Five Centuries separate the two Bridges at the end of Blantyre, spanning over the Clyde at Bothwell. One is an ancient bridge, designated an ancient monument and steeped in history. The other is the road bridge built over the water when the final section of £12.2m East Kilbride A725 Expressway was built in 1983. The […]
Tag: bothwell
Bothwell Bridge 1910
It may be just outside Blantyre, but I couldn’t resist this charming photograph of Bothwell Bridge from 1910. A quiet, sleepy scene with a lady cyclist having the full freedom of the bridge with only an occasional person to navigate past. Tramlines are laid within the road cobbled surface. The scene is very manic today […]
The Lido at Bothwell Bridge
A remarkable photo exactly a hundred years old of the Lido at Bothwell Bridge. Taken in 1913, this photo shows a boy playing in the River Clyde during Summer months. This was a good 20 years before the park was built (now the EK expressway). On the Bothwell Bridge, to the far left stands a […]
The Mill Suspension Bridge
A wonderful old postcard of Low Blantyre’s “Pey Brig” or “Toll Bridge” and even known as the “Swing Brig”. The iron bridge spanned between Bothwell and Blantyre at the site of the old Mills on the banks of the River Clyde. Don’t let others ever tell you there were just 2 toll booths in Blantyre! […]
Bothwell’s Bonny Jane Part 4 of 4
And finally, the last part of Bothwell’s Bonny Jane Part 4 She screams ! — she sinks ! —” Row, boatman, row ! • * The bark is light !” the abbot cries ; ” Row, boatman, row to land !” — When lo ! Gigantic grew the boatman’s size ! With burning steel his […]
Bothwell’s Bonny Jane Part 2 of 4
Continuing the 1700’s ballad of Bonny Jane. Are you ready? If you missed the first part, you can find it here http://blantyreproject.com/2013/06/05/bothwells-bonny-jane-part-1-of-4/ Bothwell’s Bonny Jane Part 2 ” If at the castle gate, daughter, ” At night, thy love so true ” Should with a courser wait, daughter, . . ” What, daughter, would’st thou […]
Bothwell’s Bonny Jane Part 1 of 4
Matthew Gregory Lewis was a dramatist and writer born in 1775. He only lived until the age of 43, but successfully managed to publish some very good ballads, poems and stories. Motivated by a visit to Blantyre’s banks of the Clyde in the late 1700’s, Matthew, although not a local man, retold a tale he […]