LAND, LIFE, WATER: An Exhibition of the Clyde and Avon Valley Past and Pres

The Clyde and Avon Valley

Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership

The ancient wooded gorge landscapes of the Clyde and Avon have an intriguing and unique cultural heritage ranging from ancient oak woodlands, designed garden and landscapes stretching from Chatelherault to New Lanark World Heritage Site.

The Heritage Lottery Fund and South Lanarkshire Council LEADER supported Landscape Partnership ran between 2011 and 2018, delivering 70 projects around four themes; conserving the heritage of the area; increasing community participation and landscape connection; improving access to and learning about the landscape and heritage, and providing new training opportunities in heritage skills.

Cadzow Oaks in Spring at Chatelherault Country Park

Bonnington Linn at Falls of the Clyde, New Lanark

Known for its patchwork of nationally important woodlands and striking geological features; Iron Age and Roman remains, Medieval castles, mansion houses and riverside settlements; orchards and unique market gardening heritage – there are many all sorts of stories to be told.

Playing at Clearburn play park, New Lanark

Chainsaw training with Clydesdale Community Initiatives

The programme was delivered with ten partner organisations supporting the projects: South Lanarkshire Council, North Lanarkshire Council, Clydesdale Community Initiatives, Central Scotland Green Network, New Lanark World Heritage Site, Northlight Heritage, The Rural Development Trust, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Water The landscapes of the Clyde and Avon Valley have been shaped by water. The rivers Clyde and Avon, and their tributary “gills”, have scoured deep gorges over millennia providing a home to some of Europe’s most unique woodlands. The striking waterfalls and gentle curves of the rivers have inspired artists for centuries.

Before the coming of roads the rivers were also the main route of communication; with people of all ages, rich and poor, travelling up and down the Clyde and Avon rivers.

The rivers and the valleys provide a micro climate, meaning that fruit and vegetables have grown well here for centuries. The remains of many water powered mills, and weirs, can be found in the area, as can the hydro-electrical power stations built in the 1930’s.

The rivers are an important resource for wildlife which, with the creation of new fish passes the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership has helped to restore and conserve, starting a new chapter in the long history of this unique landscape.

The Ancient Rivers The Clyde and Avon rivers have ancient names.

There are many River Avons across the British Isles indicating the prehistoric, Celtic, origin of the name, meaning “river”.

The rivers Clyde and Avon have been important to people through the millennia.

On display here is a replica of the threeheaded Celtic statue, also known as a Tricephalos, found on the banks of the Clyde near Cambusnethan Priory. The Celts revered watery places so this, possibly religious or magical object, would have been placed by the banks of the Clyde for this reason.

Sketches made by Kate and Martyn as part of Stonehouse Make Your Way project ‘Journey Boxes’ Tricephalos from Carbarnswood Orchard, North Lanarkshire [ A.1967.16 reproduced courtesy of Glasgow Museums]

Maps created as part of Mapping the Past project

The Celtic people that lived here two thousand years ago named the Clyde “Clut”. This related to one of their goddesses, Clota, whose name comes from the root “clau” meaning to wash, giving the river the name “the Washer” or “she who cleanses”.

It is not just in ancient times that these rivers have been influential, as the Landscape Partnership has found out.

Working with volunteers and community groups the Landscape Partnership has celebrated the rich cultural heritage of the area in the songs, stories and art of the communities that live along their banks.

Machanhill Primary School Pupils taking part in the Salmon Homecoming project

Water Habitat The RSPB nature reserve at Baron’s Haugh is one of the most important habitats for wildlife in this part of Scotland, but this beautiful place has not always looked this way.

Marsh habitat creation in progress at RSPB Baron’s Haugh

Bird Watching at RSPB Baron’s Haugh

With the decline of industry in the area, wildlife habitats were able to recover, but it needed the help of local people to make this happen. The Hamilton Local RSPB Members’ group were instrumental in persuading the RSPB to acquire the industrial landscape and develop into a nature reserve in 1981.

“Scene in a Lanarkshire Mine No.3 - Pony Hauling Hutches” - Example of a Lanarkshire mine Little Stint at RSPB Baron’s Haugh by Davie Abraham

Like much of Lanarkshire in the late 19th century this landscape was heavily industrialized. At Baron’s Haugh a coal mine was created in 1869. This heavy industry greatly affected natural habitats through disturbance and pollution.

When closed in 1948 bings and mine ponds remained. Migratory birds were attracted by the warmer water in the ponds which rises from the flooded deep mines below.

RSPB Baron’s Haugh stands out as an example of the way in which our industrial heritage can be enhanced to provide wildlife habitats, as well as parkland for the community to enjoy. The Landscape Partnership has been hard at work in this area, helping RSPB Scotland continue to enhance this important habitat for the future.

Walking through RSPB Baron’s Haugh

Fish and Fishing The story of the fish that never swam is more associated with Glasgow than the Clyde and Avon Valley but it is thought that St Mungo plucked this famous salmon from the Avon, saving Languoreth the Queen of Cadzow’s reputation and the stability of the Kingdom of Strathclyde at the same time.

Over 450 Children

took part in the Salmon Homecoming Project

This story shows us that the Clyde and Avon rivers have long been associated with fish and fishing, something that continues to this day, with local groups, like the United Clyde Angling Protection Society and the Avon Angling Club helping maintain and supervise fishing in the area.

Fishing on the Clyde, Abington

Mural of St Mungo and the Fish, by Glasgow Boy, Alexander Ignatius Roche, 1899. Courtesy of Glasgow Life

Community taking part in Salmon Homecoming activities

The Landscape Partnership has celebrated this rich fishing heritage of the area recording the stories and memories of those that have fished these rivers for decades while projects such as Salmon Homecoming and the new fish passes on the Avon mean that fishing will prosper on these rivers for generations to come.

Salmon Homecoming The Clyde and Avon are some of the best fishing rivers in Scotland but this has not always been the case.

Until recently, waste from heavy industry meant that they were too polluted for salmon and sea trout to make their way up to the valleys. Remains of industry can be seen in places, like the Millheugh Chemical Works, whose mills and weirs acted as artifical barriers to fish. However, with the decline in industry, and stronger environmental protection, the water quality of rivers has greatly improved.

Postcard showing Millheugh Bridge, Larkhall Fish pass at Millheugh

The Landscape Partnership has also contributed to the restoration of the river habitats with the construction of two new fish passes at Ferniegair and Millheugh, on the Avon. This has opened up 200km of the river so that salmon and sea trout can once again prosper in this area.

The Salmon Homecoming project, delivered by the Clyde River Foundation, worked with local primary schools to create mini-hatcheries in their classrooms before releasing the young fish into the rivers. This is a practice with a long heritage in the valleys, with angling groups, such as United Clyde Angling Protective Association (UCAPA), managing hatcheries for decades.

Atlantic Salmon, once again travelling upstream in the Avon Water

School pupils releasing young fish into the Avon River as part of Salmon Homecoming

Land Shaped by the rivers and altered by people the landscape of the Clyde and Avon Valley is unique in Scotland.

Its geology has been utilised for centuries, providing the stone to build everything from Iron Age forts to Medieval Castles and from Celtic heads to gravestones. The clay and coal deposits formed millions of years ago meant that the area became famous for its brick making with factories dotted across the landscape and for its coal mines as well as it miners, like Kier Hardy.

Its rich soils and sloping valleys provide the perfect place to grow fruit and crops making it the fruit basket of Scotland. Much of the industry and horticulture is now gone but the landscape still shapes our lives, providing access to hundreds of miles of footpaths, parks and estates for the whole community to enjoy.

The work of the Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership has celebrated the evolving story of this land and has helped enhance access to this beautiful and inspiring landscape.

The Cartographic Heritage of the Valleys The Clyde and Avon Valley was home to one of the most important and famous mapmakers in British history. Born close to Carluke, Major General William Roy is known as the “Father of the Ordnance Survey” and was the first person to accurately map the whole of Scotland in a Military Survey 1747-55.

Roy’s Map Area around Hamilton, in Lanarkshire © The British Library

William Roy Surveying Loch Rannoch View © British Library

Major General William Roy changed the way we make maps and his legacy of accurate mapping is seen in the development of Trig Points and GPS.

Maps can show us what a past landscape looks like, sequences of maps also reveal how a landscape changed over time. Early maps, like Roy’s, also capture older place names, showing how they were spelt and spoken generations ago. Some place names have older origins such as Auchtyfardle, with “Auchty” being Gaelic and “fardle” being Scots - its meaning being roughly the eighth part of a fourth part.

Place Names of the Valley

Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

Have a look at the map. Do you recognise any familar names?

We have highlighted Dalserf to help you out. “Dal” means level field by a river and “Serf” refers to the Pictish Saint Sef of Culross.

Trails and Way Making The Clyde and Avon valleys have been a crossroad of Scotland for millennia and before the coming of roads, it was one of the major routeways from the north into the southern uplands and to the west, down the Avon, to the sea.

Section of Map created as part of Clyde Walkway Community Links

Rail Bridge on the Monkey Road, Larkhall

In more recent centuries, miners, farmers, factory workers, fruit pickers and their produce, would travel by cart, foot and rail along many of these ancient routes, such as “the Monkey Road” or “Jooker’s Johnny”. Since people now mainly travel by car, many of these long-established routes have fallen into disrepair, with some being lost from the landscape.

Trail through Nethan Gorge which has been improved through the Partnership

Local Landscape Heroes Way Marker

Way Tagging with Make Your Way

Fragments of many routeways, including Roman Roads, still criss-cross the valleys and the work of the Landscape Partnership has improved access to many of them.

Through the enhancement of paths and signage, and creating new trails and routes so many more people can enjoy this beautiful landscape today.

Building Blocks of the Valleys A rich location for geological resources; clay, stone and coal have been exploited for millennia. People have used these materials to craft tools, bricks and stone structures for centuries.

The Clyde Valley has a unique geology and the number of beautiful river gorges in the area is an amazing testimony to the erosion of powerful rivers over the past fifteen thousand years. There is a bit of everything in the Clyde valley – from stately Chatelherault built of local sandstone and with a grand fireplace of Cambuslang marble, to hidden underground caverns quarried into sandstone and creepy adits riven for coal deep into the walls of gorges.

- Katie Whitbread, British Geological Survey

Restoration work at Cadzow Castle which was originally built 1542-48

Collecting the tiles from the earth kiln

Brick and tileworks were widespread in the area during the 19th and 20th centuries. This association of bricks, especially those made from distinctive blue clay from the valley, inspired Artist Kevin Morris to create blue bricks which now mark the Make Your Way Carluke trail.

Law Tileworks, Carluke

Blue Bricks by Artist Kevin Morris

The Capturing the Past project celebrated the link between tile making and the local area by making and firing Medieval style tiles in an earth kiln. You can find out more about the unique geology of the area by visiting the Shaping the Landscape exhibition at New Lanark World Heritage Site.

Big Houses In the late 18th and 19th centuries, many mansion houses were built in the area.

Other elements, such as home farms and walled gardens, were designed to be productive and support the estates’ function.

Cambusnethan House c.1865, photographer J McGhie © Courtesy of RCAHMS (Lanarkshire Album)

Gardens, parklands and woodlands were established around the big houses. Some elements, such as ha-ha walls and view points, were designed to create places for leisure and recreation.

“Lockhart Castle” in Japan, photographer Mukasora (CC BY-SA 2.5)

Stonebyres House c. 1904, Courtesy of Lanark and District Archaeology Society

During the 20th century, many of the big houses fell into disrepair and were demolished. Or in the case of Milton of Lockhart was taken apart and partially rebuilt in a theme park in Japan.

Ha-ha wall at Dalzell House after restoration

Bridge to Milton-Lockhart Estate in Lanarkshire

Glorious Gardens Even when houses survived gardens could often become overgrown and older pathways and viewpoints forgotten.

Mauldslie Castle c. 1865, photographer J McGhie, © Courtesy of RCAHMS (Lanarkshire Album)

The lych gate and burial ground at the Mauldslie Estate

The character of the Clyde and Avon Valley owes much to the remaining gardens, parklands and woodlands relating to the big houses. Volunteers worked to rediscover some of the lost gardens and their key features.

Volunteers at Mauldslie Estate

A strategy has been developed with Scotland’s Gardens and Landscape Heritage to support looking after these Glorious Gardens and to conserve their best elements.

Collapsed remains of iron bridge in the Ram’s Gill ravine at the Mauldslie Estate

Visiting the Garden at Cleghorn House

Horticulture in the Valleys The Clyde Valley was once known as the fruit basket of Scotland. Its rich soils were ripe for growing of soft fruits, such as strawberries, while the orchards of apples and Victoria plum and carpeted the landscape.

Apple picking on Dalserf Farm

Berry picking at Flatt Farm Alex Morton watering plants Young boys help load fruit for transport

Mr Carruthers in the glasshouse, Old Manse, Carluke

Jessie Forrest picking tomatoes

At their height, in the early part of the 20th century, the Clyde Valley supplied fresh fruit to Glasgow and Edinburgh and beyond.

Horticulture in the Valleys The Landscape Partnership celebrated the rich horticultural heritage of the area through it historical and archaeological research and by establishing new allotments communities can continue to carry on this rich and bountiful tradition.

Blight in the early part of the 20th Century meant that soft fruit growing declined. It was replaced by extensive glasshouses, famously used to grow Lanarkshire tomatoes, but also other vegetables and even flowers.

