DOUGLAS, river, town, castle, and parish in upper ward of Lanarkshire.

The river rises on Cairntable Mountain, and runs about 16 miles north-eastward to the Clyde at 3½ miles south-east of Lanark. The town stands on the river, 11 miles by road south-south-west of Lanark ; is an ancient place, long of great importance, but now much decayed; and has a post office, with money order and telegraph departments, under Lanark, a railway station, 2 banking offices, choir of ancient church with monuments of the Earls of Douglas, a modern parochial church, Free and United Presbyterian churches, and 2 public schools with about 134 scholars. Pop. 1262.

The castle stands on the river about ¾ mile north-east of the town, but is twofold, ancient and modern. The ancient castle belonged to the earls who so often competed in power and grandeur with the Scottish kings ; gave the title of duke from 1703 till 1761 to one of their successors; gives still the title of marquis to the Duke of Hamilton, and that of baron to the Earl of Home; figured much in the wars of the succession; is the ‘Castle Dangerous” of Sir WalterScott’s last novel; and has been reduced to one ruined tower. The modern castle was erected in the latter part of last century, displays much magnificence, and belongs to the Earl of Home.

The parish contains also the villages of Rigside and Uddington, and is 12 miles long, and from 4 to 7 miles broad. Acres, 34,137. Real property in 1880-81, £21,182. Pop. 2641. The surface comprehends most of the basin of Douglas river, and is mountainous or moorish along the upper parts of the basin, but has a fine strath opening into luxuriant valley in the centre. Coal abounds, and is largely worked. The seats, besides Douglas Castle, are Carmacoup, Polmunckshead, and Crossburn. Free and Reformed Presbyterian churches 4 schools for 494 scholars are in the parish, and 1 of them for 250 is new.

The Gazetteer of Scotland, by Rev John Wilson, 1882.