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Stonehouse; Stanehouse; Stanhouse; Stanhus
Stonehouse is situated on the River Avon in the heart of rural
Lanarkshire, an area of natural beauty and historical interest. It
is a thriving village nestled in the Avon valley, set in the peaceful
surroundings of the countryside and rolling hills.
The River Avon
is one of the most enduring and beautiful rivers in Scotland and it
offers the family an opportunity to see many rare species of wildlife.
Walks by the river allow visitors to experience the natural
haven for the birds and wildlife including mink, deer and badgers. The
Avon and Cander gorge are sites of special scientific interest and well
worth a visit.
A great day out can be had by all at the
Stonehouse Gala Day on the 3rd Saturday in June or the Stonehouse
Agricultural Show on the 3rd Saturday in May.
Within the old
parish of Stonehouse, there are a number of pathways which allow the
visitor to experience the natural environment around the village. The
ancient routes allow all the family to visit historical and natural
sites of interest and guided walks are on offer.
The village has
a very active Stonehouse Heritage Group who offer guided walks and tell
tales of the Covenanting times and the village's ghostly past.
A Brief History of Stonehouse
The name Stonehouse
may have come from ancient druids term for 'stanes' which were places of
worship, however, some people claim that the name came from the Roman
Stannis, which is possible, as part of an ancient Roman Road and Fort
lie nearby.
The earliest record of a landowner in Stonehouse
dates from around 1220, when Sir William (the Fleming) de Douglas of
Stanhus(1), appears as a witness to a charter along with Sir Archibald
Douglas. The Douglas's were the chief landowners of the parish until the
reign of James II who endeavoured to destroy the Douglas's and install
the Hamilton's to the Barony of Stonehouse.
The Stonehouse
Weavers date back to the mid 1700's with the production of mainly
plain-weave products. Wives also played their part by garnering,
dressing and spinning fine threads from the natural fibres grown at the
Linthaugh (lying beside the River Avon). This was followed by the
processing of imported Dutch flax into linen. Tambouring and flowering
of muslin, embellishing of gingham, and fine stitching of hand-sewn silk
goods brought revenue to the village.
The Agricultural Revolution
which started in the late 18th century brought great changes to certain
areas. The number of weavers rose from around 8,500 in 1792 to 50,000 in
1800 and 84,000 in 1838 - a sizeable proportion of the Scottish
population. Stonehouse weavers mainly produced silk scarves,
handkerchiefs and other items, mainly for export to India. The patterns
that could be produced were previously beyond conception.
The
1830's were the growth years for the village, and the weavers became
renowned for their workmanship, establishing a reputation as masters of
their craft. In 1831 there were around a peak number of 600 working in
the village. During this time the weavers were often prosperous enough
to own their own property. Streets of privately owned cottages were
built such as those of Hill Road, Camnethan Street and Queen Street.
These Streets form part of the conservation area and still retain the
character and beauty of their former existence.
In 1841 there was
talk of decline, despite the fact that there were 400 weavers working in
Stonehouse rising to 500 in 1891. With the introduction of the power
loom, handloom weavers were unable to compete. However Stonehouse
weavers were able to adapt better than others, specialising in fine
silks, woven on the intricate patterns of the Jacquard loom.
As
work became scarce towards the end of the nineteenth century the weavers
sought employment in agriculture or in the mines to supplement their
income. The two last weavers in Lanarkshire were the Hamilton brothers,
Robert and James, of Camnethan Street. James died at the age of 84 in
1959 and completed his last "wab" in 1939. The silk loom belonging to
the Hamilton Brothers now rests in the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh.
In the Stonehouse area a number of the miners still worked in
Boomfield pit near the site of the current M74 motorway, during the
1940's. The site has now been cleared, as have most other pits in
Lanarkshire. In 1947, there were 190 pits of various sizes in Scotland,
by 1987, there were just five.
The vast percentage of coal seams
have been worked out and there are no operating pits in the present day.
The last colliery to be closed in the Stonehouse district was Candlerigg
Colliery in 1958. We still have a legacy of the coal mining industry,
with properties subsiding due to old mining works below, a prime example
being the Hamilton Palace which was demolished in 1921.
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Owners and others
Families known to have had an interest in Stonehouse include:
Douglas; Hamilton; Mowat; Lockhart
The manor of Stanhouse appears to have been the property of the
family of Ros at an early period. In 1362, David II. confirmed a charter
granted by Alexander of Elfyuston to Alexander, son of Sir Adam More, of
the whole land of Kythumbre, in the barony of Stanhouse, (in ex- change
for land in Erthbeg,) which Godfrey de Ros gave to Alexander, the father
of the said Alexander Elfynston.'
The barony and patronage of the church are found in the possession of
the Earls of Douglas until their forfeiture (4), when
the one-half came to Lord Hamilton, and the other to the Laird of
Stonehouse.