Ruined glasshouses at Underbank by Alan O'Dowd

Glasshouses at Crossford

Outside Glasshouse at Carfin House, Crossford

By the end of the 20th century, this industry had drastically reduced, mainly as a result of cheaper imports from Europe and the south of England. Relic glasshouses and heating chimneys still litter the landscape or have been turned into garden centres.

Victoria Plum Jam Label from Scotts Preserves

Clydesdale Community Initiatives Volunteers, Albert, Euan and Jordan at Lesmahagow Allotments

Lesmahagow Allotments

Woodland Enhancement The Landscape Partnership has helped to restore many of the important natural habitats of the area, removing nonnative species and enhancing spaces for wildlife and people.

22.5ha

of conifer trees cleared

12.08km of trail improved

15788

Native trees planted

The Landscape Partnership has also been working to improve paths and trails around the valley so they can be enjoyed by local walkers.

View during tree felling at Chatelherault Country Park

At Chatelherault Country Park 22.5ha of non-native trees have been removed. This has helped to restore the views of the 18th century designed landscape. Felling of non-native trees will now allow native trees to flourish with more space and sunlight.

Path at Lower Nethan Gorge

Life People have been living in the Clyde and Avon Valley since the last Ice Age, with each generation leaving its mark on the landscape. In turn, the landscape has shaped the way in which communities have lived and understood their world.

The heritage of the Clyde and Avon Valley can be part of the everyday lives of the people and communities that live in and around the area.

Long-standing traditions such as fruit growing demonstrate the peoples’ historical connection to the landscape.

The Clyde and Avon Valley Landscape Partnership has celebrated the rich heritage of the people, wildlife and landscape of the area so that the future of this unique part of Scotland can be secured for generations to come.

The Orchards of the Valley

I’ll sing of a river I’m happy beside The song that I sing is a song of the Clyde Of all Scottish rivers it’s dearest to me It flows from Leadhills all the way to the sea It borders the orchards of Lanark so fair Meanders through meadows with sheep grazing there

- R. Bell

The greatest concentration of orchards in Scotland are found in the Clyde and Avon valleys, forming an important part of the landscape’s character and heritage.

The Landscape Partnership has supported better management of the orchards and more use of their delicious apples. A community orchard has been created at Kirkfieldbank and the Clyde Valley Orchards Cooperative Limited (CVOC) are now producing Clyde Valley apple juice with biannual apple celebrations every May and October at Blossom and Harvest day.

Orchard at Arthurs Craig

Members of Clyde Valley Orchards Co-op Cambusnethan Pippin at Fruit Day

Section of Blaeu Atlas of Scotland Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland

The earliest evidence for orchards in this area comes from the Monks of Lesmahagow Priory in the 1400’s.

So important were the orchards that varieties of apples, such as the Cambusnethan Pippin, were even named after where they were grown.

The largest number of orchards in the valley were cultivated in the early part of the 20th century. Most smallholders, farms and estates had at least one orchard in their care. Yet, since the middle of the 20th century, the majority have fallen out of use.

While the surviving trees continue to blossom, their fruit often remained ungathered.

Fruit Day at Overton Farm, Carluke

Investigating the Past The landscapes of the Clyde and Avon valleys have been altered by people for millennia, with each generation leaving its mark.

In 2017 excavations took place at two archaeological sites; Black Hill, Kirkfieldbank, and at Castle Qua, in the Cartland Craigs nature reserve.

"Jolly Stone" found at Black Hill - likely from the Victorian Period

Dennis and Ian taking notes at Black Hill

Aerial View of Black Hill, Iron Age Fort

3000 years ago the Iron Age Celtic people that lived in this area began to construct enclosed settlements, known as forts, on hilltops and overlooking the steep river gorges.

David excavating at Black Hill

Jean and Liz excavating at Castle Qua, Cartland Craigs

David finds some pottery at Castle Qua

The excavations at Black Hill revealed a complex sequence of construction and enclosure, indicating that this prominent hilltop had been occupied over a long period of time. The excavations at Castle Qua revealed a massive outer ditch, which would have enclosed the site. It was previously thought that Castle Qua might have been Medieval in date but the results of excavations allow us to suggest an Iron Age origin.

Treasured Remains The historic graveyards of the Clyde and Avon Valley provide a rich connection with the past. Many of these important historical places have ornate 18th century gravestones depicting the occupation of the deceased, erected by families commemorating their loved ones.

Through the work of the Landscape Partnership, local volunteers have been recording some of the most important graveyards in the area.

Gravestone of Alexander Smith at St. Ninian’s Graveyard. He was potentially a blacksmith given the decoration on his gravestone

Volunteers have also helped with Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) and Photogrammetric surveys of some of the more interesting or vulnerable stones. This provides an accurate 3D record of the stones, sometimes revealing undiscovered details.

