancy allowed for the boundary issue at Waterfoot to continue to this day, as when local government reorganisation came about in 1996 the "Lanarkshire" part became part of the new South Lanarkshire Council and the "Renfrewshire" part becoming part of the new East Renfrewshire Council Waterfoot remains a "split village".
East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. Until 1975 it formed part of the county of Renfrewshire for local government purposes along with the modern council areas of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde...
and 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....
, 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...
. It is situated on the B767 road between Clarkston
Clarkston, East Renfrewshire
Clarkston is a small town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland. Although it is administratively outside nearby Glasgow, Clarkston is geographically an outer suburb of the city and part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation....
and Eaglesham
Eaglesham
Eaglesham , is a village and parish set in the west central Lowlands of Scotland - population 3,127 . Today it is chiefly a dormitory town for commuters to nearby Glasgow. The village is distinctive in being based around a large triangular green...
, which are approximately one mile north and south respectively, while Newton Mearns
Newton Mearns
Newton Mearns is a suburban town in East Renfrewshire, Scotland. It lies southwest of Glasgow City Centre on the main road to Ayrshire, above sea level. It has a population of approximately 22,637.The town is part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
is about two miles to the west and East Kilbride
East Kilbride
East Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
about 3 miles to the east.
The new Glasgow Southern Orbital road (part of the A726) passes just to the south of Waterfoot.
The village lies on the west bank of the White Cart Water
River Cart
The River Cart is a tributary of the River Clyde, Scotland, which it joins from the west roughly midway between the towns of Erskine and Renfrew....
, and the original settlement grew up around a farm, mill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
and smithy
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
. One early record of the village is in Timothy Pont
Timothy Pont
Timothy Pont was a Scottish topographer, the first to produce a detailed map of Scotland. Pont's maps are among the earliest surviving to show a European country in minute detail, from an actual survey.-Life:...
's maps of Scotland (1583 - 1596).
Waterfoot today is, however, purely residential in character, having expanded in the latter half of the 20th century as a commuter dormitory village. Although Waterfoot is relatively affluent, there are no shops or other services, with residents having to travel to neighbouring settlements to access amenities. The 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
reported that Waterfoot had a population of 1,279.
It should also be noted that a small part of Waterfoot on the east side of the white cart lies in the 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....
Council area. Over the years this has caused many boundary issues between the former Eastwood and East Kilbride district councils. A similar problem existed at one time in nearby Busby
Busby, East Renfrewshire
Busby is a village in East Renfrewshire, Scotland. Busby's close proximity to Glasgow effectively makes it a suburb of the city, though remains administratively separate. It lies on the White Cart Water south of Glasgow City Centre.-History:...
. A feature that made Busby unique as it was in both Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire. The issue was resolved in 1993 when the boundary commission formally transferred the "Lanarkshire" part of Busby from East Kilbride district to Eastwood District, ending the long dispute between the two councils. However despite calls for the "Lanarkshire" part of Waterfoot to also be transferred to Eastwood this did not happen and only the area around Busby was transferred. This discrepancy allowed for the boundary issue at Waterfoot to continue to this day, as when local government reorganisation came about in 1996 the "Lanarkshire" part became part of the new South Lanarkshire Council and the "Renfrewshire" part becoming part of the new East Renfrewshire Council Waterfoot remains a "split village".