An excellent poem about Blantyre’s Northern Boundary along the River Clyde. This was written by the the late James Cornfield back in 2006 and is added to the large, growing collection of Blantyre poems in the history archives at:

https://blantyreproject.com/reference/blantyre-poems/

Pictured very aptly, alongside this post is a boy at the River Clyde near Boatland, Blantyre around 1904.

Boundary, by James Cornfield 2006

Go north east of the Parish to Bothwell Brig,
Ancient site of covenanting fame,
One hundred yards west you’ll find a stream,
Park or Cuddy’s Burn is its name.

Tis here at the confluence of Park and Clyde,
our borders with Hamilton and Bothwell be now,
meander west along bonny Clydeside,
you’ll come to Sir Walter Scott’s Fairyknowe

Craighead, one time home of Jesuit priests,
where in a walled garden they walked there,
deep in meditation at one with their god,
harken to them recite their rosary prayer.

Go further west through fields in bloom,
of apples, gooseberry and pear,
behold the majesty that is Shuttle Row
Livingstone of Africa was born here.

Here stood the dream of David Dale,
A man with extraordinary vision!
built Mills, Dyework, Houses and School
in Blantyre Works Village, his mission.

Walk on thru’ Dandy’s Bluebell wood.
In springtime, a profusion of blooms
linger awhile, and you may hear,
the sound, of bygone weavers looms.

Soon you’ll approach a red sandstone crag,
where stands the ruin of Blantyre Priory.
tread carefully here in this once sacred place,
less you’ll disturb Augustians hoary!

Continue onwards towards ancient Haughhead,
near by the confluence of Calder and Clyde,
‘tis here that the village of Blantyre was born
and where its native people did bade.

This then is our natural north boundary,
Twixt Blantyre, Uddingston and Bothwell.