CLYDESDALE (1975-1980 LANARK) (District Council)
Clydesdale is an archaic name for Lanarkshire, a county in
Scotland. From 1975 to 1996 it was also the name given to one of the
nineteen districts of the Strathclyde region.
The district was formed by the Local
Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and was roughly conterminous to
Lanarkshire. In 1996 it was abolished by the Local Government etc.
(Scotland) Act 1994 and
repaced by the council areas of South and North Lanarkshire.
In
1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described
Clydesdale like this:
Clydesdale, either the entire basin of the
Clyde or the immediate valley of the river, or the part of that valley
within Lanarkshire, or the section of the valley between Lanark and
Bothwell. The first and second of these senses of the name are ancient
and almost obsolete. The third is still in use, designating a region
famous for mineral wealth, for manufacturing industry, and for a
splendid breed of cart-horses. The fourth, too, is still in use,
characterising a famous orchard region. Clydesdale gives the title
Marquis (cre. 1643), in the peerage of Scotland, to the Duke of
Hamilton.
The arms were granted on August 12, 1975.
The arms are divided in
a similar way as the arms of Biggar. The symbols are all taken from the
arms of the burghs and county. The double-headed eagle is taken from the
arms of Lanark Burgh and is a Roman eagle, symbolising the Roman camps
in the area. The bell in the claw of the eagle is the bell of St. Munro,
the patron saint of Lanark (and also Glasgow). The goat's head is taken
from the arms Biggar and is derived from the crest of the Fleming
family. The base shows the crowned heart of the Douglas family, taken
from the arms of Lanarkshire.
The motto is taken from the Fleming
family and burgh of Biggar.
|