On 1st March, 1406, John Mowat of Stenhous was on the
service of Sir Thomas cle Somerville, as heir to his father. Sir John;
and in 1435 Sir John Mowat of Stannas settled the fourth part of his
estate on his daughter Janet, married to William Lord Somerville. The
estate continued in this family for several generations.
The grant of estates [to James
(The Gross), 7th Earl of Douglas] in 1408 included Balvenie in
Banffshire, Avoch in Inverness, Aberdour in Buchan, Petty and Duffus in
Moray, and Strathaven and Stonehouse(3) in Lanarkshire, and without much
doubt represents an attempt to direct James's interests and energies to
the north.
Hexham, 29th May,1576 – “Sir John Foster to William
Douglas of Bonjedward, Deputy
Warden of the Middle Marches of Scotland, informing him that a number of
persons of the name of Crosier went to Tynedale, with the intention of
slaying Archibald Robsone, Stonehouse’s son, and that he being gone to
the Queen’s Court at Waewick, they met a young child, Henry Robson, son
to Jeffrey Robson of Stonehouse and cruelly murdered him; and demanding
that speedy punishment should be inflicted on the murderers”.
Helen Stewart, Born 1575 daughter of Alexander Stewart 6th of Garlies
and Christian Douglas, wife of John Douglas of Stanhouse
Elizabeth Hamilton (1st m. Quintin Weir 2nd m. William Weir) had a feu
charter of the 35s lands of Kirktounin, in the barony of Stanehouse
c.1540
She was daughter of Robert Hamilton (Of Milburne), Sheriff
depute of Lanark
Her half, illegitimate brother Robert Hamilton
married Margaret, daughter of John Hamilton of Stanehouse, died c1576),
Sheriff depute of Lanark
His great-grandson, Robert Hamilton (Of
Millburn, married Margaret, daughter of James Hamilton of Dalzell, d.
1668) Served heir to father in the barony of Stonehouse 1666.
Issue
all said to have died, though individuals by the name of Hamilton have
been recorded as late as 1721, styled of Millburn. In the 18th century
the lands of Millburn passed on to the Dalserf family
This appears to indicate that the Douglases still had possession in
1649:
Appoint[ed] the persons underwritten to be colonels or commanders
of horse and foot 1649
In the sheriffdom of Dumfries and stewartry of
Annandale:
Mr George Douglas of Pinwherrie
Archibald Douglas
of Dornock
James Douglas of Mouswald
John Douglas of Stonehouse
Mowat,
Janet (of Stonehouse)
Mowat, John (Sir) (of Stonehouse)
Mowat,
John (Sir) (of Stonehouse)
Mowat, Margaret (of Stonehouse)
Sir James Lockhart, b1596, obtained a charter in 1667 of the lands and
barony of Stonehouse and the right of patronage of the church of
Stonehouse and the lands called Vicars land.
“Major-General Graeme Alexander Lockhart C.B. of Castlehill and
Cambusnethan, Lord of the Barony of Stonehouse and Depute Lieutenant of
the County of Lanark”. 1885
Notes:
1. During the 11th-13th centuries ‘the Flemings’
settled in Scotland from Flanders (Belgium). The Flemings were said to
have been brought to Scotland by King David I as a means of
feudalisation of Celtic Scotland. In return for their knightly services
to the King they were given lordships, or baronies.
Among those
to settle in this area was ‘Baldwin’ a distinguished Flemish leader who
settled with his followers at Biggar under a grant from David I. Baldwin
was sheriff of Lanark under Malcolm IV and William I. In 1150 he was
witness to a charter received from Arnald, Abbot of Kelso, land in
Douglas Water and Douglas to ‘Theobald Flamaticus (Fleming)’ of
Douglasdale.
Theobald’s son ‘William de Fleming’ was styled of ‘Stanhus’.
Whether or not this refers to the Barony of Stonehouse we cannot be
certain. Born around 1160, William married the sister of Freskin of
Kerdal, Moray and is said to have died in 1214. This is the earliest
proprietor associated with Stonehouse.
Between 1214-1249, Sir
William the Fleming (de Douglas) of Stanhus (possibly the son of
aforementioned William) appears as witness to a charter by William
Purveys of Mospennoc, with Sir Archibald Douglas.
The early
proprietors of ‘Stanhus’ titled themselves ‘de Douglas’ in connection
with this prominent family of the period.
2. Stenhouse, in
Dumfriesshire is occasionally referred to as 'Stanehouse' in historical
documents.
3. The rectory of Stanehous, formerly
independent, along with the vicarage, was bestowed on the collegiate
church of Bothwell, (c. 1398,) by Archibald of Douglas, its founder.
The Earl of Douglas was the then patron of the Church of Stonehouse.
4. Possibly the forfeiture of 1456.
During the reign of James II his policy of destroying the power of the
Douglases and turning to the Hamiltons is borne out in Stonehouse
parish. The Douglases forfeited the barony and its church passed under
the power of the Hamiltons.
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