1947 View from Priory Bing

Digital Reporter

9 years ago

This previously unseen photo was taken with exceptional clarity in 1947. As WW2 ended, the Priory Bing had partially collapsed into the River Clyde, blocking part of the river. That happened just out the photo to the left. Above and out the photo was Bothwell Castle.

Looking round to the right we see the Priory woodlands, a combination of old and relatively young trees forming the plantations all along the riverbank. Coal and slag spills down the bing into the woodland itself and its easy to find remains of that today.

Of course, the massive bing, perhaps the largest man made object ever to appear in Blantyre was eventually removed and is today the Priory Playing fields. That strip of dense woodland leading steeply down to the Clyde is still there today.

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,

Gord Fotheringham Yes….as a young lad I had seen this view many times….still remember it….not too far from the cave to the castle……the name of the bing was the tontie

Paul Veverka The tontie?

Gord Fotheringham Paul Veverka we the villagers only ever knew it as the tontie…..even our parents called it the tontie….

Archie Peat When I roamed the Dandy that area was hot ashes and shale.Interestingly there was hundreds of “clugs” or 2foot long pit props which legend had it that you never touched them because some day they may save a miners life……………… Kids !!!!!

Elspeth Mcgregor We used to go down there as children. We went down what was known as ‘the dandy’ from Farm Road down to cut off to Priory Pit. From there we went down behind the pit past the Rushing Burn and we could see Bothwell Castle on the other side of the Clyde. Didnt realise how dangerous it was until we were grown up!!!

Colin Duffy That was my playground the Dandy and the bing I stayed right next to the Dandy