Lesmahagow

The Parish of Lesmahagow probably derives it's name from Les, a contraction of the Latin word Ecclesia, a church, and Mahago, a corruption of the name of Machute or Machutus, until the Reformation it's Patron Saint, who was born in Glamorganshire, at the Monastry of Llan Carvan, in the 6th or 7th century, and whose Life subsequently appears in this work.   Chalmers in his well-known work "Caledonia", derives the name from Les, Lis, or Lys, British words for an enclosed place or garden; but some modern antiquaries doubt whether they ever bore that meaning.  As the Saint emigrated to France and died in that country, and as in the French language Le S. Machute, the contraction being written continuously, becomes Lesmachute, and means the Saint or holy Machutes, it has been ingeniously suggested that from this source the parish derives its name.  The truth seems to be that none of these prefixes are entirely satisfactory; but as the second part Mahago, Mahagw, Mahagow  is centainly derived from the Saint's name, the prefix may be dismissed as a matter for "doubtful disputation".

By Government survey, the parish contains 65 square miles, or 41,533 imperial acres.   Towards the banks of the river Clyde the ground rapidly loses its altitude, but upon the west and south-west it rises to the height of considerable hills; the highest of which, called Nutberry, is 1711 feet above the level of the sea.  By same survey the village of Abbeygreen is 545 feet above sea level; the entrance to Dillar farm 682 feet; Corra Linn 517 feet; and Bonnington Linn 555 feet.

From its elevated situation in a central district in the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire the temperature and climate are variable.  The hills upon the west seem to attract the clouds, and more rain falls in the upper than in the lower parts of the parish.  In 1862 nearly 43 inches fell at Blackwood, as indicated by the rain guage, which is probably a fair average between the hill and the valley outfall, viz, January, 4.29; February, 1.85; March, 3.23; April, 3.40; May, 4.90; June, 4.11; July, 3.1; August, 4.5; September, 3.32; October, 8.32; November, 3.0; December, 7.34.

The winter is not more severe than in other parts of the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire.   It was regarded as remarkable when the thermometer fell to 6   Farenheit, during the severe winter of 1859-60, the extreme intensity of cold in average winters being about 20.   The degree of heat in summber seldom exceeds 70 or 75 in the shade.  The prevailing winds are from the west, and being situated nearly in the centre between the east and west coasts, Lesmahagow escapes the cold fogs of the one, and the superabundant damp of the other.  The general drainage of wet soil has doubtless tended to ameliorate the climate.