Bonnington: an Archaeological and Historical Appraisal
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__________________________________________________________________________________ SAVE OUR LANDSCAPES Report No. 1 BONNINGTON: AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL APPRAISAL By Ed Archer December 2011 Bonnington: an Archaeological and Historical Appraisal Introduction This paper has been prepared to provide members of the public and policy–makers with an overview of the history of the Bonnington area, which is part of the Buffer Zone of the New Lanark UNESCO World Heritage Site, and which was included in Historic Scotland’s Inventory of Designated Landscapes in 2007. The area is currently threatened by Cemex’s plans to extend Hyndford Quarry into this area, thus destroying much of the landscape. The paper takes us from the Prehistoric period, through Roman times to the Middle Ages when the area formed part of the Royal Forest of Lanark, a favourite hunting ground for the Kings of Scotland from the time of William the Lion. In the Middle Ages the first houses are recorded, but the real high spot of the estate’s history did not come till the Eighteenth Century. It was at this period that a designed landscape was developed by Sir James Carmichael with the House of Mirrors above Corra Linn being its most well known legacy. The Bonnington estate became associated with ’picturesque’ tourism, attracting poets and writers such as Wordsworth and Scott and artists such as Turner. Lady Mary Ross is associated with developing the work started by Sir James Carmichael at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Lady Mary blended the natural and designed landscapes with the development of paths, rides, view points and plantings. The distinctive landscape survived the demolition of the last Bonnington House along with some of the trees and beech lined pathways. The proposals for quarrying within the World Heritage Buffer Zone near Robiesland Farm raise a number of issues of an Archaeological and Historical nature. These are now outlined in detail below. Prehistoric Mesolithic 6500 B.C – 4000 B.C. There are strong indications that there are Prehistoric remains to be found in this area. These go back possibly to the Mesolithic. The nearest Mesolithic evidence has been found about twenty years ago across at the new Auction Market site; this took the form of a piece of Arran pitchstone and several pieces of green chert. Such finds are common in the areas adjacent to the Clyde (see Lacaille’s study on Prehistoric Scotland).The reason for this assertion is that the Clyde was used by Mesolithic people to access the interior of Western Scotland since much of Lowland Scotland was covered in thick forest . 2 Neolithic 4000 B.C -2500 B.C The only Neolithic remains appear to be several earthworks visible from the air in Google Earth. The first in the area to the south east of the proposed development. This appears to have disappeared due to quarrying. The West of Scotland Archaeological Service is aware of the existence of earthworks and the possibility that they are so old though the exact age is difficult to be 100 % clear about until excavation has taken place. The picture on the left shows the site of a possible Neolithic structure which is close to the right hand edge of the site and opposite the two large trees. This is typical of the earthworks of this period and is of the type found widely in the Upper Ward of Clydesdale. There are indications that a similar earthwork was lost during recent quarrying across the other side of the Drove road. It is suggested that Resistivity work should be undertaken in this area to clarify matters. Note that Resistivity work is non intrusive archaeology done with what can be best described as an archaeologist’s Zimmer frame, but in this case signals are transmitted between rods stuck in the ground and the resistance is measured. Where a trench has been dug, the resistance is less whereas if there is a wall there is plenty of resistance and the readings appear dark. An axe of the Neolithic era was found at Lanark Loch, the current location of this is unknown at the present time. Bronze Age 2500 B.C – 750 B.C. On the nearby race course there is aerial photographic evidence of a small burial mound typical of this era. Also a Bronze Age urn was found in the excavation of sand in the late eighteenth century. This is mentioned in Prehistoric and Roman Lanarkshire – HMSO. Iron Age 750 B.C. – A.D. 79 The only recorded evidence of this era is Hyndford Crannog which was excavated at the end of the nineteenth century. A crannog is normally a lake dwelling but in the case of 3 Hyndford Crannog, it was in marshy land. It lies not near the