New Lanark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Lanark
|
|
|---|---|
 New Lanark Mill Hotel and Waterhouses by River Clyde |
|
 New Lanark
|
|
| Population | 200 (approx.) |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LANARK |
| Postcode district | ML11 |
| Dialling code | 01555 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
New Lanark is a special village in Scotland, located by the River Clyde. It's about 1.4 miles (2.2 km) from Lanark and 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Glasgow. This village was started in 1785 and opened in 1786 by a man named David Dale. He built cotton mills and homes for the people who worked there.
David Dale chose this spot because the River Clyde had powerful waterfalls. These waterfalls could provide energy to run the mill machines. Later, Robert Owen, who was David Dale's son-in-law, joined the business. Owen was a social reformer and cared deeply about people. Under his leadership, New Lanark became a very successful business. It also became an early example of a well-planned community. This made it a key place in the history of urban planning (how towns are designed).
The New Lanark mills kept working until 1968. After they closed, the village started to fall apart. But in 1974, a group called the New Lanark Conservation Trust (now the New Lanark Trust) was formed. They wanted to save the village from being torn down. By 2006, most of the buildings were fixed up. Today, New Lanark is a very popular place for tourists. It is one of six UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Scotland. It's also an important stop on the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH).
Contents
The Story of New Lanark: A Planned Community
The New Lanark cotton mills were started in 1786 by David Dale. He worked with Richard Arkwright for a short time. Dale was a successful businessman from Glasgow. He built the mills to use Arkwright's new water-powered cotton spinning machines. The powerful Falls of Clyde nearby were perfect for this.
In the early 1800s, Dale sold the mills and village to a group of partners. One of these partners was his son-in-law, Robert Owen. Owen became the mill manager in 1800. He continued Dale's kind approach to workers. Owen was a very important social reformer. His ideas about how to treat workers well were called Utopian socialism. New Lanark became a famous example of his ideas in action. The village and mills are important because of Owen's ideas. They also show how the Industrial Revolution changed Britain. And they are key in the history of urban planning.
How Water Power Ran the Mills
The New Lanark mills needed water power to work. A dam was built on the River Clyde above the village. Water was taken from the river to power the machines. First, the water went through a tunnel. Then it flowed through an open channel called a lade. Finally, it reached large water wheels inside each mill building.
It wasn't until 1929 that the last waterwheel was replaced by a water turbine. Water power is still used in New Lanark today. A new water turbine in Mill Number Three helps make electricity for the tourist areas.
Robert Owen's Vision for Workers
In Owen's time, about 2,500 people lived in New Lanark. Many came from poorhouses in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Owen felt that the living and working conditions were not good enough. He wanted to make life better for his workers. He especially cared about the 500 children living and working in the village. One building is even called Nursery Buildings because of them.
In 1817, Owen opened the first infants' school in Britain. The year before, he had finished building the Institute for the Formation of Character. This building was for educating and improving the lives of the villagers.
The mills made a lot of money. However, Owen's business partners didn't like the extra money spent on his welfare programs. Owen didn't want the mills to go back to the old ways. So, he bought out his partners. In 1813, a new group of partners, including the economist Jeremy Bentham, supported Owen's ideas.
New Lanark's Fame and Influence
New Lanark became famous all over Europe. Many important people, like leaders and royalty, came to visit the mills. They were amazed to see a clean, healthy factory town. The workers were happy and lively, and the business was still making money. Owen showed that a factory could be profitable without treating its workers badly. He showed visitors the nice homes, good facilities, and the mill's financial success.
New Lanark is important for its links to social reform and Owen's ideas. It also shows the big changes of the Industrial Revolution in Britain. The way the mills, homes, and services like schools were planned together made New Lanark a key example in the history of urban planning in the UK.
Changes Over Time
In 1825, the Walker family took over New Lanark. This happened when Owen left Britain to start a new community in the US called New Harmony. The Walkers ran the village until 1881. Then it was sold to other companies. These companies stayed in charge until the mills closed in 1968.
Before the mills closed, the village was already getting smaller. After 1968, many people moved away, and the buildings started to decay. The top two floors of Mill Number 1 were even removed in 1945. But this building has since been fixed up and is now the New Lanark Mill Hotel.
In 1974, the New Lanark Conservation Trust (NLT) was created. They worked to save the village from being destroyed. By 2005, most of the buildings were restored. New Lanark is now a major tourist attraction.
Life in New Lanark: Past and Present
Living Conditions in the Past
In the mid-1800s, a whole family would live in just one room. You can get an idea of these small homes by visiting the reconstructed Millworkers House at New Lanark. The David Livingstone Centre at Blantyre also shows similar conditions.
David Dale, who started New Lanark, also had mills in Blantyre. Only one row of homes from that time still stands in Blantyre. It's now a museum about David Livingstone, who was born there in 1813. Both museums show what single-room living was like. They even have trundle beds for children, like the one Livingstone might have used.
Over time, living conditions in New Lanark got better. By the early 1900s, families had several rooms. But it wasn't until 1933 that homes got indoor cold water taps. The shared outdoor toilets were also replaced with indoor ones.
From 1938, the village owners gave free electricity to all homes. But there was only enough power for one dim light bulb in each room. The power was turned off at 10 pm on most nights. On Saturdays, it stayed on until 11 pm. In 1955, New Lanark finally got connected to the main power supply, the National Grid.
New Lanark Today
More than 400,000 people visit New Lanark every year. UNESCO has recognized its importance by making it one of Scotland's six World Heritage Sites. The other sites include Edinburgh Old and New Towns, Heart of Neolithic Orkney, St Kilda, the Antonine Wall, and the Forth Bridge. New Lanark became a World Heritage Site in 2001.
About 130 people live in New Lanark today. Most of the homes have been restored. Some were fixed by the New Lanark Trust. Others were bought as old shells by private owners and turned into modern homes.
In 2009, Clydesdale Bank put New Lanark on the back of its new 20-pound Scottish banknotes.
Great care has been taken to keep the village looking historical. For example, you won't see television aerials or satellite dishes. All cables for phone, TV, and electricity are buried underground. All outside wood is painted white, and doors and windows look the same. This helps keep the village's historic appearance.
Exploring New Lanark: What to See
When you visit New Lanark, you'll find many interesting buildings:
- Braxfield Row, built around 1790: This was a large block of homes. It has been changed into ten houses that people own.
- Long Row, built around 1790: Another block of homes, now 14 houses.
- Double Row, built around 1795: This block once had back-to-back apartments. Seven of these houses have been fixed up on the outside to be sold as single homes. House number seven is special because it still has old fireplaces, sinks, and even bits of wallpaper.
- Wee Row, built around 1795: This building was turned into a youth hostel in 1994. It is now managed by the New Lanark Mill Hotel.
- New Buildings, built 1798: This building has a bell tower. The bell used to call workers to the mills. Now, it rings at midnight on New Year's Eve. The building also has a museum and apartments.
- Nursery Buildings, built 1809: This building used to house the orphan children who worked in the mills. Now it has apartments.
- Caithness Row, built 1792: This block of homes was supposedly named after a group of people from the Scottish Highlands who came to work in the mills.
- Village Church, built 1898: This building is now used for community events and is called the Community Hall.
- Mill Number One, built 1789: This mill burned down in 1788 and was rebuilt. It used to have waterwheels and employed many people. In 1945, its top two floors were removed. It was later restored and opened as the New Lanark Mill Hotel in 1998.
- Waterhouses, built around 1799-1818: These buildings are next to Mill Number One and have been turned into holiday apartments.
- Mill Number Two, built 1788: This mill was made wider in 1884-85. It is now used for tourist activities.
- Mill Number Three, built 1790–92: This mill once had many water-powered spinning machines. It burned down in 1819 and was rebuilt. It is now used for tourism and has a water turbine that makes electricity.
- Institute for the Formation of Character, built 1816: This building is now used for tourism and business.
- Engine House, built 1881: Attached to the Institute, it has a restored steam engine.
- School, built 1817: This three-story building is now a museum. It was the first school for working-class children in Scotland.
- Mechanics Workshop, built 1809: This building once housed the skilled workers who built and fixed the mill machines.
- Dyeworks: This building used to be a metal foundry. Now it has shops and a visitor center.
- Gasworks, built by 1851: This building, with its octagonal chimney, is now used as a store.
- Owens House, built 1790: This house is now a museum.
- Dales House, built 1790: This house is used for business offices.
- Mill Lade: This was a channel dug to carry water from the River Clyde to power the mill machines.
- Graveyard: Located on the hill above New Lanark. Many of the first villagers are buried here.
- 1 & 2 New Lanark Road: These two gatehouses are some distance from the village. They marked the entrance to New Lanark and are now privately owned homes.
Planning Your Visit to New Lanark
There is a large paid parking area just outside the village. Only visitors with disabilities can park inside the village. The walk from the car park down to the village offers a great view. You can also take a bus (Number 135) from Lanark station. The train station has trains from Glasgow every half hour. New Lanark is just over a mile from the train and bus stations. The walk is mostly downhill and easy to follow with signs.
In the village, you can stay at the four-star New Lanark Mill Hotel or in holiday apartments called the Waterhouses. Wee Row offers hostel-style accommodation. There are also restaurants and shops, plus a visitor center. All these are run by the New Lanark Conservation Trust.
The Clyde walkway, a long walking path, goes through the village. The Scottish Wildlife Trust also has a visitor center here for the Falls of Clyde Nature Reserve.
Images for kids
-
New Lanark Mill Hotel and Waterhouses by River Clyde
-
Dereliction in New Lanark in 1983.
-
Rosedale Street with Long Row to left, Double Row to near right and Wee Row to middle right
-
Robert Owen's house
-
The Scottish Wildlife Trust visitor centre for the Falls of Clyde nature reserve.
See also
In Spanish: New Lanark para niños
