​THE LENNOX HERITAGE
SOCIETY
About us:
The Lennox Heritage Society is a local community group that has been meeting for many years. The main aim of the group is to study and celebrate the rich culture, heritage and history of West Dunbartonshire and beyond.
We meet on a monthly basis from September to April and host talks and presentations by invited speakers. Meetings take place in the Concord Centre in central Dumbarton (next to the Denny Civic Theatre) and start at 7.30 pm. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available from about 7 pm at the cost of 40p per person.
New members are always welcome but if you prefer not to become a member, individual sessions may be attended at the cost of £2 per talk.
West Dunbartonshire's Doors Open Days
Doors Open Days 2022
DOORS OPEN DAYS are held across Scotland every September. In West Dunbartonshire we hold a local programme every two years. We have some great venues, some of which are not well known and not usually open to the public, but with the size of our region, this is a practical way of doing it.
2022 was unusual in that we returned after the long hiatus due to covid. With this in mind, we kept the programme of indoor venues limited and proportionally increased the number of outdoor venues and events.
Our venues were generally well supported. These included the Maid of the Loch, the Alexandria Masonic Lodge, the Denny Tank Museum, the Armed Forces Veterans Association and several churches. Knowetop Community Farm was somewhat under-supported, perhaps due to its hidden location. The two fire stations that were due to participate declined in deference to the death of Queen Elizabeth just shortly before. The churches were amongst those venues which reflected the news of the Queen with floral and other acknowledgements. Exhibitions in some libraries and Clydebank Museum were included.
In order to spread the options for those participating in walks and events, we spread them out during the preceding week and on the main day, the Saturday. Support was good to disappointing. Perhaps the time of day had an impact; perhaps the subjects; perhaps the means and extent of promotion. We continue to learn. Next time Doors Open Day will be bigger and better. We look forward to introducing you to so much more. See you then.
Jeremy Watson
Other items of interest:
Jeremy Watson's website EXPLORE WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE continues to grow. Click the link
The Shipyard Trust has a lot of fascinating information on shipbuilding on the Clyde, including the Leven. If you register with them, you will receive their newsletters. Click the link to The Shipyard Trust
Jeremy Watson has researched and compiled some great information on the subject of "Local Mysteries". Just click the link below.
https://scottishheritage.wordpress.com/2020/08/local-mysteries-of-dumbarton-the-vale-of-leven-and-environs/
Recording our heritage and events: ​
On 7th May 2019, a small group of LHS members went on a very interesting and enjoyable trip to the beautiful Glenarn Gardens in Rhu. After a rather inauspicious wet start to the day, the sun did eventually come out for us and we were met by Glenarn's highly knowledgeable owner, Mike Thornley. Mike gave us a very comprehensive tour of the gardens as well as providing us with some of their history and information about previous owners. Glenarn Gardens have been in the care of Mike and his wife Sue since 1982 and they have completed major restoration work to bring the gardens up to the wonderful condition they are in now. Their work is, of course, very much an ongoing labour of love.
HAVOC at HAVOC HOLE
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Havoc
The sea cliff that edges Brucehill was formed of sandstone set down during the Devonian era approximately 375 – 360 million years ago, and would have been deposited at a time when the area we know as the British Isles was part of a large continent. At its lower edge is Havoc Meadow, home to a myriad of species and beyond that the tidal feeding grounds of many birds on the Clyde. Above it is the now vacant site of Notre Dame School. There is still the derelict chapel and within the horseshoe shaped site there is Craigend, nunnery.
As can be expected the site is now ripe for redevelopment and plans are now in to build houses on it.
What is not being appreciated in the application is the cliff face itself. This is an extraordinary geological feature. On its upper edge are many mature trees, several of which are quite ancient. And these form a valuable habitat and corridor for a variety of wildlife too. From a historical point of view, the most important feature is Havoc Hole. This is a fissure forming a small cave associated with Bruce and Wallace and witches and faeries.
The planning application includes severe interventions on the cliff which would greatly weaken it to a point where it is unlikely to remain standing in its current form; in fact, a note on the submission drawings include reference to it being excavated for infill material elsewhere on the site. This would mean the end of Havoc Hole and the cliff in this area and with that the end of its historical connotations and rich environmental setting. All this because the developers wish to build a SuDS rainwater attenuation pond at this point - rather than elsewhere on the site.
Your Lennox Heritage Society has lodged an objection. It is far from being alone as many others have done so too. A petition is currently running and you can add your voice directly through it.
