Lesmahagow

The origin of the word Celt, signifying a stone weapon or implement, has exicted many conjectures.  If Whitaker is correct in stating that it is a British word, signifying a flint of stone, the term appropiate.  A stone hammer head was dug up by a drainer on the farm of Rogerhill, near Blackwood, and is now in the possession of the proprietor, W. E. Hope Vere, Esq.  On the farm of Under Bank near Crossford, a small stone celt or chisel was found in the year 1842, and is now in the collection of J. G. McKirdy, Esq., of Birkwood.  It is of cream-coloured agate, like the early French gun-fliints, 2.5 inches long, by 1.5 broad.  The fact of it being so small, favours the idea that it was fitted to a wooden handle, and used for moulding wood after bing charred.  On the farm of Draffan, two stone celts or chisels were turned up by the plough near the site of the circular camp already referred to.  In the same locality two bronze celts were found, one of which, being a looped pocketed one, was mistaken for the socket upon which a Roman flag-staff may have rested.  It resembles one of the bronze celts found in constructing the carriage way at Arthur's Seat, and of which a wood-cut is published in Wilson's "Archaeology" (p. 228).  At Bankend two stone celts were picked up at different times ; and a road contractor had two very thin specimens of the same kind laid down with a heap of land-gathered stones to be broken up for repairing the roads.  One of these has fortunately been preserved.  It is 6 inches in length, tapering towards one end, and bears the marks of having been struck on the top with a mallet, so that is was probably used in carpentry to mould wood which had been previously charred, or perhaps in hewing down trees to which fire had previously been applied.

On the farm of Connal Holm, the property of the Duke of Hamilton, the farmer, while occupied with draining about fifteen or eighteen years ago, came upon a heap of ashes from 12 to 15 inches below the surface, which were obviously the remains of a large fire, and on a small knoll, a few yards from the spot, his spade struck upon what turned out to be a bronze weapon of the palstave (Scandinavian Paalstab) pattern.   It weighed 22 ounces, and was handed over to one of the factors of the Duke's estate.  The commonly received opinion is. that being fastened to a wooden shaft, they were used as crowbars or pickaxes.  On the farm of Killylees, about forty years ago, a broze socketed celt was found by the farmer, who disposed of it.  It is ornamented with three circles and intervening lines in relief, and is similar to those figured in Wilson's "Archaeology" (p. 257).  A bronze celt was also picked up a Birkwood Mains, by Mr Bunten.  It has, however,  unfortunately been lost.

If Lesmahagow has produced any sling stones or flail stones the author has not been able to trace them.  A flint arrow-head of a triangular form, about 1 1/4 inch in length, was found on the farm of Lowries, by Mr George Smith, mason, Boghead and presented to the late Andrew Smith, Esq., factor at Blackwood.  An early British or Celtic coin, of the Channel Island type, was found at Westown (the property of John Greenshields, Esq.) about the commencement of the present century, along with the hoard of Edward pennies mentioned in the "Statistical Account" of Lesmahgow.  This discovery is the more remarkable, as it is believed no such coin had previously been met with so far north.  It is of silver, weighing 4 dwts. 5 1/2 grs., and on the obverse is a large profile to the right, which may be compared with that given in the "British Archaeological Journal", vol. iii., p 62, and with the silver coins of Ruding, Plate iii, Nos. 46 and 47.  On the reverse is a very rude representation of charioteer with a lyre-like object below the horse, resembling that seen on the gold coins of the "British Archaeological Journal" vol. v., p 2, and vol. xvii., p 333, and in Ruding Plate i., No. 7, Plate ii., Nos. 25 and 33, and Plate iii., Nos. 45 and 48.   It has been engraved for this work page 36, No.6.

Two Roman roads passed through the parish of Lesmahagow, although it is believed to be impossible now to trace the route of either of them with perfect accuracy.   The one connected the great military station at Carstairs with the west coast, and probably diverged from the great Iter, called Watling Street, at Cleghorn, and passing Lanark, crossed the Clyde at a ford, above the present bridge at Kirkfieldbank, went up Kirkfield "Braes",  and followed the road still existing near Kirkfield House, passed over the Blackhill of Stonebyres, and joined the main Roman road near Blackwood.  The other branched off from Watling Street, near to Belstone, in the parish of Carluke, crossed the Clyde at Milton-Lockhart, passed up Threepwood "Braes", intersected Draffin Crofts, and probably joined the road which led to the west, near Blackwood.  A Roman lamp was picked uup on the opposite side of the Clyde from Milton-Lockhart, and old people used to speak of the causeway of a road interfering with the operations of agriculture near Craignethan and Draffin Crofts, and on the farm of Bent.

