Strathaven

Strathaven Scottish Gaelic: Strath Aibhne Scots: Straiven
Strathaven Location within South Lanarkshire
Population	8,090 (2022)[1]
• Edinburgh	39 mi (63 km)
• London	330 mi (531 km)
Council area	South Lanarkshire
Lieutenancy area	Lanarkshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	STRATHAVEN
Postcode district	ML10
Dialling code	01357
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
Scottish Parliament	Clydesdale

Strathaven (/ˈstreɪvən/ ^ⓘ; from Scottish Gaelic: Strath Aibhne [s̪t̪ɾah ˈajnə]) is a historic market town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland and is the largest settlement in Avondale. It is 7.5 kilometres (4+3⁄4 miles) south of Hamilton.^[a] The Powmillon Burn runs through the town centre, and joins the Avon Water to the east of the town.

The current estimated population is 8,000. The town was granted a royal charter in 1450, making it a burgh of barony. The A71, which connects Edinburgh and Irvine, passes through the town.

History

The Town Mill and Miller's house

Strathaven Public Hall

Detail of the advertisement on the town mill

A Roman road passes close by, on the south side of the Avon Water; it led to the Roman fort at Loudoun Hill near Darvel.^[2] The origins of Strathaven Castle are obscure, but it is believed to have been held by the Bairds until after the end of the Wars of Scottish Independence in 1357. It then passed to William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas in 1370.^[3]

The settlement within the lands of Strathaven became a burgh of barony in 1450.^[4] The centre of the town is occupied by the market square, formerly a grassed common, and still known as Common Green, or just 'The Green'. Linking the town and the castle is the old 'Boo Backit Brig' ('bow-backed bridge'), a small arched bridge.^[5]

The Old Parish Church, with its landmark spire, was built in 1772, and was the place of worship of the Dukes of Hamilton, who had a section of the church reserved for them.^[6]

The town played a significant part in the Radical War of 1820, when James Wilson led a band of radicals on a march to Glasgow, to join a rumoured general uprising, which never actually happened. Wilson was hanged for treason.^[7]

Its most famous 'modern' resident was the singer, Sir Harry Lauder (1870–1950) whose mansion, Lauder Ha', or Hall, remains in the town's Lethame neighbourhood, the estate's entrance leading from the road to Kilmarnock. Sir Harry spent the Second World War years there, and died in February 1950.^[8]

Dungavel House on the outskirts of Strathaven was the place where German Deputy Führer, Rudolf Hess, originally intended to land on the evening of 10 May 1941 in a misguided attempt to seek peace talks with the Duke of Hamilton. However bad weather and poor navigation resulted in Hess having to land at Floors Farm in Eaglesham.^[9]

In 2002, Strathaven was granted the title of Scotland's First Fairtrade Town^[10] (jointly with Aberfeldy) under the leadership of Paulo Quadros, chair of the first Fairtrade group in Scotland.^[10]

Governance

The town is part of the Avondale and Stonehouse ward of the South Lanarkshire council area. Before 1996, it was part of the Strathclyde region, with a district council in East Kilbride. Previous to that, it had been part of the Fourth landward district of the County of Lanark.^[11]

As of the 2024 UK General Election, Strathaven is represented in Westminster by the East Kilbride and Strathaven Labour MP, Joani Reid. In Holyrood, the town is represented by Clydesdale constituency SNP MSP Màiri McAllan.^[12]

Long-established business

The town's longest established business is Gebbie & Wilson, Solicitors in the Common Green, which was founded by William Gebbie in 1816.^[13] Local bakery Alexander Taylor is the longest-established bakery in Scotland. Opened in 1820, the business is operated by the sixth generation of the Taylor family.^[14]

Landmarks

The sole remaining tower of Strathaven Castle

The major landmark in the town is Strathaven Castle.^[15] Beside the castle lies the Town Mill. Built in 1650 at the behest of William, the 2nd Duke of Hamilton, the mill remained in operation until production ceased in 1966. The building, after having undergone repairs and refurbishment since its time in use as a mill, now operates as an Arts and Heritage centre.^[16] Strathaven Public Hall was designed by Alexander Cullen and completed in 1896.^[17]

The Spectacle E'e falls on the Kype Water

Between the town and nearby village Sandford lie the Spectacle E'e (Lallans word for 'eye') falls. The falls are named so for a local tale of a tryst between a young man and the miller's daughter. The miller disapproved of the young man, finding him unworthy of his daughter's company, and decidedly put an end to the affair. In retaliation, the young man is said to have placed an eye glass in the thatched roof of the mill, thus, through the refracted sunlight, the mill was set ablaze. Ruins of the mill exist today around the waterfall. The falls are accessible by a trail leading from Lesmahagow Road.^[18]