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Petition · HELP SAVE BRUCEHILL CLIFFTOP AND WOOD - Say no to Easdale developers · Change.org
by Jeremy Watson
Sep 2021
LHS Annual General Meeting
Please see the above poster for details of our 4th LHS talk for 2024. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available for a donation of 40p per person. All welcome!
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Useful links:
​​Contact details :
​Chairman : Jim Crosthwaite
email: jcsc20610@yahoo.co.uk
Telephone : 07969 596545
For further information see :
THE DIARY page of the Lennox Herald and the Community Advertiser
Reviewed by E.W
Latest News
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Review of “The Battle of Mugdock and the Survival of Alt Clut, the Kingdom of the Clyde”
Our penultimate speaker of the 2023/2024 season, Alasdair Jamison, is a retired head teacher who was born and brought up in Paisley/Renfrew and who now describes himself as an active amateur archaeologist and amateur historian. He delivered his talk entitled “The Battle of Mugdock and the Survival of Alt Clut, the Kingdom of the Clyde” to a capacity LHS audience on Wednesday 14th March 2024.
We, as inhabitants of the 21st Century, live in very dangerous and worrying times with ongoing conflicts, misery and uncertainty for ourselves and many of our fellow human beings. Alasdair took us back to a much earlier time and into 8th century Scotland. This was a time when populations were very much smaller than they are now. However, as now, there was rivalry, conflict, and bloodshed between the various warring factions. The early Mediaeval period in our history is shrouded in mystery and Alastair acknowledged that his account of the Battle of Mugdock could never fully be recounted accurately. He conceded that others may take a different viewpoint of this battle and the events surrounding it.
The Battle of Mugdock took place in AD 750 and was a battle between the Picts of the north of Britain and the Britons of Alt Clut. The leader of the Picts was a ferocious and fearsome King called Angus MacFergus and it was under his leadership that the Picts became the dominant power in northern Britain. This was a time when warriors did not fight battles on horseback but horses were mainly used for transport. Despite the use of horses, the journey to the battle with the people of Alt Clut was long, arduous and dangerous owing to the terrain, weather and assaults from rival factions along the way.
The final outcome of the Battle of Mugdock was that the forces of the Britons overcame the Picts and Angus MacFergus’ brother Talorcan was slaughtered. Talorcan had been determined to subjugate the people of Alt Clut but he was never able to capture Alt Clut itself (Rock of the Clyde or Dumbarton Rock).
Tuedubur, son of Beli, was the leader of the Britons who defeated the Picts at Mugdock. At the time of the battle of Mugdock, Tuedubur was an old king who had been in power for almost thirty years (this at a time when kingships were short-lived and generally, the kingship ended with a violent outcome) Tuedubur died either at the end of AD 750 or a year or two later.
At the end of Alasdair’s talk, there were many questions and much discussion. Alasdair ably responded to questions but also recommended that for anyone requiring further information, they should perhaps seek out the books of Nick Aitchison.
Residents are being given the chance to give feedback on the development of landscaping and paths within the former Exxon site at Bowling.
Follow the link:
This is in-person consultation event took place on Wednesday 7th February between 3pm and However, paper questionnaires are available and can be returned to Bowling Hall with access to the questionnaire also available online via the West Dunbartonshire Council website.
HERITAGE AND PLACE PROGRAMME for central Dumbarton
Please click this link for Jeremy Watson's recent summary of the Heritage and Place Programme for Dumbarton.
LHS Lecture
Wednesday, 10th April 2024
Subscription
£10 / year
Visitors
£2 / talk
Program of Talks for 2023 / 2024
The LHS 2023 / 2024 program of speakers is now complete and can be viewed by clicking this link. We look forward to welcoming members both old and new to a series of talks which we hope will prove both interesting and informative to our attendees. The next talk of the season will be held on Wednesday 10th April 2024 - details can be found on the above poster.
Several of our members research, record and collate the history and heritage of our area. ​​Occasional outings and walks are arranged. We are currently focussing on topics such as the Antonine Wall, where it passes through West Dunbartonshire and recording the Starfish decoy system in the hills above Dumbarton and the Vale of Leven.
Lennox Heritage Society Spring Outing to Glenarn Gardens May 2019
The LHS AGM will take place on 10th April 2024 at 19:30 hrs. Click the links below for the Agenda, Chairman's report and the Financial Report