Hi everyone! I’m Lucy and I’m currently working as part of the Marketing Team here at New Lanark. Last year, I was studying a Masters at Heriot-Watt University in Tourism and Heritage Management and as part of my thesis; I studied the importance of New Lanark as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS). It was great to be able to explore the site and find out more about why New Lanark is so unique and special.

If you didn’t already know… New Lanark is one of six UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the UK. We were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Our site is a unique 18th-century mill village sitting alongside the picturesque River Clyde, and totally different from all the other WHS’s in the UK (such as the Antoine Wall, The Forth Road Bridge and the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh). When you come and visit us, you can see recreated millworkers’ houses, historic working machinery in our award-winning Visitor Centre, which tells the fascinating story of the cotton mill village of New Lanark which was founded in the 18th century. Our history and heritage are so important to us, so we love sharing it all with you! We are set alongside the beautiful ‘Falls of Clyde’ waterfalls, which creates a unique picturesque setting and is perfect to capture those ‘instagrammable’ moments! Also unique to our site, is the fact that we are spinners of quality hand-knitting yarn, with 200 years of history behind us. All of our New Lanark Yarn is produced to the highest quality on our 19th century machinery which is powered by renewable energy, generated on site by our water-powered turbine to keep our environmental impact to a minimum. You can purchase some of our beautiful yarn and products in our Spinning Co. General Store, open every day! If you’re stopping for lunch, we have the Mill Café which features tasty treats and we are also home to the 4-star New Lanark Mill Hotel, which caters all year round. All in all, New Lanark is such a diverse site with multiple ventures and exciting events! We are located right in the heart of a living, breathing community with residents who still live in our village in New Lanark. So… when are you coming for a visit?

The most important part of New Lanark, however and the part we want to raise awareness about is the fact that we are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A World Heritage Site is classified as a natural or man-made site, area, or structure recognized as being of Outstanding Universal Value and therefore, deserving of special protection. In order to be a WHS, we had to meet a list of criteria and have high levels of authenticity and integrity. We are also environmentally conscious, so prioritising our sustainability and preservation of the site is of the upmost importance. We work with partners such as Historic Environment Scotland and South Lanarkshire Council in the management of New Lanark, who are all committed to maintaining and enhancing the values of the World Heritage Site as defined by UNESCO. Our WHS is so significant and unique, and that means it needs to be preserved with common purposes, visions and values. According to our Management Plan, we focus on: 1. Conserving the site’s heritage, site and environs 2. Contribute socially and economically to the area 3. Evolve to stay relevant to people and the world New Lanark has such a wealth of history and heritage on offer and it’s important that we raise awareness of how truly unique and special our WHS is. We strive to provide a unique visitor experience and there’s so much you can explore here! I’ve had the privilege to both work and study here throughout the past year and it’s been great to see the sustainability, integrity and authenticity of our WHS first-hand! So… come and visit us today!