The following historical ‘snapshots’ are intended only to give the walker some brief details of the various
places of interest that he will pass as he proceeds along the Kentigern way. They are organised south to
north in the direction of the walk and in the order he will encounter them. It is hoped that they will
serve to add interest to the route and offer a glimpse of the rich historical context of the landscape he
is traversing.
The information contained in these short descriptions has been gleaned from many sources – too many to
list individually here. The author wishes to pay due tribute to the work of those others that he has made
use of while admitting full culpability for any errors or misinterpretations that have occurred.
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Biggar Museum
|
The museum provides a focus on the life of the local populace from prehistoric times to the present century. |
Cadgers Brig |
So called since it was supposed to have been crossed by William Wallace on a spying mission against an invading English army. |
Biggar Church |
The church boasts a history stretching back to the times of the early Celtic Saints who spread the Gospel in upper Clydesdale. |
Culter Motte and Baillie |
David 1 of Scotland encouraged Flemish families to settle in Scotland and gave them land in return for help in controlling his unruly kingdom. This Motte and Baillie castle probably belonged to one of these, the de Cuiters. |
Tinto Iron Age Fort and Burial Cairn |
Tinto hill is a detached outlier of the Southern Uplands. Throughout the ages it had a strategic importance given its prominent position. Near the foot are the remains of an Iron Age fort. The large cairn on the summit was probably the scene of religious celebrations dating from Neolithic times. |
Cairngryffe Kirk |
The church in Carmicheal was originally on an earlier site dating from the 12th century. The name derives from the Brythonic Llanmicheal - the church of St Micheal. |
New Lanark Heritage Site and Museum |
Founded by David Dale and Richard Arkwright the cotton mills of New Lanark occupy an imposing site on the banks of the river Clyde. Robert Owen, the son-in-law, of David Dale inherited his father in law's attitudes to social reform and instituted a philanthropic approach to industrial working well in advance of thinking at his time. The New Lanark social experiment was renowned throughout Europe and it is now a World Heritage Site and Museum. |
