Douglas, South Lanarkshire
Encyclopedia
Douglas is a village in South Lanarkshire
, Scotland
. It is located on the south bank of the Douglas Water
and on the A70 road
that links Ayr, on the West coast of Scotland, to Edinburgh
on the East, around 12 miles south west of Lanark
. The placename is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Old Gaelic dub and glais, meaning "dark stream", in reference to the Douglas Water
. in reference to the river. The Douglas family
took this name when their ancestors settled here in the 12th century.
, the seat of the Lords of Douglas. The first recorded mention of the Parish of Douglas is in a charter of Bricius de Douglas, Bishop of Moray
dated between 1203-1222 to the monks of Kelso Abbey
which is witnessed by Freskin Parson
of Douglas, brother to the bishop. The castle was well established by the time of William the Hardy when he was called upon to imprison Hugh de Abernethy there in 1288 and where Abernethy died at some point before 1293. The castle was occupied for some time by English
forces during the Scottish Wars of Independence. However the castle was liberated by Sir James Douglas
when in 1307 he and some followers trapped the English garrison inside the Castle chapel whilst they were worshiping and burnt it to the ground, causing some damage to the castle.
", after the Walter Scott
novel which took Douglas Castle as its inspiration. In the 1930s Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home
allowed the mining of coal in the park near to the castle, in a philanthropic effort to alleviate local unemployment. The Lanarkshire coal industry, once the mainstay of Scotland's production, had seen its output almost halved by 1937, with catastrophic consequences for local communities. As a consequence of the mining works the castle was considered to be at risk of subsidence and had to be demolished in 1938.
The oldest structure within the village itself is the ruin of St. Brides Church, which like the castle originated in the 14th century. This church became the mausoleum of the Lords of Douglas. The church clock, which is still in working order today, and installed sometime in the 16th century, is rumoured to have been given as a gift to the village by Mary, Queen of Scots, after spending time in the area. The parish church was moved to its present site, near to the old chapel, where the Douglas St Brides Parish Church still stands. Its congregation now worships at the newer St Brides Church built some distance away.
Within the village stands a statue to one of the Covenanter
s, James Gavin who was persecuted for his religious faith and had his ears cut off with his own tailoring scissors for refusing to renounce it. After suffering this humiliation he was transported to a life of slavery in the cotton fields of the West Indies. The ruins of his house stood until 1968 with the tailor's engraved lintel still in place above the front door. The lintel has been incorporated within the monument erected in the rear garden of the house. Also within the village is a statue of James Douglas, Earl of Angus
, commemorating the Cameronians
regiment which he raised in 1689. Nearby, another memorial commemorates the disbanding of the Cameronians in 1968.
The village was shaped later by the Industrial Revolution
, which brought woolen mills and coal mining (in common with other villages in this part of Scotland). There is a heritage museum in Douglas that charts the history of the area.
South Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of the former county of Lanarkshire. It borders the south-east of the city of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs, commuter towns and smaller villages....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located on the south bank of the Douglas Water
Douglas Water
The Douglas Water is a river in south-central Scotland, and is a tributary of the River Clyde. Its course is entirely within the South Lanarkshire council area. The river's name comes from the Gaelic dubh-glas, meaning black water....
and on the A70 road
A70 road
The A70 road is a major road in Scotland, United Kingdom. It runs a total of from Edinburgh to Ayr. It begins in Gorgie, Edinburgh, as Ardmillan Terrace from a junction with the A71 and ends as Holmston Road in Ayr going by but not through Lanark...
that links Ayr, on the West coast of Scotland, to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
on the East, around 12 miles south west of Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
. The placename is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Old Gaelic dub and glais, meaning "dark stream", in reference to the Douglas Water
Douglas Water
The Douglas Water is a river in south-central Scotland, and is a tributary of the River Clyde. Its course is entirely within the South Lanarkshire council area. The river's name comes from the Gaelic dubh-glas, meaning black water....
. in reference to the river. The Douglas family
Clan Douglas
Clan Douglas is an ancient Scottish kindred from the Scottish Lowlands taking its name from Douglas, South Lanarkshire, and thence spreading through the Scottish Borderland, Angus, Lothian and beyond. The clan does not currently have a chief, therefore it is considered an armigerous clan.The...
took this name when their ancestors settled here in the 12th century.
History
The village grew to service the nearby Douglas CastleDouglas Castle
Douglas Castle was a stronghold of the Douglas family from medieval times to the 20th century. The first castle, erected in the 13th century, was destroyed and replaced several times until the 18th century when a large mansion house was built in its place. This too was demolished in 1938, and today...
