Croy, North Lanarkshire

File:Line of Frontier - geograph.org.uk - 1509716.jpgFile:Twin Peaks on Croy Hill - geograph.org.uk - 1509674.jpg

On Croy Hill, to the north east of the village, are remnants of the Antonine Wall, built by the Romans between AD 142 and 144, including a fort and two beacon platforms. Inscribed stones indicate that construction was undertaken by the Sixth Legion Victrix .Montgomery, Alan (2022), Walking the Antonine Wall, Tippermuir Books Ltd., Perth, p. 148 {{isbn|978-1-913836-12-2}} Croy hill's neighbouring forts were Barr Hill to the west and Westerwood to the east. Two communication platforms known as ‘expansions’ can be seen to the west of the fortlet.{{cite web|title=Antonine Wall, Croy Hill Roman Signal Platform (East)|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/127412/antonine-wall-croy-hill-roman-signal-platform-east|website=Canmore|publisher=Historic Environment Scotland|accessdate=14 October 2017}} Alexander Park excavated the site in 1890–1891.{{cite web|last1=Rohl|first1=Darrell, Jesse|title=More than a Roman Monument: A Place-centred Approach to the Long-term History and Archaeology of the Antonine Wall|url=http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9458/1/DarrellRohl_PhDThesis_2014.pdf?DDD6+#page=169|website=Durham Theses|publisher=Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online ref: 9458|accessdate=14 October 2017}} Sir George Macdonald wrote about his excavation of the site which occurred in 1920, 1931, and 1935.{{cite book|last1=Macdonald|first1=Sir George|title=The Roman wall in Scotland, by Sir George Macdonald|date=1934|publisher=The Clarendon Press|location=Oxford|pages=258–270|edition=2d ed., rev., enl., and in great part rewritten|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3760345;view=2up;seq=374;size=125|accessdate=11 October 2017}} At Croy Hill, the ditch in front of the rampart was not excavated by the Romans. It is likely that hard basalt and dolerite of the hill was virtually impossible to shape with Roman tools. This is the only place along the Wall where the ditch was not dug.{{cite web|title=Castlecary Antonine Wall Fort|url=http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/croy_hill.htm|website=Roman Britain|accessdate=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605201821/http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/croy_hill.htm|archive-date=5 June 2018|url-status=dead}} There is a bath house just outside one fort.{{cite web|title=Croy Hill and the Antonine Wall, near Kilsyth|url=https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/glasgow/croy-hill.shtml|website=Walk Highlands|accessdate=19 October 2017}}

The modern settlement of Croy as it appears today is primarily the result of a coal mine being established in the mid-1800s. This attracted a sizable population of Irish immigrants to the area seeking employment and is the reason for the village's strong Roman Catholic origins. A single row of original miners' cottages is still present and occupied on the Constarry Road high street; the cottages feature highly distinctive red brickwork and are exceptionally well preserved. Locals affectionately refer to the row as 'Coronation Street' due to the similarity with the houses of the iconic UK television series.

File:Holy Cross Church, Croy (01).pngFile:Croy Four Arches.png

Croy has a Roman Catholic primary school (Holy Cross Primary){{cite web|url=http://www.holycross.n-lanark.sch.uk/|title=Our School|accessdate=4 January 2016}} and a large Catholic church (Holy Cross Church) that services a substantial congregation from all over the local area. The church has been established for over 100 years and has some impressive architectural features; the church bells are rung prior to each service and can be heard throughout the village.{{cite web|url=http://www.monklands.co.uk/croy/|title=Monklands Memories- Story of Croy|accessdate=7 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105005723/http://www.monklands.co.uk/croy/|archive-date=5 January 2016|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdetails.php?path=64|title=Corduroy Path|publisher=Heritage Paths|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=22 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622080410/https://heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdetails.php?path=64|url-status=dead}} Another impressive architectural feature is the [http://www.heritagepaths.co.uk/pathdetails.php?path=64 Croy Railway Viaduct] (known locally as the four arches). Built in the mid-1800s, the viaduct can be accessed via a heritage path running alongside Croy station. The path was redeveloped with the Croy station improvements and is now well signposted and more easily accessible. In 2013 it was announced that Croy Quarry, near the World Heritage Site of the Antonine Wall, was to close. Aggregate Industries lost their license to extract minerals at the end of 2017.{{cite news|title=Quarry falls silent|url=https://www.cumbernauld-news.co.uk/news/business/quarry-falls-silent-1-4663983|accessdate=19 January 2018|work=Cumbernauld News|date=17 January 2018}}

