burgh (town), East Dunbartonshire council area, historic county of Dunbartonshire, west-central Scotland, on the northeastern periphery of the metropolitan area of Glasgow. It is situated on the Forth and Clyde Canal, and the River Kelvin flows past the town. There was a Roman fort on the site, part of the defensive Antonine Wall built in AD 142. The town was granted its charter as a burgh of baronry by King William I (the Lion) about the beginning of the 13th century. Its economy was once based on coal mining, iron founding, and heavy engineering. Since World War II light industries and service activities have taken the place of the heavy industry. Pop. (2004 est.) 19,660.