, the seat of the Lords of Douglas. The first recorded mention of the Parish of Douglas is in a charter of Bricius de Douglas, Bishop of Moray
Bishop of Moray
The Bishop of Moray or Bishop of Elgin was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Moray in northern Scotland, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics...
dated between 1203-1222 to the monks of Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey
Kelso Abbey is what remains of a Scottish abbey founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot waters, the site of what was once the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
which is witnessed by Freskin Parson
Parson
In the pre-Reformation church, a parson was the priest of an independent parish church, that is, a parish church not under the control of a larger ecclesiastical or monastic organization...
of Douglas, brother to the bishop. The castle was well established by the time of William the Hardy when he was called upon to imprison Hugh de Abernethy there in 1288 and where Abernethy died at some point before 1293. The castle was occupied for some time by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
forces during the Scottish Wars of Independence. However the castle was liberated by Sir James Douglas
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
when in 1307 he and some followers trapped the English garrison inside the Castle chapel whilst they were worshiping and burnt it to the ground, causing some damage to the castle.
Notable Buildings
The only remains of the castle are those of a 17th century corner tower, still known as "Castle DangerousCastle Dangerous
Castle Dangerous was Walter Scott's last novel. It is part of Tales of My Landlord, 4th series.-Plot introduction:The story is set in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire around 1306, shortly after the death of William Wallace during the Wars of Scottish Independence...
", after the Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
novel which took Douglas Castle as its inspiration. In the 1930s Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home
Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home
Charles Cospatrick Archibald Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home KT was the father of British Prime Minister, Alec Douglas-Home.Charles was born in 1873, the son of Charles Douglas-Home, 12th Earl of Home...
allowed the mining of coal in the park near to the castle, in a philanthropic effort to alleviate local unemployment. The Lanarkshire coal industry, once the mainstay of Scotland's production, had seen its output almost halved by 1937, with catastrophic consequences for local communities. As a consequence of the mining works the castle was considered to be at risk of subsidence and had to be demolished in 1938.
The oldest structure within the village itself is the ruin of St. Brides Church, which like the castle originated in the 14th century. This church became the mausoleum of the Lords of Douglas. The church clock, which is still in working order today, and installed sometime in the 16th century, is rumoured to have been given as a gift to the village by Mary, Queen of Scots, after spending time in the area. The parish church was moved to its present site, near to the old chapel, where the Douglas St Brides Parish Church still stands. Its congregation now worships at the newer St Brides Church built some distance away.
Within the village stands a statue to one of the Covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
s, James Gavin who was persecuted for his religious faith and had his ears cut off with his own tailoring scissors for refusing to renounce it. After suffering this humiliation he was transported to a life of slavery in the cotton fields of the West Indies. The ruins of his house stood until 1968 with the tailor's engraved lintel still in place above the front door. The lintel has been incorporated within the monument erected in the rear garden of the house. Also within the village is a statue of James Douglas, Earl of Angus
James Douglas, Earl of Angus
James Douglas, Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman and soldier.He was born at Douglas Castle, Douglas, South Lanarkshire...
, commemorating the Cameronians
26th Regiment of Foot
The 26th Regiment of Foot was a Scottish infantry regiment of the British Army, active from 1688 to 1881. Although the regiment took the name of its first colonel as The Earl of Angus's Regiment, it became popularly known as The Cameronians until 1751, when it was ranked as the 26th Foot...
regiment which he raised in 1689. Nearby, another memorial commemorates the disbanding of the Cameronians in 1968.
The village was shaped later by the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
, which brought woolen mills and coal mining (in common with other villages in this part of Scotland). There is a heritage museum in Douglas that charts the history of the area.
Sources
- Fraser, Sir W.William Fraser (historian)Sir William Fraser, KCB, was a solicitor and notable expert in ancient Scottish history, palaeography, and genealogy....
, The Douglas Book IV vols. Edinburgh 1885.http://www.archive.org/details/douglasbook01fras - Groome, F.H.Francis Hindes GroomeFrancis Hindes Groome , miscellaneous writer, son of a clergyman, wrote for various encyclopaedias, etc. He was a student of the Gypsies and their language, and published In Gypsy Tents , Gypsy Folk Tales , and an editor of Borrow's Lavengro...
, Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland : a survey of Scottish topography, statistical, biographical, and historical, VI vols, Edinburgh 1884.http://www.archive.org/details/ordnancegazettee02groo - Maxwell, Sir H., A History of the House of Douglas II vols, London 1902.