Best Western Eglinton Arms Hotel is set in the charming conservation village of Eaglesham, just 8 miles to the south west of Glasgow. Originally the Hotel started off as a Coaching Inn during the late 18th century & has maintained much of its old world appeal.
OUR HISTORY
The location of the hotel means that it is ideal for either business of pleasure, with East Kilbride only 3 miles away & "Burn's Country" within 20 minutes drive across the Eaglesham Moor, as well as the obvious attractions of Glasgow.
Eaglesham is Scotland's first conservation village. It was planned & built mainly in 1769 by Alexander Montgomerie the 10th Earl of Eglinton. The Village was planned in the shape of the letter "A", which happened to be the initial of his name. The name Eaglesham come from "Eglais" which is Gaelic for Church and "Ham" which is Anglo-Saxon for Village, thus giving Church Village. The Earls of Eglinton go back to Roger de Montgomerie who came to England following Duke William of Normandy's victory at Hastings and is subsequent conquest of England. Roger's grandson was the first Earl of Eaglesham.
Eaglesham is Scotland's first conservation village. It was planned & built mainly in 1769 by Alexander Montgomerie the 10th Earl of Eglinton. The Village was planned in the shape of the letter "A", which happened to be the initial of his name. The name Eaglesham come from "Eglais" which is Gaelic for Church and "Ham" which is Anglo-Saxon for Village, thus giving Church Village. The Earls of Eglinton go back to Roger de Montgomerie who came to England following Duke William of Normandy's victory at Hastings and is subsequent conquest of England. Roger's grandson was the first Earl of Eaglesham.
The village was planned to replace the original Kirktown, plots were allotted to few holders and let on 900-year leases. It was part of the agricultural & industrial revolution to bring workers into the village in the late 1700's and 1800's however milling declined in the 19th century. The 13th Earl of Eglinton sold Eaglesham Estate in 1844 when he ran into financial problems. In 1860 Allan Gilmour who them owned Eaglesham estate refused to allow the railway into Eaglesham. This has helped preserve the village in the longer term but in the shorter term it caused the decline of milling which finished in 1876 when the mill was destroyed by fire.
The lack of work caused people to leave the village, however the very fact that Eaglesham had become a quiet village again secured its future with Glaswegians setting up in permanent residence.