About Boghead
Boghead is a wee village in South Lanarkshire, west central Scotland. It is about 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Glasgow and sits close to Lesmahagow and Kirkmuirhill/Blackwood. Today Boghead is a sleepy, residential area, with some home based businesses, other working residents commuting to nearby towns and cities, and a few farms. It is composed of less than 50 houses built along 2 roads: Strathaven Road, and Lesmahagow Road; and surrounded by neighbouring farms (with todays village residents almost identical in number to the census of 1924, though double the population of the 1800s).
Boghead originated in the early 19th century around the old Blackwood Estate. Blackwood estate provided farming work for local families and the original inhabitants of the village used to work there. The estate required gardeners, foresters, road makers, coachmen, tradesmen and many more diverse workers. The Blackwood Estate, seat of the Weir de Veres since the thirteenth century, and afterwards the Hope-Veres, was the most extensive estate in the parish of Lesmahagow and by some accounts the largest estate in the County of Lanark. Built 200 years ago with additions and improvements at subsequent intervals. The gardens attached to Blackwood house were magnificent although few traces now remain. Blackwood House was demolished more than 50 years ago.
(If you think that your ancestors lived or worked at Blackwood Estate then contact Blackwood Estate Community Association directly.)
Blackwood Estate Community Association has purchased the 67 acres of “Loch Wood” on Blackwood Estate. The intention is to specifically retain the land as natural, wild woodland and protect it from commercial development. Find out more about the project here.
By 1924 in Boghead there were 12 coal miners and 8 quarrymen with other principal occupations detailed as labourers, road surfacemen and farm workers.
For a glimpse into some Boghead inhabitants from the 1950's then check out the poem by Douglas Muirhead, a former resident, from 1958.
The structure of the village has changed little in 200 years (check our photos page for more!). There is still no mains gas or mains sewage in the village and yet renewable technology abounds and now ultrafast fibre broadband is available to every house in the village. The village offers little in the way of communal amenities: a red telephone box inherited and adopted as the village "info-pod" and now home to the village defibrillator, a woodland walk and a children's playpark. But the village makes it's own entertainment through village barbeques, coffee mornings, bus runs, in fact any excuse for a get together.
Around and About
Click to download the detailed map.
There is an extensive path network around Boghead with some good circular walks both short and long. Many can start from the right of way at the Phone Box in the centre of the village but also from either end of the village.
Get your walking shoes on as there is plenty to explore including the area around the right of way from the centre of the village (see the species survey that was undertaken).
To see the path network from the village click on the image or for the wider path network in neighbouring areas go to South Lanarkshire Council website.
Enquiry
Just some basic information?
Something you have read about on the website?
Or enquiring about a relative or friend who perhaps used to live here?
Or maybe you used to live here and want to contact old friends?
Whatever it is then please use the form here to contact us and we will try to help.