The Lennox facts for kids
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The Lennox is a special area in Scotland. It's mostly found around a beautiful valley called The Vale of Leven and includes the famous Loch Lomond. Imagine a place with a big, beautiful lake and a valley around it – that's the heart of Lennox!
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What's in a Name?
The name "Lennox" comes from an old Scottish Gaelic word, Leamhnachd. This word means "the field of the smooth stream."
The Smooth Stream
The main river in this area is called the Leven. Its Gaelic name is Leamhn, which means "the smooth stream." Over time, the name of the area changed from Leamhnachd to Levenauchen, then Levenax or Lennax, and finally, just Lennox.
Lennox Through History
Lennox wasn't one of the very first, ancient areas of Scotland. It became an important region during the Middle Ages, a long time ago.
The Old Borders
This region used to cover a large area. It included all the land that was once part of the old sheriffdom of Dumbarton. A sheriffdom was like a county where a sheriff, who was a royal officer, was in charge of the law.
Towns and Villages
Many towns and villages were part of Lennox. These included places like Rosneath, Arrochar, Row, Luss, Cardross, Bonhill, Dumbarton, Kilmaronock, New Kilpatrick, Old Kilpatrick, Baldernock, Buchanan, Drymen, Killearn, Balfron, Fintry, and Strathblane. Even Campsie and Kilsyth were within the lands ruled by the powerful Earls of Lennox.
Dukes of Lennox
In 1581, a king named James VI of Scotland gave the title of Duke of Lennox to a person named Esmé Stewart. A "Duke" is a very high-ranking noble title, often given by a king or queen. Today, the title of Duke of Lennox is held by Charles Gordon-Lennox.
Modern Lennox
In the middle of the 1800s, there were some changes to how local areas were managed in Scotland. The old region of Lennox was reorganized and became known as the County of Dunbartonshire.
Border Changes
During these changes, a small part of the north-eastern shore of Loch Lomond was moved from Dunbartonshire to another county called Stirlingshire. So, while the name Lennox still refers to this historic area, its official borders have changed over time.