Strathaven has two public parks which are adjoined by a bridge over the Powmillon Burn. The lower of the two is the John Hastie Park, named for a local businessman who left a sum in his will to the town for the provision of funds for the park and the former museum which are named in his honour. The higher of the two is the George Allan Park which features a boating pond, an ornate cast-iron bandstand installed in 1902 and a miniature railway. Dating back to 1949, the railway is the oldest of its kind in Scotland. The park is named for the son of local Reverend James Allan whose son, George, was involved in a fatal sporting accident aged only 13. The Reverend Allan donated the funds necessary for the park's foundation which was then named in his son's honour.^[19]

Transport

The A71, which connects Edinburgh and Irvine passes through the town. The A723 links Strathaven to Hamilton and the A726 links it to East Kilbride, and further onto Glasgow. As part of South Lanarkshire, the town is in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport area.^[20]

Former railway stations

Strathaven North station in 1906

Strathaven had, at various times, three railway stations.

• Strathaven (Old), the first station, was the terminus of the Hamilton and Strathaven Railway. The railway was taken over by the Caledonian Railway; and the station closed in 1964.^[21]
• Strathaven North, a terminal station on the Hamilton and Strathaven Branch of the Caledonian Railway, opened in October 1904, closed temporarily during World War I; and closed completely in 1953.^[22]
• Strathaven Central, on the Darvel and Strathaven Railway closed in June 1964 to services from the east, although the line to Darvel closed in 1939.^[23]

Strathaven Airfield

Strathaven Airfield is home to a microlight flying school, which operates both the traditional-style weightshift microlights and the light aircraft-style ones, and the new airfield manager's house was featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs in October 2013.^[24] There are approximately 35 aircraft – both light aircraft and microlights – hangared at Strathaven in two modern purpose-built hangars. The airfield is also home to an annual local music festival, HangarFest. The airfield was set up on the old Couplaw Farm, which The Scottish Flying Club Ltd bought in May 1964. The club had begun flying in 1927 at the old Renfrew Airport^[25] but was left homeless after Renfrew was nationalised in 1946. Strathaven Airfield was given to the RAF Benevolent Fund in 1974 and then sold privately in 2005. It has three grass runways, the main runway is oriented 09/27 (east-west) and is 530 m long (with a 100 m starter extension on 27 available on request). The airfield co-ordinates in the UK Air Pilot ENR 5.5-17 are: 554049N 0040654W.^[26]

Education

There are 7 primary schools in and around Strathaven, Chapelton Primary School, Gilmourton Primary School, Kirklandpark Primary School, Sandford Primary School, St Patrick's Primary School and Wester Overton Primary School

Strathaven Academy is the town's only secondary school.

Religion

Strathaven contains six churches^[27] including three Church of Scotland parishes: Avendale Old (built in 1772) linked with Drumclog Parish Church,^[28] Strathaven Rankin linked with Chapelton Parish Church,^[29] and East Parish Church (built in 1777) linked with Glassford Parish Church.^[30]

The former East Parish Church

The town's only Roman Catholic church is St Patrick's Catholic Church. The Parish was founded in 1859 to serve the growing Catholic population of Avondale following migration from Highland and Irish communities following the Clearances and the Great Famine. The current church building was constructed in 1901, paid for by then Archbishop Charles Eyre. The older, original church building now serves as the parish hall.^[31]

The ecumenical body "Hope Strathaven" consists of six churches in the area, which work together bringing a mix of community projects.^[32]

The Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, minister at Strathaven Trinity Parish Church of Scotland, was elected to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for 2024-2025.

Sport

Strathaven is home to several sports clubs, which include Strathaven Rugby Club which has a 3G, all-weather pitch.^[33]

Culture

Hot air balloon in flight over the town

Strathaven Hotel houses a small seated venue holding acoustic music gigs under the title FRETS. Artists performing have included Arab Strap, Norman Blake and Euros Childs, Lloyd Cole, Altered Images, Robyn Hitchcock and Michael Head.

