Once upon a time, people from all walks of life, including gentry, industrialists, and farmers, were drawn to the fertile lands of Lanarkshire and made the Clyde Valley their home.
However, as a result of declining fortunes, shifting preferences, and the societal shifts that were necessitated as a result of the World Wars, many of the mansions that once dominated this area simply disappeared from the landscape.
Others, like Cambusnethan Priory near Wishaw, which is a Grade A listed piece of Gothic Revival architecture, have managed to survive thanks to the efforts of volunteers, while others, like Hamilton Palace, which was once thought to be Scotland’s grandest country house, have been destroyed.
Another mansion, the Milton Lockhart at Rosebank, was purchased by a Japanese actor in the 1980s, after which it was dismantled piece by piece and shipped east via the Siberian railroad.
Now, a little bit of Scotland can be found in Unma-Ken, where it serves as a tourist attraction and venue for weddings.
Christine Wallace, who was born and raised in the Clyde Valley during the 1970s and 1980s but currently resides in Germany, has developed into an enthusiastic researcher of the once-great houses that were located in the region.
She is responsible for organizing the Friends of Cambusnethan Priory and establishing the Lost House of Clyde Valley group on Facebook.
Ms. Wallace shared her story by saying, “I grew up in the Clyde Valley opposite the ruins of an old gatehouse, and these houses just fascinated me as a child, and they continue to fascinate me to this day.”
There is a significant amount of history in our land, but we are never really taught about it, and we almost never hear about it.
According to the findings of the group’s research conducted up to this point, at least 11 mansions in the Clyde Valley have been demolished, five are in danger of collapsing, and one is in a state of complete disrepair.
Another nine homes and businesses have been removed from Upper Clydeside.
She stated that “Sometimes I get asked why I want to save these houses that were really for the elite, and there are several answers to that question.” She went on to say that “There are several answers to that question.”
“I don’t think of them as merely being a part of these families,” I said. Because of the hard work of our ancestors, such as the miners, a significant portion of the finances and wealth in these families and houses are a direct result of their efforts. As a result, you can’t help but feel that you have some ownership over it.
“And then you have to think of people like the stonemasons, the gardeners, and anyone else who made those houses what they were and kept them looking beautiful,”
Many of the wealthy residents of the Clyde Valley saw their prosperous days in the valley come to an end as a result of a number of events, including World War I and the Great Depression.
According to Ms. Wallace, “these estates lost a lot of staff and money, and the properties became more of a cost than an asset.”
In the meantime, the industry that had brought some of the residents to their current levels of extreme wealth was going to turn out to be their downfall.
The coal seams that had been heavily plundered by the owner of Hamilton Palace, the Duke of Hamilton, who held the mineral rights across most of Lanarkshire, literally undermined Hamilton Palace. The Duke of Hamilton held the mineral rights across most of Lanarkshire.
During World War One, the 13th Duke had also used it as a naval hospital for the benefit of the war effort.
Once peace was finally declared, he had little desire to go back to the sprawling pile of garbage. The price of building materials, which had to be purchased in order to restore properties to their previous state, had also skyrocketed.
The magnificent Hamilton Palace was torn down in 1925, after which its extensive art and antiques collection was auctioned off for the modern-day equivalent of twenty-four million pounds.
At the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, every inch of the Great Dining Room was painstakingly recreated from scratch.
The mausoleum of Hamilton Palace is still standing off of the M74 to the west of Strathclyde Country Park, and it is opened up for visitors on one day each year.
Ms. Wallace continued by saying, “We have this important remnant of the estate, but not everyone knows that there was also a great big palace here too.”
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After traveling approximately 20 kilometers to the south-east along the Clyde River, you will arrive at the location of the historic Mauldslie Castle, which was constructed by the renowned architect Robert Adam in 1792. After its destruction, the site is now occupied by a sewage treatment plant.
Mr. James Hozier, a former Member of Parliament for South Lanark who served from 1886 until 1906, was instrumental in the acquisition of Maudslie on behalf of the 5th Earl of Hyndford. It is said that after one of his election night victories, people would rush to the castle to offer their congratulations and best wishes to him. Although it had been in the family for generations, it was destroyed in 1935. The stately gatehouse, on the other hand, is still standing.
Cambusnethan Priory, which is located close to Wishaw and is located east of the Clyde, was constructed in 1819 for the Lockhart of Castlehill family. The stunning appearance of the gardens was highlighted in the New Statistical Account; however, they do not appear to be around any longer. Ms. Wallace described the state of the home as being “very precarious.”
The A-listed building, which is referred to as “one of the last great houses of the Clyde Valley,” was purchased in the 1960s and partially converted into a restaurant where medieval banquets were held. In 1984, it was allowed to fall into disrepair and was later used for the filming of music videos.
Ms. Wallace remarked that “It is a place that gets into people’s imaginations.” [Citation needed]
The current owner’s plans to convert the building into flats have been systematically blocked by the Friends of Cambusnethan Priory, who are working to keep the site clear of vegetation while a new use is found for the site. The priory was built in the 12th century and is located in Cambusnethan, Scotland.
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Ms. Wallace mentioned that there are also “Clyde Valley survivors,” such as Corehouse, which is located close to Lanark and is a prominent example of mock Tudor architecture in Scotland.
Edward Blore, who later went on to finish Buckingham Palace, was the one who constructed this building in 1824 for Lord Corehouse, who had previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Advocates.
As a rural retreat, Corehouse was constructed close to the falls of Corra Linn, and it has been and will continue to be owned by the family.
