Geranium phaeum, or “dusky crane’s-bill,” is a herbaceous plant native to Europe, known for its dark violet flowers and lobed leaves. Once rare in the UK, it gained attention in 1892 when found on the ruins of Blantyre Priory. It is now cultivated in gardens across the region.
Something remarkable today, a photo perhaps the oldest of any Blantyre photos! This lantern slide was allegedly taken in 1860 by Sir Thomas Annan and shows Blantyre Priory when the ruin was still very much more intact than now. Incredibly this photo 161 years old was taken a full 17 years even before the Blantyre […]
A story next from 1913, reminding everybody of the dangers of Blantyre Craig, the precipice overlooking the River Clyde which Blantyre Priory ruins rest on. In October 1913, a Colonel Ritchie of the Army Medical Corps was back in Scotland recuperating from an injury in India. Staying at Helensburgh, one weekend, he decided to visit […]
Yesterday, I was pleased to be tagged in a post drawing my attention to this wonderful and beautiful painting of Bothwell Castle by English watercolour artist, Hugh William Williams. Painted in 1810, it’s actually a Blantyre scene captured from the vantage point of Blantyre Priory looking across to Bothwell Castle. I have a story about […]
These photos are from 34 years ago. Taken in 1985, they show the former bing near the current Priory Playing Fields ahead of levelling works. Do you remember the fields off Blantyreferme Road looking like this? Photos Courtesy: G Hay
Well, this castle may be familiar. It is of course BOTHWELL CASTLE, a reconstruction showing how it may have looked like in its glorious days before battles and invasion. Can you imagine this castle over 700 years ago, looking like this, majestic standing above a River Clyde abundant with Salmon and overlooking a newly built […]
Bernice Cox messaged, “My great grandfather, Matthew LINDSAY (married to Catherine CORNFIELD), was fishing or poaching probably, salmon from the River Clyde on 27th May 1878. He was spotted by the gamekeeper who set off across the river in a boat and Matthew took off running. He collapsed and died at the scene and […]