The town is host to Scotland's only hot air balloon festival. Held each August since 1999, the event attracts pilots and enthusiasts from across Europe.^[34]

In the Third Statistical Account of Scotland, County of Lanark, the Reverend C. Arthur Robertson, writing in 1953, quotes from the diary of a John McGowan, a native Strathavonian himself writing in Minnesota, U.S.A. c.1810 wherein is described some of Strathaven's folkloric history, "A small natural rock situated about a mile south of the town of Strathaven on the north bank of the River Avon in the parish of Avondale. Its curious form and romantic situation - with surrounding rocks rising abruptly and forming an amphitheatre about forty yards distant from it - give it the air of something grand and majestic. This little hill is covered with a slight coat of earth and planted with a few scotch firs, and the surrounding rocks are also covered with trees, forming a square on the north-east side of the Dabbie Dancie.

The hill itself is about 40 ft. high and 40 yds. long, is it oval form, within 30 yds. of the bed of the Avon, and was supposed to be the haunt of a water kelpy in the dark ages of romance, superstition and ignorance. The appearance of this beautiful little mount would give a stranger such ideas. This suggests to my mind the story which I heard in early life.

'On a stormy afternoon, as a cow-herd was gathering his cattle for home, he heard a voice more than human, just at the site of this old mount (the waters of the Avon were rising rapidly), call out, 'Carry me from Dabbie Dancie into Winkins Waas'. Which Winkin Waas is a rock placed on the other side of the Avon. This mount too, it is said, has the honour of Scots laws and ancient rites and superstitions delivered here by chiefs, and so public justice executed.'"^[35]

Notable people

• Bertie Auld, footballer and one of the Lisbon Lions who played with Celtic, lived in Strathaven^[36]
• Stuart Braithwaite, singer and musician with the band Mogwai, attended Strathaven Academy^[37]
• Eric Caldow, Scottish international footballer who played with Rangers, founder of Strathaven Dynamo^[38]
• William Craig, surgeon and botanist, President of the Edinburgh Botanical Society and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, born in Strathaven^[39]
• Linda Fabiani, Scottish National Party politician and former Scottish Executive Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, lived in Strathaven^[40]
• David Fernández, Spanish footballer who spent most of his career in Scotland playing for clubs including Celtic and Kilmarnock, lived in Strathaven^[41]
• James Mackinnon Fowler, Australian politician and founding member of the Victorian Socialist League, born in Strathaven^[42]
• Gordon Gibb, businessman, CEO of Flamingo Land Ltd and former chairman of Bradford City Football Club, brought up in Strathaven^[43]
• Sir Robert Giffen, financial editor of The Times newspaper and President of the Royal Statistical Society, born in Strathaven.^[44]
• Andy Kerr, Labour politician and former Scottish Executive Health Minister, lives in Strathaven.^[45]
• Sir Harry Lauder, singer, comedian and music hall entertainer^[46]
• Thomas Leiper, tobacco merchant^[47]
• Marion Jean Lyon, the first women advertising manager of a major British publication, was born in Strathaven^[48]
• Stuart McCall, Scottish international footballer who played for Rangers, Everton and Bradford City, lived in Strathaven^[49]
• Una McLean, actress and comedian^[50]
• John Miller, footballer for Scotland, Queen's Park F.C. and Pollock FC
• Aileen Neilson, Paralympian, lives in Strathaven^[51]
• Corrie Scott, swimmer and bronze medalist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games^[52]
• Jack Smart, football player
• Andy Stewart, Conservative MP from 1983–1992 for Sherwood, chaired Strathaven Young Unionists in 1957–58.^[53]
• Daniel Thomson, footballer
• Sara Vickers, actor, born in Strathaven^[54]
• Ricky Warwick, singer and guitarist with rock bands The Almighty and Circus Diablo, currently vocalist with Thin Lizzy^[55]
• James Wilson, revolutionary leader who participated in the Scottish Insurrection of 1820^[7]
• Barry Leitch, video game music composer

