Over the weekend of the 29th to 30th August, Lord Cornet Ian Douglas, accompanied by his front party and Lord Cornet Elect Derek McGuinness undertook the formal inspection of the boundary stones of our Royal Burgh.
This inspection of our March Stones was carried out in accordance with all current social distancing and mass public gathering regulations and with the full permission of land owners to inspect March Stones located on private property.
A video of this historic declaration, which continues an unbroken condition of our Royal Charter which has been carried out every year since 1140, is found found below.
We look forward to next years Lanimer Celebrations where we can hopefully return as a community to participate in our perambulation of the Marches.
“Chairperson of Lanark Lanimer Committee and the townspeople of Lanark,
As Standard Bearer for this Royal and Ancient Burgh of Lanark, duly appointed in 2019, invested with the sash of office, and recognised as ongoing Custodian of the Burgh Standard during 2020, when all official Lanimer Week events were cancelled due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, I have the honour to report to you that I have duly inspected the March Stones of the Royal Burgh in the company of four witnesses who are members of both Lanark Lanimer Committee and The Lord Cornets’ Club. (This was carried out over two days, during the summer months, without breaking any current legal restrictions on group gathering).
Accompanied by these witnesses I inspected March Stones in these places – the March Stone at Mousemill Brig, the March Stone in the River Mouse at Glenburnie, the March Stone in the lands of Glenburnie, the three March Stones in the lands of Jerviswood, the March Stone at Oakwood, the March Stone at Leechford, the March Stones upriver from Leechford, the March Stones in the lands of Bonnington. Further, the witnesses and I inspected the limits of the Marches along the highway, formerly the old Roman road from Lanark, to the boundary through Huntlyhill Mains Farm, from thence along the highway past the Turning of the Staff to Lanark Racecourse, and from the Racecourse to the Cross at Lanark. I have the honour to report that none of these stones has been molested and that there has been no interference with the ancient boundaries of the Royal Burgh, and that I have duly discharged my duties once again, in this respect.
Ian W Douglas, Lord Cornet of the Royal and Ancient Burgh of Lanark for 2019 and as said Custodian during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. ”