# The Village, East Kilbride

The Village is the current name of the oldest known settlement of East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, dating back to well before its designation as a new town in the mid-20th century. The Church at the core of the village is first attested in a late twelfth century record pertaining to matters in the early twelfth century, and which describes the church as already possessed 'of old' by the Bishops of Glasgow by that time.
The village, originally known as the Kirkton of Kilbride (various spelling forms), latterly fell within the estate of Kirkton and was later called Kirktonholm. Some newer village areas to the north fall within the lands of Bosfield. The small estate, inclusive of the village was elevated to Burgh of Barony Status by a royal charter granted by William III in 1702 (commonly misquoted as a charter of Queen Anne) This granted the right to hold markets and seasonal fairs, which facilitated the proto-urbanisation of the village area. Further urban growth and the rise of public utilities were catalysed in the late 1700s by the advent of turnpike roads to the parish, and the subsequent arrival of the railway to the village in 1868.
Of a more traditional character in comparison to the modern facilities in 'the town centre' area, the Village hosts several small pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, cafes, tanning salons and shops. In the oldest part of The Village there is a re-imagined cobbled street and a large original pub, the Montgomerie Arms. This building, originally called the Montgomery Arms Inn and later the Montgomery Arms Hotel, and more colloquially as the 'Heid Inn', dates back to 1719, or was built very shortly following that time. However, long uncorrected folklore has since mythologised its origins back to the 1650s based on spurious misrepresentation of earlier property deed information, partly to promote an olde worlde charm in the 1950s-60s. This idea still permeates some official research resources. The "Loupin'-on-Stane", a vernacular stone mounting block, was used originally by inn patrons for mounting their horses. This still stands outside the premises and is believed to be contemporary with the inn.

## The Show Park and Open Cattle Show

East Kilbride Thistle F.C.'s home ground and social club, the Show Park, is located on the eastern outskirts of the village area. The larger part of the Show Park, variously called the Show Ground or Showfield, lies outside of the football ground and was the traditional site of the renowned East Kilbride Open Cattle Shows since the 19th century. Its traditional place name was the Westbog or Westboag Park. This use lasted until the show's relocation to West Nerston at the time of the COVID Pandemic, and this remains an ongoing arrangement. Despite its ownership by the East Kilbride Farmers' Society, a longstanding municipal agreement as well as more recent land reform legislation, means the space is publicly accessible and used as a public park and place for seasonal entertainments such as circus shows, and it is designated a priority area of greenspace by South Lanarkshire Council.
In its supplementary planning guidance governing the treatment of greenspaces, the local authority describes the Show Park on the following terms - "The Show Park meets the primary function of a public park and garden by providing an area of informal activity or relaxtion, social and community purposes".

## Open Cattle Show Origins - A Micro-history

Although more popularly accessible folklore frequently dates the origins of the open cattle show to the year 1772, it is certain that its organisers, the East Kilbride Farmers' Society, was constituted in 1816 and held its first ever show competition the following year at Laigh Common just southeast of the village. The 1772 date has its sole origin in mythologisation by an early key member, the solicitor W. Strang of Bosfield, who in 1915, just ahead of the anticipated centenary of the society, made a bid to re-affirm the notion of the Kilbride Show as the oldest in Scotland. He conflated information of an earlier farmer's philanthropic society recorded by D. Ure in 1793 with an entry in the show society's account books concerning a vague donation of £8, 17s, 10d on or just before 30 December 1816 from a earlier unnamed society. The 1770s farmers' society, recorded in some detail by D. Ure, only lasted until 1786 when it folded under great contention amongst its membership. This was many years before the East Kilbride Farmers' Society was formed in 1816. Crucially, this earlier society, formed to aid destitute farmers facing famine, never held shows, and was limited to the sale of some livestock at common markets of Burgh of Barony fairs - something commonplace across Scotland and not linked to competitive shows. The residual funds of this early society were divided amongst its membership, then comprising about 25 farmers, and so this balance was not retained or given to any future society over 30 years later. The donation from an earlier society, misrepresented by W. Strang in 1915 as coming from a non-existent farmers' society, in fact came from the East Kilbride Militia Society which folded in 1816. At that time, its chairperson Orlando Strang of Arrotshole, seeking to transfer its treasury balance of £8, 17s, 10d to a local worthy cause, gifted it to the new Farmers' Society, which Orlando also happened to be a prominent founding member of. The inaugural show of the society - a 'Show of Cattle at East Kilbride' - was held at Laigh Common and coincided with the local Burgh of Barony Sheep Friday fair - a timing which helped ensure sufficient outside footfall to generate interest and greater revenue. Despite the facts and contemporary records surrounding the authentic history of the Open Cattle Show, it is still common to encounter fallacious references to the year 1772 in some key works, including articles of the East Kilbride News, or prominent content within the posthumous edited parish history by T. E. Niven from 1965.

## Modern Urban Context

Nearby residential neighbourhoods are Calderwood, East Mains and West Mains, surround the village and reflect the construction of the new town of East Kilbride, mostly in the 1950s and 1960s. However, these areas include several scattered buildings which long pre-date the new town, as well as the small weaving village of Maxwellton dating to the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries.