Hamilton Low Parks Museum facts for kids
Low Parks Museum, Portland Building
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| Established | 1967 |
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| Location | Hamilton, South Lanarkshire |
| Type | Regimental museum |
The Low Parks Museum is a cool place in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It shows you the local history of South Lanarkshire. You can explore many exhibits about old industries and important local events.
Discovering the Museum's History
The Low Parks Museum first opened its doors on November 3, 1967. Back then, it was called the Hamilton District Museum. It's located in two very old buildings. Both buildings have strong ties to the history of Hamilton and its Dukes. The museum is also right next to where Hamilton Palace used to be. The palace was taken down in 1927.
One of the museum buildings is called Portland. It was built in 1696 by an architect named James Smith. It was first the home of David Crawford, a lawyer for Anne Hamilton, 3rd Duchess of Hamilton. This building is thought to be the oldest one still standing in Hamilton. Later, the 8th Duke bought the house in 1784. He added a large room for gatherings and a fives court.
The house then became a busy inn for travelers. It was a stop on the road from London to Glasgow. In 1835, it became the Duke of Hamilton's estate offices. Hamilton Burgh Council bought the building in 1964. They turned it into the museum you see today.
The second building is the old Palace Riding School. Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton had it built in 1837. It was designed by William Burn. This building replaced the old stables at Hamilton Palace. In 1983, the Riding School became the regimental museum for the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). In 1993, new buildings were added to connect the two museums. This made them one big museum. Both buildings are very important and are listed as 'category A' historic buildings.
Explore the Museum's Collections
The Cameronians: A Scottish Regiment
One of the main collections here is about the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). This was a famous British Army Regiment. The Cameronians were formed on May 14, 1689. They were named after Richard Cameron. He was a Scottish preacher who died in 1680. The Cameronians are special because they were the only British military regiment with a religious beginning. Their first soldiers were all Covenanters.
In 1881, two regiments joined to form the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). These were the 26th (Cameronian) Regiment and the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry. The Cameronians were Scotland's only rifle regiment. They fought in many wars over nearly 300 years. This regiment is a big part of South Lanarkshire's history. They were based in the county for most of their time. Due to military cutbacks, the regiment was disbanded. This happened on May 14, 1968. They chose to disband rather than lose their identity by joining another group. This ended 279 years of military history.
The museum's Cameronians collection shows many parts of the regiment's past. You can see their flags and banners. One famous flag is the Bluidy Banner. Covenanter soldiers carried it at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge in 1679. The museum also has over 1,000 medals and awards. These were earned by Cameronian soldiers and officers. Seven of these are the very brave Victoria Crosses.
Hamilton Palace: A Lost Treasure
One of the most popular displays tells the story of Hamilton Palace. This palace was once a huge home for the Hamilton family. They lived there from at least 1591 until 1919. It was the biggest non-royal house in Britain! Sadly, it was torn down in the 1920s. This happened because coal mining in the area caused the ground to sink. Losing Hamilton Palace was a huge loss for Scottish history.
Many items from inside the palace are now on display. You can see a giant mirror that reached from the floor to the ceiling. The museum also has many old pictures of the palace. These photos show what it looked like before it was demolished in 1927.
Coal Mining: Powering the Past
Another museum display is all about coal mining. Before the late 1800s, coal mining wasn't a huge industry in Hamilton. But in 1874, there was a big mining boom. Coal mining became very important in the area. There were 22 coal mines in Hamilton Parish alone!
The museum's display looks at this time in South Lanarkshire's coal mining history. It also has a small exhibit about the Blantyre Mining Disaster of 1877. In this terrible accident, 207 miners died from a gas explosion. This is still Scotland's deadliest mining disaster ever.
Agriculture: Farming Life
Before factories and machines, most people in South Lanarkshire worked in agriculture. This means they were farmers. The museum's farming display focuses on a very famous local farm animal. This is the amazing Clydesdale Horse.
Weaving: Threads of History
Weaving was a very important industry in Lanarkshire's past. Almost every house had a weaving loom. You can see one of these original weaving looms in the museum's Textile gallery. This gallery also shares the story of Hamilton's special lacemaking. Duchess Elizabeth started this industry in 1752.
Ducal Buildings: Grand Structures
This section shares information about the other grand buildings in Hamilton. These buildings belonged to the Dukes of Hamilton. They include Portland, the Palace Riding School, and Hamilton Mausoleum. The exhibit describes the history of these important buildings. It also tells you about the people who built and used them.
Early Settlers in South Lanarkshire
One of the most unique things in the museum is a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age burial. It was found in the 1930s while people were digging for sand. This well-preserved skeleton shows us one of the very first people to live in South Lanarkshire.
Fun Temporary Exhibitions
The museum often has special temporary exhibitions. In 2013, there was a robot exhibition. It featured famous robots from movies and TV. You could see R2-D2 from Star Wars and an NS-5 robot from I, Robot. There was even a full-size RoboCop costume!
The museum has also shown artwork by a group called Scottish Autism's Hamilton group. They are talented young adults with autism. The museum also often hosts demonstrations. You can see people in old costumes and learn about old weapons. Visitors can even try activities like archery and making medieval coins.
The museum has even brought history to life! They had a show called 'At Home with the Duke and Duchess'. Professional actors played Duchess Anne and Alexander Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton. This gave visitors a peek into the lives of these important people from Hamilton's past.