File:Croy miners cottages.pngFile:The Croy Tavern - geograph.org.uk - 1547065.jpg

In 2002 the Croy Miners Welfare Charitable Society received a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund of £500,000. The grant was used to demolish the old Croy Miners Welfare Club and build a large multi-functional leisure facility to house several of the area's groups and societies.{{cite web|url=http://www.cumbernauld-news.co.uk/news/local-news/croy-miners-dig-up-lottery-gold-1-353697|title=Croy miners dig up Lottery gold|accessdate=4 January 2016}} Those using the building included the Croy Historical Society, [http://www.croysilverband.com/ Croy Silver Band], and the Croy Male Voice Choir.{{cite web|url=http://www.cumbernauld-news.co.uk/news/local-news/history-group-set-the-record-1-3143799|title=History group set the record|accessdate=4 January 2016}} Despite the sizable investment, the club suddenly closed its doors and declared insolvency without warning in 2012. The reason for this is not known and the building remains closed to date. The club's legal status is currently classed as dissolved{{cite web|url=https://companycheck.co.uk/company/SC400493/CROY-MINERS-WELFARE-CHARITABLE-SOCIETY/summary|title=CROY MINERS' WELFARE CHARITABLE SOCIETY. Free business summary taken from official companies house information. Free alerts. Registered as SC400493|author=company check ltd|date=4 January 2016|work=Company Check|accessdate=4 January 2016}}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and reports indicate the building is to be put up for sale in the near future.{{cite web|url=http://jamiehepburn.net/2015/02/02/hepburn-concerned-about-croy-miners-welfare-centre-future/|title=Hepburn Concerned about Croy Miners Welfare Centre Future|work=Jamie Hepburn MSP|accessdate=7 January 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160219175431/http://jamiehepburn.net/2015/02/02/hepburn-concerned-about-croy-miners-welfare-centre-future/|archive-date=19 February 2016}}

Other amenities in the village include a newsagents/post office, Chinese takeaway, Indian takeaway, bakery, barbershop, and Salon. The village once had a pub named the Celtic Tavern, later known as The Croy Tavern, but this ceased trading in the early 2000s and was eventually demolished. A car wash now stands in its place.

File:Shrine 2.png

A notable feature of the village is the Croy Shrine located in the [http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/visit/nethercroy Nethercroy] area to the north-east. The Shrine was built around a natural spring in the mid-1970s by local residents and featured a statue of The Virgin Mary in a grotto scene with a stone channel in front to allow access to the spring water.{{cite web|url=http://www.cumbernauld-news.co.uk/news/local-news/shrine-rededicated-in-croy-1-3550219|title=Shrine rededicated in Croy|accessdate=4 January 2016}} The Shrine fell into a state of disrepair over the years due to neglect and vandalism. In 2013 some local residents rebuilt it and a rededication ceremony was held in 2014.

File:Antonine Sports Hub.png

In 2012 a state of the art £1 million pound sports facility was opened in the village.{{cite web|url=http://news.stv.tv/west-central/31027-campaigners-remembered-at-opening-of-new-1m-croy-sports-pitch/|title=Campaigners remembered at opening of new £1m Croy sports pitch|first=Alison|last=McCallum|work=STV News|date=22 March 2012|accessdate=7 January 2016}} Spearheaded by local residents and part financed by North Lanarkshire Council,{{cite web|url=http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=20589|title=New sports facilities are one in a million!|publisher=North Lanarkshire Council|date=22 April 2014|accessdate=7 January 2016}} the facility is home to a full size 3G football pitch with enclosure and stadium quality floodlighting, a 2 floor community pavilion with changing rooms and meeting area, and additional goalposts and line markings to allow conversion to 3 smaller football pitches when needed.

