Story
The story of New Lanark
In a deep green gorge of the River Clyde, rows of stone mills and workers' houses tell the story of an experiment in a better society. New Lanark was founded in 1785 and opened in 1786 by David Dale, who built cotton mills here with the English inventor Richard Arkwright to use the power of the river's waterfalls.
Under Dale's son-in-law, the Welsh reformer and utopian socialist Robert Owen, the village became a successful business and an early example of a planned settlement, an important milestone in town planning. The mills ran until 1968. When the village faced demolition, the New Lanark Conservation Trust was founded in 1974 to save it, and by 2006 most buildings had been restored.
Today it is one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Scotland. Walk the mill lades, then follow the path upriver to the Falls of Clyde.
This story is compiled from Wikipedia and other open sources; dates and numbers are checked against the source. The text is shared under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Source ↗
Hear this story on the spot, in a natural voice
On Sightlore, the story of New Lanark is narrated in a natural voice in 5 languages. When you arrive, say "I'm here" and get your passport stamp.
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More highlights in Lanarkshire
- Falls of ClydeThe Falls of Clyde are a series of linns or waterfalls on the River Clyde, near Lanark, Scotland. They are renowned for their beauty and have frequently been painted by artists.
- Chatelherault Country ParkChatelherault Country Park is a country park in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located in the village of Ferniegair, 1+1⁄4 miles (2 kilometres) from Hamilton town centre.