Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Crossford

Crossford, a village in the N of Lesmahago parish, Lanarkshire, near the left bank of the Clyde, immediately above the Nethan's influx, 4¾ miles NW by W of Lanark, under which it has a post office. At it are Free and U.P. churches; and near it are the ruins of Craignethan. 'In 1686,' says honest Patrick Walker, ` many people gathered together about Crossford, where there were showers of bonnets, hats, guns, and swords, which covered the trees and ground; companies of men in arms marching along the water side; companies meeting companies all through other, and then all falling to the ground, and disappearing, and other companies appearing the same way. I went there three afternoons together, and, as I could observe, there were two of the people that were together saw, and a third that saw not; and though I could see nothing, yet there was such a fright and trembling upon those that did see, that was discernible to all from those that saw not,' etc. (Chambers's -Domestic Annals, ii. 485). Pop. (1841) 431, (1861) 530, (1871) 543, (1881) 816.—Ord. Sur., sh. 23, 1865.


(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Lesmahagow ScoP       Lanarkshire ScoCnty
Place: Crossford

Go to the linked place page for a location map, and for access to other historical writing about the place. Pages for linked administrative units may contain historical statistics and information on boundaries.