Two centuries of priory marked
Friends group hold open weekend at historic site
Organisers of the 200th birthday celebrations of Cambusnethan Priory say the event was a great success.
People came together to mark the Wishaw beauty spot’s milestone on August 6 and 7 after being invited by Friends of Cambusnethan Priory.
The birthday party, part of the national Festival of Architecture, took place at the Priory building off Castlehill Road in Gowkthrapple.
Christine Wallace, general secretary of Friends of Cambusnethan Priory, said “The 200th birthday event was a great success.
“It was wonderful to meet so many people who have supported our campaign in many different ways.
“We were particularly pleased to welcome Ron and Rona Wilson and Tacye Blest, all former residents of the Priory, who were able to share their memories of living there.
“We welcomed over 40 visitors each day and the campaign has made many new friends.”
The event included displays and talks focusing on the history of the historic house and the campaign plans to restore the building as a community facility, plus walks and art activities.
The Priory house, which sits overlooking the Clyde, was rebuilt in 1816 by the famous architect James Gillespie Graham, and has many hallmarks of neo-Gothic architecture.
The Priory was originally built for the Lockhart family of Castlehill and their family crest was carved above the main entrance and etched in every balustrade of the main staircase inside.
The site was also the birthplace of John Gibson Lockhart, Sir Walter Scott’s biographer and son-in-law.
Use of the building ended in 1984 and it began to fall victim to vandalism.
However, in March 2014, the Friends of Cambusnethan Priory was established, with the aim of saving the building from further deterioration and eventually restoring it as a multi-purpose visitor centre for the community.
For further information, visit Friends of Cambusnethan Priory on Facebook or www.cambusnethanpriory.com