August 1930, saw the local County Council address the question of finding a suitable spot for an Aerodrome or early airport in Lanarkshire. As proven elsewhere in the UK, by placing an aerodrome in an area, business opportunity increased for the towns around it.
The site was to be chosen, not on the grounds of having enough space for a landing strip and building, but one that could accommodate several runways later if they needed to expand.
This was a time before proper commercial air-travel. Aeroplanes were still fairly basic and small and every “machine” was destined to pay a landing tax. Income could also be generated from public displays and attracting businesses to the proposed hangers. The only question, was where?
A shortlist of several sites were drawn up. Amongst the half dozen sites in Lanarkshire was the Blantyre Muir, (high up above Auchentibber) and a site near Bothwell Castle. With the Muir site eventually proving too boggy, the recommendation actually went forward that the fields to the west of Bothwell Castle should be turned into the aerodrome, serving primarily Motherwell, Hamilton and Wishaw. The recommendation was for clearance and reserving the site, the former area of Bothwell House, at all costs.
Of course this aerodrome never happened, so I can only imagine the council thought it to be too expensive or a project in the long run not worth pursuing.
Pictured in the 1930’s is Strathaven aerodrome.
