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Welcome and thank you for visiting the site. We hope you will enjoy strolling through the centuries with us in our attempts to inform you of how this area received it's name. Connections to this land give name to Robert the Bruce, Mary, Queen of Scot's, and more..so..Sit back and enjoy.
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Through the centuries
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To start our little journey through time,we must go back to when it all started, to try and explain how the area received the name Castlemilk.
It all began in the 13th century, with Walter the high Steward marrying Princess Marjory, daughter of Robert the Bruce. This marraige brought the House of Stewart into line to the throne of Scotland. Many years later, 1398, land was given to Sir William Stewart in Anandale, Dumfrieshire, for the preservation of peace on the marches between Scotland & England. A Castle was erected on top of a hill next to the river Mylk, (are you getting it now?), and there we have its origin...Castle...Mylk, or Castlemilk as we all know it now. The Stewarts lived there for many years and they also held very strong connections to Royalty throughout Europe. Sir Willam Stewart of Castle Milk & his brother Sir John Stewart of Darnley, both travelled to France in the aid of Charles VII,they both fought alongside 'Joan of Arc' at the seige of Orleans, sadly both brothers were killed in February 1429, in battle. Sir John's son, Matthew Stewart, succeeded to Castle Milk & Fynnart, as Sir William died without an heir. (This is when we start to jump about the centuries) Matthew Stewart purchased lands known as Cassilton of Carmunnock, and in 1460, began construction of Cassilton Tower. Mary, Queen of Scot's stayed at Cassilton Tower on the eve before the battle at Langside. She often spoke of the Stewarts of cassilton as her close kinfolk. Later, when the building was extended a room was to be named after her. Over a century past, and in 1579, The Stewart family sold their lands in Dumfriesshire, and moved north. They then changed the area known as Cassilton to that of Castlemilk. They used Castlemilk as the Chief residence. Okay so far?...That's good. We have now established who owned the lands, how they managed to get the lands, and how it got it's name. We now leap through the centuries to one we refer to as 'the last Laird of Castlemilk'. |
Changes.
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Changes were happening throughout the land and Castlemilk was not left behind, infact, in many ways it led the way. A book published in 1793 (The history of Rutherglen & East kilbride) by David Ure actually describes Castlemilk as thus:..'Pleasure grounds have lately been laid out to the best advantage, few places in Scotland enjoy a more agreeable situation. It commands a prospect, which, for a mixed variety of extensive, majestic, rich and beautiful objects, is probably not equalled any where in Scotland'. This guy knew what he was talking about.
Anyhow!...Onto the Last Laird of Castlemilk. Sir William James Stirling Crawford-Crawford Stirling Stuart, (try putting that on your passportapplication), was born in Ireland in May 1854, his Father was serving there at the time. The last Laird married Constance Marie de Lormet of Dennistoun, they had three children, James Stuart, Douglas Ray and a daughter named Helen. They had tennant farmers looking after the surrounding lands and the area were renound for their beauty. When the first world war broke out, James and Douglas both joined the froces, James went to the Scot's Guards & Douglas joined the only Scottish calvary regiment, the Royal Scot's Grey. James was wounded in the battle at Ypre in Belgium 1914, and later died of his wounds.Douglas Ray survived the war and moved to London. Constance, the Lairds wife died in 1916,needless to say that the family were totaly devastated at these avents. Years went by and in 1938, the last Laird of Castlemilk died.But before that , he had already sold the lands to Glasgow Corporation to allow new housing development. This was held back as tension grew in Europe, and war declared. On his passing away, the Lairds Factor wrote,'Castlemilk is now dead for us,He was Castlemilk,and now it's only a building'. During the war years Castlemilk was used for evacuees, mostly children, and when peace arrived it continued to be a childrens home. Glasgow now owned the lands and building the new 'scheme' began. People from all over moved in to new housing with their own bathrooms, more space, cleaner air and more, most people thought they were moving into the countryside. But the town planners had forgotten one fundemental & very important thing, (you will not believe this), they forgot about amenities such as shops, schools, churches. Vans were the mainstay of the scheme, and they gave 'tick' to those who wanted it until their men came home with the wages at the weekend. Slowly & shurely the area got schools and shops. But like any other area, Castlemilk housing estate started to go down hill. In 1968, Glasgow Corporation decided to close the Castlemilk childrens home, then demolish it in 1969, a lot of protests occured and it was agreed to save the central tower of the building, this did not happen, and they tore it down as far as they could. The tower was too thick at the base and to this day, you can still see the remains of the oldest building in the area. Castlemilk hit rock bottom in the 1970's when gangs terrorised the neighbourhood, with nothing better to do they fought running battles all over the area. People started to move out of Castlemilk and the gangs would have a field day with the empty houses. Something had to be done quick. In the early 1980's Locals who had lived in the area for years started up what is known as Cooperative housing associations. People started to work together to better Castlemilk. They worked together and asked locals what they would like to see, this was better than just being told what your getting. Castlemilk then started to receive grants from all over and a new Castlemilk started to take shape.A swimming pool, sports centre, community centres, shopping arcade, new housing started to replace the old tennement type houses. A group called Cassilton Trust was formed to save the oldest remaining buildings in the area, the Stables block' which housed the Last Lairds horses. New schools are being built, chid care centres, training wing, factory workshops, sports amenities. One thing is for sure, Castlemilk is not going backwards. 'AVANT CASTLEMILK' Thank you for finding out more about our area, we hope we kept your attention and you didn't dissapear for large amounts of tea. I have listed below some other projects on the area, if you wish to know more , please contact me, and once again, thank you. Lost Lands 600 years of Castlemilk. (Video & booklet by Andy Miller) Looking for Mr Rogers. (Video on Castlemilk housing estate, by Paul Cameron) Incomplete history of Castlemilk (Book, by C'milk history group) Castlemilk slide show,(over 100 slides) Mobile display available to schools. |
An in-depth look at the history behind one of Glasgow City's so called satalite areas.
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