Shotts is situated halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh and was reputedly named after the legendary giant "Bertram de Shotts". The picturesque Kirk o Shotts can be clearly seen from the M8.
The town was famous for its slogan 'Shotts Lights the World' because gas lamp standards were made in abundance in Shotts and exported all over the world.
Shotts has also been described as a village built on coal and iron. The ideal location of Shotts makes it a popular venue for cycle routes, including Shotts to Blackridge.
Shotts originally consisted of five villages - Dykehead, Calderside, Stane, Springhill and Torbothie growing up around the old coach roads between Glasgow and Edinburgh and expanded during the 18th and 19th centuries following the growth in coal and iron mining.
