It’s difficult now to imagine that these beautiful Italian Gardens once existed at High Blantyre. These postcards from the 1910’s show just how incredible they looked, with climbing flowers and ivy adorning the stone steps, walls and arches. These 2 images were taken from the Quoiting green looking back at the stonework, up towards Parkneuk […]
Nature slowly claiming back the former ornamental, beautiful Italian Gardens at Auchentibber. This photo from 1999 shows the remnants of arched structures built 90 years earlier which once adorned the quoting green gardens. Built by the miners, these gardens were once described as a “wonder” and somewhere for tourists to come to happily knowing they […]
During an Auchentibber Garden Party in June 1910, reporters interviewed Inn and Quoiting Grounds owner, Mr. J.B.H Struthers. Today, continued on from Parts 1 and 2, this final part continues with an explanation of the measures ihe and other volunteers took to create the beautiful former Italian Gardens. Reporters interviewing him stated, “The chief point […]
I recently met up with Margaret Stewart who lives in High Blantyre to scan some of her old photos of Blantyre. You can imagine my delight when Margaret passed me a little photo album with some great little ‘gems’ in it! Like this photo of the former Auchentibber Gardens, likely taken in the 1920’s. […]
Continuing our look at Flora Dickson Potter’s research and memoirs of Auchentibber. Flora sadly, no longer alive put these words down on paper, and now kindly passed on to me with thanks ,via Janet Cochrane. In Flora’s words, she continues to discuss the Auchentibber Quoiting Green and Italian Gardens. “A series of photographs, which may […]
I’ve recently been passed by Gordon Cook, my very own copy of a little Souvenir booklet from 1909 which featured Auchentibber Quoiting Green. The small pamphlet was written exclusively that year by the workers who formed the Quoiting Green. Its purpose was to let visitors know how the green and the famous Italian Gardens […]
I recently discovered that a Blantyre man (whom will remain anonymous) has a little part of the former Italian Gardens at Auchentibber, saved in his own garden. A photo was shared with me but I’d previously thought all the statues, walls and plinths were long gone and that only a handful of stones remained at […]