The Bothwell Historical Society (2011-2020) worked to advocate for historical preservation, collaborated with other non-governmental organizations to celebrate Bothwell’s history and to support local history education. The Bothwell Historical and Heritage Society (est. 2024) looks forward to continuing the work of exploring and sharing the history of the community.
The Covenanters’ Field Advocacy
In 2010, the building company, Cala Homes, submitted a planning application to construct some 15 very large houses on the field. This plan was, in part, supported by the Scottish Covenanters’ Memorial Association in spite of that group having objected for years to the desecration of the field. The response to the council planning department was huge. There were very many objections to the application and a few in support of it. The supporters, in the main, did not live in our village, whereas almost all of the objections came from Bothwell residents and organisations who respected Scottish history and the importance of the field to Scottish history.
By November 2014 the building company had been forced to abandon the planning application and had to withdraw it. Along with the many objections from the public, Historic Scotland (a Scottish Government body), had serious concerns regarding the future of the field.
South Lanarkshire Council’s head of planning, Michael McGlynn, said “there are continuing issues with this proposal, in particular, an objection from Historic Scotland. With this in mind , it was suggested to Cala Homes that they should withdraw the planning application”. A spokesperson for Cala Homes said “We intend to withdraw the application”.
Professor Sir Tom Devine said ”Agreeing to build over the last untouched part of this historic battlefield would be an act of desecration to the memory of those who died in defence of their religious beliefs”.
It may now be possible that the local groups in the village could progress with plans to construct a proper and fitting memorial to the Covenanters and protect the field for Scottish history and future generations. A brief archaeological dig a few years ago produced several artefacts relating to the battle that are now in storage.
Mining Heritage Monuments
Together with a sister organisation, Brighter Bothwell, the Historic Society commissioned two monuments to celebrate the village’s mining heritage. The first, a replica of the bogies or small wagons which carried the coal from the coal face to the surface was unveiled by John Lindsay and Harry Steele, two former miners from the Castle Colliery and is situated near to the site of the miners’ homes at the corner of Fallside Road and Uddingston Road. The second monument is a plaque recording the history of the Castle Colliery and is to be found at the foot of the remains of the bing (spoil heap) which is at present covered by trees and plants. The area is now a wildflower garden dedicated to the miners. The plaque may be found at the junction of Uddingston Road and Blantyre Road and was unveiled by children from our local primary schools.
Schools Programme
The Bothwell Historical Society (est. 2011) declared that all children in Bothwell’s two primary schools, St Bride’s and Bothwell Primary, were honorary members of Bothwell Historical Society. This means that approximately 700 local children have links with the Society. Society committee members regularly attended the schools to interact with the pupils, supported them in project work, took part in discussions with school staff and attended school functions as invited guests.
In the Spring term of 2016, Bothwell Primary School primary 7 students (11 and 12 years old), requested help from the Society with a comprehensive project on the history of the village including the castle, the Parish Church, the historic Library building and its mining heritage. The teacher, Mrs. McHenry, was anxious that the pupils should not simply copy information from the internet but that they should have access to original research material. This was provided by Committee members, Eric Denton, John Hart, George Maxwell, Brian Sharp and Jack Gallacher and delivered to the school. In June, Primary 7 pupils were welcomed by the Minister of Bothwell, Rev. James Gibson to the Parish Church and were given a guided tour of the building and its grounds by Society Committee members. The children voted the visit a great success and their project work was displayed on the walls of the classroom.
In 2016, primary 3 students (aged 7 and 8) at St Bride’s enthusiastically embraced their project concentrating on Bothwell Castle. Having borrowed artefacts from the castle, local history author Jack Gallacher visited the school. To the delight of the children, they were able to see swords, shields, armour and models of siege engines. In April, suitably attired as knights and fair ladies, the young people paid a visit to the castle where the Custodian Chris Timmons regaled them with tales of the castle’s history. Later they were able to let off steam with mock sword fights. Again their artwork was displayed on the classroom walls. Bothwell Historical Society’s Eric Denton and Jack Gallacher were invited to the school by class teacher Miss Paula Slater to record the children’s impressions of their visit to the castle on a CD. Following discussions between the Society and the teachers in both schools, it was suggested that both projects could be developed further and that the children’s work should be exhibited to the public in the Library during the village’s “Scarecrow Festival” week. At the same time the project material should be published in the form of a book for children to be called, “Archie’s History of Bothwell” (Archie being the Scarecrow festival’s mascot). The book which was highly commended by Scottish historian, Professor Sir Tom Devine, Honorary president of Bothwell Historical Society . The grand finale of the projects came when the work of the children in both schools, Primary 7 in Bothwell Primary School and Primary 3 in St Bride’s Primary School were joined together at an exhibition in Bothwell’s Library, The Donald Institute, during the Scarecrow Festival from the 6th to the 11th of September 2016. Comments recorded in the Library’s visitors’ book are a clear indication that members of the public were highly impressed by the work of all the children.
On the 12th October 2018, the Chairman was pleased to visit St Bride’s Primary School to meet the children of two classes in primary 3. The school has a strong policy of linking with local organisations including the Historical Society to develop the children’s awareness not only of their heritage, but of the need to appreciate and cherish the modern community in which they live. Like many children of that age group, primary 3 members were articulate, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable of Bothwell’s heritage from the Middle Ages, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution.
