THANKERTON
ARCHAEOLOGY:
On a small hill at the foot of Tinto there is a circle of large stones and a large mound of earth.
Mr Irving (“Upper Ward of Lanarkshire” by Irving & Murray) says of it:- “The top of a small
protuberance is occupied by a Druidical or megalithic circle, consisting of two irregular rows
of stones, of the ordinary rock of the country, rough as they came from the quarry, and of no
great size.” Within the circle a large amount of earth is erected. Probably it was a Sheriff’s
Court, as the adjacent farm is called Sheriff Flats. According to tradition, a bullock’s skin full
of gold lies buried at that place. One of the best preserved forts in Lanarkshire is the “Fallburn
Fort” which lies on a ridge (900 feet above sea level) on the lower slopes of Tinto. The form
is circular and consists of two ramparts and two trenches. The ramparts are enlarged at the
two entrances.
In 1878 an ancient cemetery was found on the banks of the Clyde on the farm of Sherifflats.
Mr Bell, the farmer, unearthed some urns when levelling the crown of a gravel hillock. In
1975, a Bronze Age burial cist containing the skeletons of a woman, a child and an unusually
tall young man, buried in a crouched position with a beaker alongside the body, were found
during gravel quarrying near Boat Farm. These remains were dated c1780 BC.
BUILDINGS:
From an early period the Carmichael family were in possession of Eastend. Some historians
affirm that they are the older of the Carmichael chiefs. They were the longest ‘resident’
landowners in the parish, and indeed, for much of their time, the only resident landowner in
the parish. Unfortunately, early records from this family were destroyed, and the earliest
documentation is of the marriage of a daughter in 1568. The original house dates from the 16th
century, but has had several extensions since that time including some by 19th century
architect David Bryce. The picture above shows the elegant mansion house at the end of the
19th century. Before the forest grew up around Eastend House, the view from it was
magnificent, and likewise, it stood out to passing travellers from the railway line and main
road.
Through marriage the Carmichaels of Eastend were connected to the Hays of Restalrig who
had close connections with Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stewart). Sir John Hay of
Alderston was Secretary to the Prince and after Culloden accompanied the Prince to France.
A pair of diamond knee buttons given by the Prince to Sir John and a lock of the Prince’s hair
were among the many treasures on display in Eastend House.
STORIES:
The north-east slopes of Tinto lie within the boundaries of the old parish of Thankerton. The
summit is the meeting place of four parishes, - Carmichael, Wiston, Symington and
Covington & Thankerton. Tinto Hill, standing at 2320 feet above sea level, is dwarfed by
many hills further to the south, but standing alone, it is prominent and conspicuous over a
very wide area. From its summit on a clear day can be seen the Bass Rock, Ben Lomond,
Goatfell & Scafell Pike. Tinto consists of eruptive rocks overcapping Silurian and Devonian
rocks. The summit is crowned by a huge cairn from ancient times.
The name Tinto means ‘hill of fire’, referring to the fact that it was a volcano millions of
years before man inhabited the planet. The cairn is also believed to have been a place of
ancient heathen worship. There are many speculations surrounding the very large cairn of
stones. One says that the Priests of St John’s Kirk, whose power extended over neighbouring
parishes, punished offenders by making them cart loads of stones to the top of Tinto!
On the south-east slope is the fragment of the ancient Fatlips Castle. The name was evidently
derived from the personal appearance of the man who built it. The site of this castle which
had walls six feet thick was very inaccessible and was according to tradition built by the Laird
of Symington so that he could watch over the movements of the Laird of Lamington with
whom he had a bitter feud. It was reported that the Laird of Lamington would not be able to
water his horses in the Clyde or even appear out of doors without being seen. As a result the
Laird of Lamington moved out and built Windygates (later known as Windgate Hall) behind
the hills where he would not be seen.
EVENTS:
Opening of Thankerton Golf Course by Lady Anstruther, 10th June 1905
On the 10th June 1905, a nine hole golf course was opened. It had a superb location on the
gently sloping banks of the Clyde between Boat Farm and Muirhouse Farm. It was opened by
Thomas Carmichael, the Laird of Eastend. The nine holes each had their own name, - The
Kames; The Knoll; The Fort; The Glen; Jock’s Knowe; Tinto; The Roman Camp; The Holm;
The Table. The Club played challenge matches with other local clubs in addition to members
competing annually for three cups, - The Eastend Cup, The Barclay Cup and The ‘Tintock
Tap’ Cup. Sadly, golf is no longer played within the parish, and the course is now the site of a
gravel quarry.
EARLY OWNERSHIP:
Thankerton derived its name from a Flemish settler by the name of Tancard (or Tankard),
who obtained the lands about the year 1180. In the charters of the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries the lands were called Tankardstoun. Throughout the years there were many
variations in the spelling of the name. Tancard later obtained from Malcolm IV a grant of
lands in the lordship and parish of Bothwell, where he settled, and to which he gave the same
name, - Tankardstoun.
Most of the Flemings arrived in Britain at the time of the Norman Conquest, but it was the
following century before they settled in the northern areas of Britain. A great many came to
Scotland in the wake of David I (who had married a Flemish princess) being crowned King.
The name of Robert Thankardi appeared as witness to a charter in 1153, and he may well
have been an ancestor of the squire who gave his name to Thankerton. In later years Thomas
Thankardi attested several charters of William the Lyon between 1165 and 1214.
In 1480, the barony of Thankerton came into the possession of the Boghall Fleming family
who obtained soon after from the Abbey of Kelso the rights to the church. Its revenues were
assigned by Malcolm, Lord Fleming, to the Collegiate Church of Biggar. Sir David Fleming,
who predeceased his father Robert, First Lord Fleming of Biggar and Cumbernauld, had a
grant of the lands and barony of Thankerton. He was succeeded by his brother John, Second
Lord Fleming. John married Lady Margaret Stewart, but the marriage was later annulled. In
1538, Malcolm Lord Fleming obtained confirmation of the lands and barony of Thankerton.
In 1584, lands granted in the previous year to Sir John Maitland of Thirlstane and Jean
Fleming, his spouse reverted to the original owners.
In 1666, John, Earl of Wigton, and last of the Flemings, resigned the barony, with the church,
to Sir William Purves of Woodhouselie and to Sir James Carmichael of Bonnyton, who was
succeeded by his son John Carmichael in 1681 and by his grandson in 1692. It was finally
acquired by the Earls of Hyndford in the eighteenth century.
About 1710, the parish of Thankerton united with the neighbouring parish of Covington. The
church at St John’s Kirk became obsolete and Covington Church provided a place of worship
for the parishioners of the united parish. The school in Covington also provided education to
the children of both Covington and Thankerton.
OF INTEREST:
A well known landmark was two thatched cottages, one of which had a small shop at
Blackbog on the western extremity of Thankerton Moor. Alex Murray, a joiner, lived here
with his wife Nancy who kept the shop that sold confections and tobaccos. Nancy could often
be seen sitting outside the shop smoking a clay pipe.
Thankerton Village more than a century ago with Law Hill in the background