Notes

1. Measured as the bird flies from the edges of the built-up areas

References

1. "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
2. "Bronze Oil Lamp, Loudon Hill, Ayrshire". Retrieved 7 July 2018.
3. Historic Environment Scotland. "Strathaven, Stonehouse Road, Avondale Castle (45636)". Canmore. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
4. Groome, Francis H. (1885). "Strathaven". Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Edinburgh: Thomas C. Jack.
5. Historic Environment Scotland. "Strathaven Boo-backed Bridge (LB1293)". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
6. "Avendale Old Parish Church, Strathaven". Scottish Churches Trust. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
7. Craig, Maggie (30 August 2020). "Scotland's Radical Martyrs – James 'Purlie' Wilson". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
8. "From the archives. Sir Harry Lauder dies". The Guardian. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
9. "Scotsman 200: Hess lands to 'help Britain overthrow Nazi tyranny'". The Scotsman. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
10. Report, Official (24 January 2014). "Official Report". www.parliament.scot.
11. Edinburgh Gazette, March 11, 1930
12. "Scotland Election 2021 > Clydesdale". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
13. "Our History". Gebbie & Wilson. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
14. Bakery, Alexander Taylor. "Alexander Taylor Bakery". Alexander Taylor Bakery. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
15. Historic Environment Scotland. "Avondale Castle (SM2619)". Retrieved 19 February 2019.
16. "About | Strathaven Town Mill". Retrieved 13 May 2024.
17. Historic Environment Scotland. "Former Strathaven Public Hall, Kirk Street And Thomson Street, Strathaven (LB50142)". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
18. "Strathaven, Sandford & Spectacle E'e falls". VisitLanarkshire. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
19. "Strathaven Park - South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture". www.slleisureandculture.co.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
20. "About us". Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
21. Walks in Strathaven, Strathaven Community Council
22. Stansfield, Gordon (1997). Lanarkshire's Lost Railways (First ed.). Ochiltree: Stenlake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-8720-7496-2. OCLC 37399070. , p. 40
23. Stansfield, Gordon (1997). Lanarkshire's Lost Railways (First ed.). Ochiltree: Stenlake Publishing. ISBN 978-1-8720-7496-2. OCLC 37399070. , p. 32
24. "Grand Designs: Grand Designs - Episode Guide". Channel 4. Archived from the original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
25. Renfrew Airport
26. "EUROCONTROL - the European AIS Database: Introduction to EAD Basic - Home" (PDF). Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
27. "The Churches of Britain and Ireland - Strathaven". www.churches-uk-ireland.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
28. "Avendale & Drumclog Parish Church". www.avendale-drumclog.com. Archived from the original on 26 January 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
29. "Welcome - Strathaven Rankin & Chapelton". Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
30. "East Parish Church, Strathaven". 24 September 2017. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
31. sct-admin (24 September 2017). "St Patrick's Church, Strathaven". Scotlands Churches Trust. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
32. "The Strathaven Churches". Archived from the original on 25 August 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
33. Mitchell, Robert (9 October 2016). "Strathaven Rugby Club and Strathaven Dynamo AFC begin work on new £630,000 3G pitch".
34. "About". www.strathavenballoonfestival.co.uk. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
35. Robertson, C. Arthur (1960). The Third Statistical Account of Scotland: The County of Lanark (1st ed.). Glasgow: Collins. pp. 463–464.
36. "Bertie Auld given planning permission to build two new houses". Daily Record. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
37. "Music Maker". The Scotsman. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
38. "Rangers hero and Strathaven Dynamo founder Eric Caldow remembered by the Avondale club". Daily Record. 17 March 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
39. Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
40. "Fabiani vows to back her party". Daily Record. 18 February 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
41. "David Fernández". UK Phone Book. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
42. "James Mackinnon Fowler (1863-1940)". The First Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
43. "Gordon Gibb: more ups than downs". The Times. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
44. Hall, Hubert (1912). "Giffen, Robert" . Dictionary of National Biography (2nd supplement). Vol. 2. pp. 103–105.
45. "Labour ex-minister's purchase of museum mansion sparks landmark Facebook defamation case". Herald Scotland. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
46. "Sir Harry Lauder (1870 - 1950) with Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) at Lauder's estate, Lauder Ha', in Strathaven, South Lanarkshire". National Galleries of Scotland.
47. "Thomas Leiper and family business records, 1771-1947". dla.library.upenn.edu. Archived from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
48. Lizzie Broadbent (2023). "Lyon [married name Raven-Hill], (Marion) Jean". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000380812.
49. "Former Rangers star Stuart McCall's luxury country estate up for sale for £1million". Daily Record. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
50. "BBC - Una McLean retires her River City role as matriarch Molly O'Hara - Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
51. "Strathaven woman Aileen Neilson to skip Scotland at 'home' World Curling Championships". Daily Record. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
52. "Corrie Scott". Archived from the original on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
53. "Telegraph Letters - Lord Lexden on 'Tories and the Union'". The Daily Telegraph. London. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
54. "Vickers, Sara Louise. F. 1985. 579/ 13. Strathaven", Statutory registers – Births, ScotlandsPeople, (registration required)
55. "Black Star Riders owe inspiration to Scottish roots". Glasgow Times.

External links

• Town of Strathaven
• Strathaven in Old Postcards
• Scottish Gazetteer: Strathaven