Clyde but in the grounds of Hyndford House. The first era of occupation was possibly pre Roman. However most of the associated finds are of a later date – see below. Roman Era The picture above is of a complete Samian ware bowl. This example was not found at the site which was excavated at the end of the nineteenth century. This moulded pottery was imported from the Roman Province of Gaul, modern day France. The Samian ware found at Hyndford is contemporary to similar pottery found at Pompeii. The pottery was brought to Scotland by the Roman Army to their camp at Castledykes, Corbiehall Farm and traded with the local Iron Age inhabitants of Hyndford Crannog. The story of the excavation is reported by J.Munro in volume 33 of the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Scotland. Mediaeval Period It is possible that before Bonnington existed that it formed part of the estate belonging to the Hindefords but as I suggest below it originally formed part of the Royal Forest of Lanark. The first mention of the Hindefords occurs in a charter of Alexander III which refers to an enquiry into the holding of Adam de Liberacione at Pettinain. Gamel of Hindeford is mentioned by name in this document so presumably he had some dwelling in the vicinity as yet undiscovered. This reference comes from Irving and Murray’s History of the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire published in 1867. The indications would suggest that Bonnington was an integral part of the Forest of Lanark that once belonged to the Kings of Scotland. King William the Lion (1165-1214) was the first Scottish king to enjoy hunting in the forest making use of the local peregrine falcons of the area to assist with hunting within the Forest of Lanark. This is referred to in Lanark Burgh Records edited by Renwick. 4 The Forest is referred to in papers of the Calendar of Documents Volume 5 page 153 relating both to John Balliol and Edward I. However by the reign of Robert the Bruce nothing more is heard of the Forest . A probable reason for this is that the area of Bonnington was already being farmed. From 1302-1304 there are records of James of Dalziel obtaining a rent of 30 shillings from Over Bondyngton and 40 shillings a year for the farm of Nether Bondyngton; these were in the hands of Nicholas de Banaghtyn at that time. This mentioned in the Calendar of Documents covering the Scottish Wars of Independence 1296-1314 p. 423, the report of James de Dalileye, clerk to the English Treasury. It is possible that prior to the Wars of Independence that William de Bondington (d.1258) had been granted some of the lands of what is now called Bonnington by King Alexander III to cut down oak trees for the work on Glasgow Cathedral. Certainly it is known that Bishop Bondington played a key part in the construction of some of the work on the nave of Glasgow Cathedral. Certainly the bishops of Glasgow had a castle at nearby Carstairs at this time which was later converted into a stone castle by Robert Wishart, friend of William Wallace. This castle became more important than Lanark Castle. There is a link between Bonnington and Bondington, which is confirmed by Robert II on January 1st 1382 granting the lands of Bondington to Sir James Lindsay of Crawford. Moreover the very first reference to the lands in 1304 refer to the lands as Bondyngton . View looking in the direction of Tulliford from Robiesland 5 It would be in the Middle Ages that a network of roads was developed to connect Lanark to the outside world through a network of fords across the Clyde. This drove road runs along the edge of the Bonnington estate down to the Clyde at Tulliford. This gave traders from Douglas and beyond access to the market in Lanark. For many centuries this has been an important right of way into Lanark; a right which was to be stoutly defended in the early eighteenth century. In the later Middle Ages Gilbert Cunningham of Boynton was called up for a case regarding the lands at Warrenhill near Carmichael in 1476. The same Gilbert was also involved in a jury which was summoned by James, Lord Hamilton. How these lands came into the Cunninghams from the Lindsays is not clear. What is known from the testaments approved by King James IV on January 20th 1511 that George Douglas successor to Archibald Douglas was approved of as feudal superior of a number of properties and estates including Bonnington . The information regarding the feudal superiority is referred to in the Calendar of Documents relating to the reign of James IV (1488-1513). Early Modern Era The first really detailed references to the owners and the lands of Bonnington occur within the Burgh records of Lanark which was published in 1893 by the Burgh Record Society.