Strathaven

The Town Mill and Miller's house

Strathaven Public Hall

Detail of the advertisement on the town mill

A Roman road passes close by, on the south side of the Avon Water; it led to the Roman fort at Loudoun Hill near Darvel.[2] The origins of Strathaven Castle are obscure, but it is believed to have been held by the Bairds until after the end of the Wars of Scottish Independence in 1357. It then passed to William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas in 1370.[3]

The settlement within the lands of Strathaven became a burgh of barony in 1450.[4] The centre of the town is occupied by the market square, formerly a grassed common, and still known as Common Green, or just 'The Green'. Linking the town and the castle is the old 'Boo Backit Brig' ('bow-backed bridge'), a small arched bridge.[5]

The Old Parish Church, with its landmark spire, was built in 1772, and was the place of worship of the Dukes of Hamilton, who had a section of the church reserved for them.[6]

The town played a significant part in the Radical War of 1820, when James Wilson led a band of radicals on a march to Glasgow, to join a rumoured general uprising, which never actually happened. Wilson was hanged for treason.[7]

Its most famous 'modern' resident was the singer, Sir Harry Lauder (1870–1950) whose mansion, Lauder Ha', or Hall, was just above the town on the road to Kilmarnock. Sir Harry spent the Second World War years there, and died in February 1950.[8]

Dungavel House on the outskirts of Strathaven was the place where German Deputy Führer, Rudolf Hess, originally intended to land on the evening of 10 May 1941 in a misguided attempt to seek peace talks with the Duke of Hamilton. However bad weather and poor navigation resulted in Hess having to land at Floors Farm in Eaglesham.[9]

In 2002, Strathaven was granted the title of Scotland's First Fairtrade Town[10] (jointly with Aberfeldy) under the leadership of Paulo Quadros, chair of the first Fairtrade group in Scotland.[10]

The town is part of the Avondale and Stonehouse ward of the South Lanarkshire council area. Before 1996, it was part of the Strathclyde region, with a district council in East Kilbride. Previous to that, it had been part of the Fourth landward district of the County of Lanark.[11]

As part of Scottish devolution, national governmental power is split between the UK Parliament and Government and the Scottish Parliament and Government. As of 2021, it is in the East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow constituency of the UK Parliament (MP [2019]: Lisa Cameron [SNP]) and the Clydesdale constituency of the Scottish Parliament (MSP [2021]: Màiri McAllan [SNP]).[12]

The town's longest established business is Gebbie & Wilson, Solicitors in the Common Green, which was founded in 1816.[13]

The major landmark in the town is Strathaven Castle.[14] Strathaven Public Hall was designed by Alexander Cullen and completed in 1896.[15]

The A71, which connects Edinburgh and Irvine passes through the town. The A723 links Strathaven to Hamilton and the A726 links it to East Kilbride, and further onto Glasgow. As part of South Lanarkshire, the town is in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport area.[16]

Former railway stations

Strathaven North station in 1906

Strathaven had, at various times, three railway stations.

• Strathaven (Old), the first station, was the terminus of the Hamilton and Strathaven Railway. The railway was taken over by the Caledonian Railway; and the station closed in 1964.[17]
• Strathaven North, a terminal station on the Hamilton and Strathaven Branch of the Caledonian Railway, opened in October 1904, closed temporarily during World War I; and closed completely in 1953.[18]
• Strathaven Central, on the Darvel and Strathaven Railway closed in June 1964 to services from the east, although the line to Darvel closed in 1939.[19]

There are 7 primary schools in and around Strathaven, Chapelton Primary School, Gilmourton Primary School, Kirklandpark Primary School, Sandford Primary School, St Patrick's Primary School and Wester Overton Primary School

Strathaven Academy is the town's only secondary school.

Strathaven contains six churches[23] including three Church of Scotland parishes: Avendale Old (built in 1772) linked with Drumclog Parish Church,[24] Strathaven Rankin linked with Chapelton Parish Church,[25] and East Parish Church (built in 1777) linked with Glassford Parish Church.[26]

The only Catholic Church in the town is St Patrick's Catholic Church (built in 1863).[27]

There is an active ecumenical body, consisting of six churches in the area (five within the town, one nearby), named "Hope Strathaven", which work together bringing a mix of community projects that reflect faith and service.[28]

Strathaven is home to several sports clubs, which include Strathaven Rugby Club which has a 3G, all-weather pitch.[29]

Strathaven Hotel houses a small seated venue holding acoustic music gigs under the title FRETS. Artists performing have included Arab Strap, Norman Blake and Euros Childs, Lloyd Cole, Altered Images, Robyn Hitchcock and Michael Head.

• Bertie Auld, footballer and one of the Lisbon Lions who played with Celtic, lived in Strathaven[30]
• Stuart Braithwaite, singer and musician with the band Mogwai, attended Strathaven Academy[31]
• Eric Caldow, Scottish international footballer who played with Rangers, founder of Strathaven Dynamo[32]
• William Craig, surgeon and botanist, President of the Edinburgh Botanical Society and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, born in Strathaven[33]
• Linda Fabiani, Scottish National Party politician and former Scottish Executive Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, lived in Strathaven[34]
• David Fernández, Spanish footballer who spent most of his career in Scotland playing for clubs including Celtic and Kilmarnock, lived in Strathaven[35]
• James Mackinnon Fowler, Australian politician and founding member of the Victorian Socialist League, born in Strathaven[36]
• Gordon Gibb, businessman, CEO of Flamingo Land Ltd and former chairman of Bradford City Football Club, brought up in Strathaven[37]
• Sir Robert Giffen, financial editor of The Times newspaper and President of the Royal Statistical Society, born in Strathaven[38]
• Andy Kerr, Labour politician and former Scottish Executive Health Minister, lives in Strathaven.[39]
• Sir Harry Lauder, singer, comedian and music hall entertainer[40]
• Thomas Leiper, tobacco merchant[41]
• Marion Jean Lyon, the first women advertising manager of a major British publication, was born in Strathaven[42]
• Stuart McCall, Scottish international footballer who played for Rangers, Everton and Bradford City, lived in Strathaven[43]
• Una McLean, actress and comedian[44]
• John Miller, footballer for Scotland, Queen's Park F.C. and Pollock FC
• Aileen Neilson, Paralympian, lives in Strathaven[45]
• Corrie Scott, swimmer and bronze medalist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games[46]
• Jack Smart, football player
• Andy Stewart, Conservative MP from 1983–1992 for Sherwood, chaired Strathaven Young Unionists in 1957–58.[47]
• Daniel Thomson, footballer
• Sara Vickers, actor, born in Strathaven[48]
• Ricky Warwick, singer and guitarist with rock bands The Almighty and Circus Diablo, currently vocalist with Thin Lizzy[49]
• James Wilson, revolutionary leader who participated in the Scottish Insurrection of 1820[7]

• Town of Strathaven
• Strathaven in Old Postcards
• Scottish Gazetteer: Strathaven