by contraction Ruglen, the head burgh of the nether ward of Lanarkshire, in Scotland, is situated about two miles south-east of Glasgow, and nine west of Hamilton. Few towns in Scotland can lay claim to greater antiquity than Rutherghlen. It was erected into a royal burgh by King David I. about the year 1126.
The territory under the jurisdiction of the burgh was extensive, and the inhabitants enjoyed many distinguished privileges, which were, however, gradually wrested from them by political influence in favour of Glasgow, which in latter times rose into consequence by trade and manufactures. The ancient dimensions of the place are now unknown; but in the fields and gardens towards the east, the foundations of houses are occasionally discovered.
About a hundred and fifty yards to the south of the main street is a kind of lane, known by the name of Dins-dykes. This place has acquired an opprobrious celebrity, from the circumstance which befell the unfortunate Queen Mary when her forces were routed at the battle of Langside. Her majesty, who, during the battle, stood on a rising ground about a mile from Rutherghlen, no sooner saw her army defeated, than she took her precipitate flight to the south. Dinsdykes unluckily lay in her way. Two rustics, who were at that instant cutting grass hard by, seeing her majesty flying in haste, rudely attempted to intercept her, and threatened to cut her in pieces with their scythes if she presumed to proceed a step further. Neither beauty nor royalty would have secured her escape, had not some of her followers come to her relief.
Adjoining to a lane called the Back-row stood the castle of Rutherghlen, originally built at a period coeval, it is reported, with the foundation of the town. This ancient fortress underwent several sieges during the unhappy wars in the days of King Robert Bruce, and it remained a place of strength until the battle of Langside; soon after which it was destroyed by order of the regent, to revenge himself on the Hamilton family, in whose custody it then was. The foundations of the buildings are now erased, and the site converted into dwelling-houses and gardens.
conjunction with Renfrew, Dumbarton, Kilmarnock, and Port-Glasgow, sends a member to the British parliament. The fairs of this town are generally well attended, and have long been famous for a great show of horses, of the Lanarkshire breed, which are esteemed the best draught-horses in Britain. The inhabitants of this borough still retain some customs of a very remote antiquity. One of these is the making of Rutherghlen sour cates. The operation is attended with some peculiar rites, which lead us to conclude that the practice is of Pagan origin. In 1821 the population of Rutherghlen was about 1800, and including the parish it was 4640; in 1831 that of the town and parish was 5503.