Not far from the supposed line of the first of these roads or tracks, there was found, a good many years ago, a gold ring of remarkable shape, set with a sapphire stone.  It is believed, however, to belong to the early part of the thirteenth century, and to have been a bishop's ring ; but in the "Statistical Account" of Strathaven parish, it is stated that the Roman road westward can be traced for a considerable distance within that parish.  It runs along the south side of the Avon, and passes the farm of Walesley.  Some sandals of Roman manufacture were found on the farm of Gennerhill, also a few small coins, and further discoveries of these coins were made on the lands of Torfoot, near Loudon hill.  The writer has made the route of these roads the subject of anxious research, and has consulted the best written authorities, as well as local antiquarians, in the hope of gaining accurate information, but without satisfactory success.  Cosmo Innes, in his recent able work, "Scotland in the Middle Ages", devotes some attention to the question of roads.   He remarks that "the Abbey of Kelso had a road for waggons to Berwick on the on hand, and across the moorland to its cell of Lesmahagow in Clydesdale".  The portion of this way within the parish of Lesmahagow has been carefully sought for, and as there is a part of the road leading from Hawksland towards Douglas water in the direction of Ponfeigh, which is regulary causewayed, and this is the direct line, as indicated by map, between the two religious houses, it is probable that this is part of the road to which Mr Innes refers.

About thirty or forty years ago some labourers at Birkwood picked up two bronzes near the farm of Monkstables, which have been recently submitted to the British Archaeological Association.  They are believed to be of Roman origin.  The broze figure of an elephant necked horse (?) is of very rude design, and reminded Mr Syer Cuming, Secretary to the Association, of the great steed in Berkshire, engraved in the "British Archaeological Journal" (vol. xvi., p.30), and may be classed with a bull engraved in the same journal (xvii., p 112), which was found in Lanarkshire, and the brazen elephant discovered at Toddingto, Bedfordshire. ("Archaeologia", vol. xxviii., and "Gentleman's Magazine," Dec. 1840.)  It probably served as one of the penates or household hods, and bears a wonderful resemblance in the style of art to the most archaeic bronzes of Etrurua.  (Vide Lithograph, No 4.)    The bell found about the same time, and of which a full sized representatiion is also given (No 3), is four-sided, with a kind of small foot at each corner, and a large loop at the top, by which it is believed to have been suspended round the neck of a sheep.    Tintinnabuli of this form are frequently found alonf with Roman remains.   That this is a Roman and not a Britannic bell may be confidently asserted.   The latter were usually of iron, and of such a size as to be used with the hand.   Examples are given in Wilson's "Pre-historic Annals" of Scotland (pp. 652-660).  It was long before the Romish Church adopted bells composed of brass or bell metal, such being regarded by them as idols, from the fact that some idolatrous nations were worshipped them as gods; and although the advantages of the circular form were manifest, from their antipathy to the circular shape of heathen instruments, their own assumed an elongated quadrilateral form.

The celebrated Roman flagon now in the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow, was found embedded in clay at a small ford on Sadlerhead burn, in Lesmahagow parish.  The date of its discovery can ber determined within the years 1807 to 1810, from authentic documents.  One of the family of Mr James Minto, tenant of the farm of Sadlerhead, was herding cows when he discovered the flagon, and it was given to the proprietor of the farm, the Rev. David Dow, then minister of Cathcart, near Glasgow, who presented it to the Hunterian Museum.  It is of broze, 12 inches in height, and appears to have been richly gilt. although the gilding is now nearly all rubbed off.  In shape it is classical, but perfectly plain, with the exception of the handle, which is thus described in Stewart's "Caledonia Romana" (p. 220) :- "In the lower part a female figure, in simple drapery, stands near a Grecian pedestal, with a bird in her hand, which bears some resemblance to an owl.  Above her is a helmet similar to that of Minerva, and over it a nude figure, as if in the act of running, with a cloak or toga flowing loosely behind.  Surmounting all is a circular shield, with drapery suspended round it.  The design is elegant and well executed, and has a decidedly classical appearance".  The conjecture respecting this interesting relic is, that is formed part of the baggage of a Roman officer, and was lost on an exploring expedition westward, before the formation of the western road.   Two lithographed drawings of ths flagon are annexed.