Shared description
New Lanark World Heritage Site
New Lanark is one of just 28 World Heritage sites in the UK (25 Cultural, 2 Natural & 1 Mixed - see Link
)
New Lanark UNESCO site Link
New Lanark village was founded by David Dale in 1785, and the cotton mills, powered by water-wheels, were operational from 1786. But the man most associated with this remarkable example of a purpose-built C18th mill village was his son-in-law the Utopian idealist Robert Owen (1771-1858) who had married Dale's daughter Caroline and bought the mills from her father.
Owen set about improving both the working and living conditions of his employees as well as providing a good free basic education to their children. See Wikipedia Link for more information about him.
At one time there were four mills here, but No.4 mill, (the most southerly) burnt to the ground in 1883 and was not rebuilt. They gradually declined in production during the C20th and finally closed in 1968. By the early 1970s they were in a ruinous condition and had been sold to a company (Metal Extractions Ltd) that had reclaimed all removable metal from the site and left the buildings in a state of devastation. Bulldozers moved in to demolish the entire site - but at the 11th hour they were rescued by the creation of the NLCT (New Lanark Conservation Trust - now just NLT) In 1974 the NLCT was founded to prevent demolition of the village. A repairs notice was served on Metal Extractions Ltd in 1979 to effect repairs on the historic listed buildings - and their lack of action led to a compulsory purchase order in 1983.
Since then the site has been gradually, and painstakingly restored to its former glory and even some milling is taking place here again - though of wool into yarn rather than cotton into thread.
New Lanark has a resident population of around 130 people living in 45 rented properties and 20 privately owned houses - at its peak the houses here (a few now demolished) were home to nearer 2000 people! Conservation continues however, notably on the Caithness Row, so the resident population may grow in the future.
The site is a popular and fascinating visitor attraction with guided tours available. Example dwellings from both the early C19th and c.1930 can be visited along with a village shop and several of the mill buildings. There is also a large craft shop, a café and the hotel and restaurant as well as a spa. Some of the properties in the village can be rented for holiday accommodation.
The Canmore Scottish historical website has a huge amount of information on New Lanark. Follow the link to their main NLM page - then click on any of the specific items listed under "Archaeological Notes" - Link: Link
NLT website here: Link
)New Lanark UNESCO site Link
New Lanark village was founded by David Dale in 1785, and the cotton mills, powered by water-wheels, were operational from 1786. But the man most associated with this remarkable example of a purpose-built C18th mill village was his son-in-law the Utopian idealist Robert Owen (1771-1858) who had married Dale's daughter Caroline and bought the mills from her father.
Owen set about improving both the working and living conditions of his employees as well as providing a good free basic education to their children. See Wikipedia Link
for more information about him.At one time there were four mills here, but No.4 mill, (the most southerly) burnt to the ground in 1883 and was not rebuilt. They gradually declined in production during the C20th and finally closed in 1968. By the early 1970s they were in a ruinous condition and had been sold to a company (Metal Extractions Ltd) that had reclaimed all removable metal from the site and left the buildings in a state of devastation. Bulldozers moved in to demolish the entire site - but at the 11th hour they were rescued by the creation of the NLCT (New Lanark Conservation Trust - now just NLT) In 1974 the NLCT was founded to prevent demolition of the village. A repairs notice was served on Metal Extractions Ltd in 1979 to effect repairs on the historic listed buildings - and their lack of action led to a compulsory purchase order in 1983.
Since then the site has been gradually, and painstakingly restored to its former glory and even some milling is taking place here again - though of wool into yarn rather than cotton into thread.
New Lanark has a resident population of around 130 people living in 45 rented properties and 20 privately owned houses - at its peak the houses here (a few now demolished) were home to nearer 2000 people! Conservation continues however, notably on the Caithness Row, so the resident population may grow in the future.
The site is a popular and fascinating visitor attraction with guided tours available. Example dwellings from both the early C19th and c.1930 can be visited along with a village shop and several of the mill buildings. There is also a large craft shop, a café and the hotel and restaurant as well as a spa. Some of the properties in the village can be rented for holiday accommodation.
The Canmore Scottish historical website has a huge amount of information on New Lanark. Follow the link to their main NLM page - then click on any of the specific items listed under "Archaeological Notes" - Link: Link
NLT website here: Link
by Rob Farrow
Created: Fri, 30 Aug 2019, Updated: Tue, 8 Dec 2020
77 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:
2025
2025
2025
2024
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
2020
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2019
2016
2016
2016
... and 52 more images.
Shared descriptions
This shared description
The 'Shared Description' text on this page is © copyright 2019 Rob Farrow.
Shared descriptions are specifically licensed so that contributors can reuse them on their own images, without restriction.
About shared descriptions
These Shared Descriptions are common to multiple images.
For example, you can create a generic description for an object shown in a photo, and reuse the description on all photos of the object. All descriptions are public and shared between contributors, i.e. you can reuse a description created by others, just as they can use yours.
Explore images
Log in to view extended navigation and 'Explore' links.Other shared descriptions
Search for other Shared Descriptions.