File:Celtic vs Heart of Midlothian 1912 (cropped).jpg of Croy was one of Celtic's most important players in the early 20th century]]

Despite the small scale of the village, Croy has a series of high-profile links with Scottish football team Celtic.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11960912.Celebration_in_Croy_is_just_for_the_bhoys/|title=Celebration in Croy is just for the bhoys|newspaper=The Herald|date=4 June 2002|accessdate=4 January 2016}} At one stage there was a junior (non-league) football team in the village, Croy Celtic,[https://web.archive.org/web/20141111002039/http://scottish-football-historical-archive.com/scottishjuniorleague.htm Scottish Junior League]. Scottish Football Historical Archive (archived version, 2014) the village pub was named The Celtic Tavern{{Cite web |url=http://www.ukdirectory.biz/center-371600.html |title=UK Business Directory |website=www.ukdirectory.biz |access-date=8 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127161840/http://www.ukdirectory.biz/center-371600.html |archive-date=27 January 2016 |url-status=dead }} and in the late 1990s it featured prominently in matchday programmes. The village is predominantly populated with Celtic supporters and has a large Supporters Club (Croy CSC).{{Cite web|url=http://www.visitlanarkshire.com/lanarkshire/towns-and-villages/croy/|title=VisitLanarkshire - Information about Croy|access-date=4 January 2016}}

Former player Jimmy Quinn, considered one of the club's greatest ever players{{cite web|url=http://www.celticfc.net/news/5214?item=5214|title=Hail the Mighty Quinn|accessdate=5 January 2016}} lived in the village. Former Celtic owner Fergus McCann, the man credited with saving the club from extinction and now recognised as one of the most important figures in the club's history,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26373698|title=Celtic to mark 20 years since Fergus McCann takeover|publisher=BBC|date=27 February 2014|access-date=23 July 2021}} also lived in Croy and was the social convener of the local supporters club before his emigration to Canada.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28810947|title=Celtic: Fergus McCann to banish blues with flag day return|first=Richard|last=Wilson|work=BBC Sport|date=15 August 2014|accessdate=5 January 2016}}

In addition to Jimmy Quinn, former Celtic players who lived in the village include Andy McAtee, John Morrison, Frank Meechan, Tom McAteer, James Culley,[http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Culley%2C+James James Culley] Pat McMahon, and Jimmy Quinn (grandson of Jimmy Quinn named above). Former Celtic players not from the village but who played for Croy Celtic include Arthur McInally,[http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/McInally%2C+Arthur Arthur McInally] Tommy McInally,[http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/McInally%2C+Tommy Tommy McInally] Frank Murphy,[http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Murphy%2C+Frank Frank Murphy] and Andrew Miller.[http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/Miller%2C+Andrew Andrew Miller]

Other people of note with links to the village include Scottish folk singer and accordion player Will Starr.{{cite web|title=Will Starr: King of Scottish accordionists|url=http://croymusicmiscellany.com/2011/05/10/will-starr-king-of-scottish-accordionists/|date=10 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125085321/http://croymusicmiscellany.com/2011/05/10/will-starr-king-of-scottish-accordionists/|archive-date=25 January 2016}} and former WBO Flyweight world champion boxer Pat Clinton.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/boxing/pat-clinton-crowned-champion-of-the-world-1-3324646|title=Pat Clinton crowned champion of the world|accessdate=7 January 2016|first=Hugh|last=Keevins|newspaper=The Scotsman|date=1 March 2014}}

In July 2020, Croy resident and the sitting SNP councillor for Croy & Kilsyth, Mark Kerr, was charged with multiple cases of historic sexual abuse. This generated significant coverage in various national news outlets, following which Kerr stepped down from the SNP and became an Independent Councillor. In December 2022 Kerr was found guilty on 9 charges of sexual abuse and sentenced to 6 years in prison. [https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/shamed-snp-councillor-mark-kerr-28639972]{{cite web |last1=Bunting |first1=Ian |title=North Lanarkshire councillor charged in connection with historic sexual abuse |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/north-lanarkshire-councillor-charged-connection-22370444 |website=Daily Record |access-date=1 March 2022}}

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Category:Villages in North Lanarkshire

Category:Irish diaspora in Scotland

Category:Mining communities in Scotland