Dalzell Cemetery

Graveyards are a rich but slowly deteriorating part of the area’s heritage, which have suffered erosion, vandalism and neglect. If cared for they can be important historical sites with added value as green spaces for people and rich habitats for wildlife.

Volunteers and conservators at Dalzell Cemetery

Demonstrating how lighting can bring out detail in carved stone

Back to Nature The landscape partnership offered local people a variety of ways to get out into nature through community training, outdoor play and learning, and educational walks through the great outdoors.

After school play at Lanark Racecourse

Muddy boots and smiling faces filled our outdoor learning workshops and play sessions. These events encouraged children, families and teachers to get outside and embrace learning and playing in nature.

CCI members taking part in chainsaw training

Guided walks through Cadzow Oaks focusing on the Entomology around the Oaks

“I enjoyed strimming at Kirkfieldbank Orchard had a really good day...

Also digging over flower beds at Stonehouse Park was tough going as the ground was wet but felt it was a worthwhile job.”

- James

Margaret, Willie, Aaron and James workign hard at Maudslie wood

“It was good to show my mum everything I was learning. I liked building a den with my mum!”

- Molly

Cooking up a feast in the mud kitchen

Volunteering in the Valley Archaeology to orchards, tree planting to construction; our projects have provided opportunities to train volunteers and community groups in a wide range of arts, heritage, conservation and horticultural skills.

Clydesdale Community Initiatives volunteers helping Scottish Wildlife Trust to improve paths at Nethan Gorge

Volunteers getting to know the Tricephalos in person

Glorious Gardens Volunteers

Orchards surveying with the Clyde Valley Orchard Cooperative

Ed and Ailsa surveying Hoolet Row

Our volunteers have been the backbone of many of our projects. Across five years and 70 projects, around 300 volunteers have dedicated their time and effort to making their local landscape a better place. These are just a small sample of the many projects which were made possible by the hard work of our volunteers.

What our Volunteers have to say: "My 1st time volunteering - Hard work -A sense of achievement - Friendly people- Hot chocolate and biscuitWould I do it again? - Yes" - Linda “I enjoyed the challenge of building the enclosures at Mauldslie Woods. I really enjoyed cutting back the bushes and loading them onto the fire and thinning out birch trees. I also got great satisfaction seeing Jock’s Burn transformed from a dump to a paradise!”

- James

“I have gained a considerable amount in companionship and outdoor experiences, as I have been encouraged by the CAVLP landscape project to explore the landscape features still visible and which relate to the archives of the Hamilton estates.

Over the next few months, I hope to complete a review of the farming aspects related to the estates of the Dukes of Hamilton and to produce a readable, short introduction to using archives for research including tracing archaeology from the original records of farm fields being opened up, drained and provided with forest and roadway construction work.”

- Kenneth

“To be honest, I’d never volunteered or done anything with a group before the chainsaw training so you could say CAVLP set me off... I get a sense of achievement from it and have made some good friends from volunteering. With some groups it’s a real laugh, especially volunteering alongside the Clydesdale Community Initiatives team... Glorious Gardens gave me a whole new perspective on the landscape and it was really well worth doing, getting to see places I wouldn’t normally get to see.”

- Ruth

“I have been a CAVLP Heritage volunteer for a few years now and I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. I’ve had lots of opportunities from map and place name research, surveying important local heritage and all the way through to digging archaeological sites. I’ve been to many talks, workshops and a couple of conferences. I’ve learned numerous new skills, more that I could have imagined. I’ve made new friends and discovered there is so much more to my local area than what I see on the surface. It has been a most rewarding time.”

- Tookie

“Through volunteering with CAVLP I have been able to pay homage to the people who worked and lived in the valley, through researching and recording the remains of the glasshouses and the businesses which once were... In addition, my highlight in 2017 was being able to assist on the Archaeological dig on Blackhill, which I looked across to from our front window growing up. CAVLP has helped me explore areas of the valley which were on my doorstep which I had never known” - Shona

“Working with CAVLP on historical, archeological and cultural projects has been a fantastic learning opportunity. As well as meeting new contacts, sharing resources and skills, the project has opened up new experiences and knowledge that I will use in furthering my involvement in historical research and promoting a greater awareness of our culture at a local level. This project has both inspired me and taught me new skills which I will now pass onto like minded volunteers and encourage others to participate in highlighting our local heritage to a wider audience.”

- John

Plan of Hamilton Haugh and Part of Hamilton, drawn from the orignal 1780 map by William Douglas