Larkhall

Coordinates: 55°44′13″N 3°58′19″W / 55.737°N 3.972°W / 55.737; -3.972

Larkhall (Scots: Larkhauch,Scottish Gaelic: Taigh na h-Uiseig) is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is around 14 miles (23 km) southeast of Glasgow. It is twinned with Seclin in northern France.

Larkhall sits on high ground between the River Clyde to the East and the Avon Water to the West. Larkhall sits on the edge of the scenic Clyde valley and is a commuter town for Glasgow. Larkhall had a population of 14,951 in the 2011 census, and is a typical west of Scotland industrial town. Traditionally a mining, weaving and textile area, most of Larkhall's traditional industries have now shut, including the Lanarkshire iron and steel works.

Name

The name Larkhall or Laverock 'Ha first appears in journals around 1620. The origins of the name are unknown, although Laverock is the Scots word for skylark. However, there is no evidence that the town is named after the bird. It is more likely that Laverock was a surname. The name for Larkhall was originally a Scots word Laverockhaugh (Laverockha), which meant laverock - skylark and haugh - boggy/wet area.

Larkhall (ward)

Larkhall is a ward in the London Borough of Lambeth, represented by Labour councillors Cllr Andy Wilson, Tina Valcarcel and Marsha de Cordova. It is one of eight wards in the Vauxhall constituency represented by Kate Hoey MP.

Larkhall is sandwiched between Clapham and Stockwell and most residents perceive themselves to be living in either Clapham or Stockwell. Three main roads run through the ward from north to south - Landor Road in the east, Clapham Road in the centre, and Wandsworth Road in the west. The ward is named Larkhall because Larkhall Rise, then Larkhall Lane runs through the middle of it.

Larkhall contains three schools: Larkhall Infants and Junior School, St Andrew’s School and Lansdowne School. There is a police station on the corner of Union Grove and Smedley Street, and Lambeth Hospital is on Landor Road.

The main Lambeth Housing estates are Fenwick, Springfield, Larkhall, Clapham Road, Patmore and Gaskell Street. Stockwell Gardens and the three imposing towers of Grantham Road are run by Hyde Southbank housing association.