History of Lanark
Lanark and the Clyde Valley have played an important part in the history of Scotland since before Roman times.
Medieval Lanark
Lanark was the site of an early Scottish Parliament and has been an important market town since medieval times. King David I (1084-1183) made it a Royal Burgh in 1140. He understood that by encouraging trade, increased prosperity would result, so he decided to create a chain of new towns across Scotland, which were given a special status and privileges. These new towns were to be known as 'burghs'. Lanark and other royal burghs didn't have to pay as much taxation as other towns. The modern English word is 'borough', although many Scottish towns are still known by names ending in '-burgh', for example Fraserburgh in the north, Jedburgh in the south, Helensburgh in the west, and of course, Scotland's capital, Edinburgh in the east.
Burghs became centres of Norman (French) civilisation in a largely Celtic country, and would be established as trading centres for the surrounding area, or 'county'. An area for the burgh's market was chosen and each merchant who came to the burgh was given a piece of land, usually rent-free to begin with, bordering the marketplace. Often, burghs were fortified with a 'motte and bailey' castle,and such a castle was contructed in Lanark at the bottom of the street which is now called Castlegate. Motte and bailey castles were used all over northern Europe at this time. They were relatively cheap, being easy and quick to build. Wood was used rather than stone(at least at first), which us why nothing remains of the contruction today. The castle and surrounding enclosure offered a safe place in times of trouble, and was also the place where the local government official, or 'sheriff' would be based. The image below shows the construction of a simple motte and bailey castle, from the Bayeaux Tapestry (around 1070).
William Wallace began his battle for Scottish Independence against the
English.
In the late eighteenth century, David Dale, a Glasgow banker
and Richard Arkwright, inventor of the Spinning Jenny, constructed a village
and textile mill in a narrow gorge on the banks of the River Clyde. This
village, called New Lanark, was soon to become world famous. Robert Owen,
Dale's son-in-law took over management of the mills in 1880. From being a
tyrannical boss, he slowly changed his ways and New Lanark became a model
workplace where new ideas of labour relations and working conditions were
tried.
Owen argued that a well educated and well housed workforce would
be
more content and therefore efficient. Today his once radical ideas are
common
in the workplace .
The New
Lanark mills and buildings have been beautifully
renovated and are today a
World Heritage Site.
From Lanark
street
scenes to Lanimer processions, from Tillietudlem to Milton Lockhart Castle, now
transported to Japan, stone by stone, there is much in this
collection to
remind residents of a time long gone when life was more
tranquil and when
events of world importance happened in the Valley of the
Clyde.
Another first for the area was the Scottish International
Aviation Meeting of 1910. This was the first time that aircraft had been seen
in numbers in Scotland, and the meeting attracted the best of Europe's
fledgling pilots. Nineteen plots gave over 100.000 people their first
taste of
the radical new flying
machines.
St. Nicolas' Parish Church stands at
the bottom of the high street. The church
bell is believed to date from
1110, and may be one of the oldest church bells in
the world. It was moved
from The Old Church of St Kentigern when St. Nicolas's
Church was built in
1774. It has been recast four times, including 1659 and
1983. There is an
8-foot (2.45 m) statue of William Wallace in the steeple. This
was sculpted
by Robert Forrest, from an ancient drawing in the possession of the
Society
of Antiquaries
Another beautiful book from the author Helen
Moir
English.
In the late eighteenth century, David Dale, a Glasgow banker
and Richard Arkwright, inventor of the Spinning Jenny, constructed a village
and textile mill in a narrow gorge on the banks of the River Clyde. This
village, called New Lanark, was soon to become world famous. Robert Owen,
Dale's son-in-law took over management of the mills in 1880. From being a
tyrannical boss, he slowly changed his ways and New Lanark became a model
workplace where new ideas of labour relations and working conditions were
tried.
Owen argued that a well educated and well housed workforce would
be
more content and therefore efficient. Today his once radical ideas are
common
in the workplace .
The New
Lanark mills and buildings have been beautifully
renovated and are today a
World Heritage Site.
From Lanark
street
scenes to Lanimer processions, from Tillietudlem to Milton Lockhart Castle, now
transported to Japan, stone by stone, there is much in this
collection to
remind residents of a time long gone when life was more
tranquil and when
events of world importance happened in the Valley of the
Clyde.
Another first for the area was the Scottish International
Aviation Meeting of 1910. This was the first time that aircraft had been seen
in numbers in Scotland, and the meeting attracted the best of Europe's
fledgling pilots. Nineteen plots gave over 100.000 people their first
taste of
the radical new flying
machines.
St. Nicolas' Parish Church stands at
the bottom of the high street. The church
bell is believed to date from
1110, and may be one of the oldest church bells in
the world. It was moved
from The Old Church of St Kentigern when St. Nicolas's
Church was built in
1774. It has been recast four times, including 1659 and
1983. There is an
8-foot (2.45 m) statue of William Wallace in the steeple. This
was sculpted
by Robert Forrest, from an ancient drawing in the possession of the
Society
of Antiquaries
Another beautiful book from the author Helen
Moir