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A county historian this week challenged Transport Scotland’s claims to have uncovered the lost village of Cadzow next to the M74 motorway near Hamilton.

Archaeologists working near the M74 found four medieval structures and a range of artefacts including pottery, coins and smoking pipes, which they believed belonged to Cadzow.

However, Ed Archer of the Lanark and District Archaeological Society, says the medieval buildings uncovered are most certainly not Cadzow but remnants of Netherton, which was inhabited up until the 17th century.

Cadzow was a much older settlement and is likely to have been situated where Chatelherault Park is today, in the area known as the High Parks. It is mentioned as the location for the legend of the fish and the ring, which involved Queen Langoreth, and took place on the banks of the River Avon around 590AD.

The buildings found near the M74 are a long way from the Avon.

The kings of Strathclyde had a residence at Cadzow and there is also a record of King Malcolm IV signing a treaty there between 1128 and 1155.

Ed says there are structures under the surface which can be seen in aerial photographs of the Chatelherault area, which could be the castle and surrounding village.

He says remains of Cadzow have therefore yet to be uncovered.

There are also still ruins visible near Chatelherault of a later Cadzow Castle that was built in the 14th or 15th century.

Ed said: “Cadzow is generally thought to be the area up in the High Parks and it was one of the palaces of the kings of Strathclyde.

“This palace might be the circular enclosure that shows up on aerial photos of the High Parks.

“It was at Cadzow and on the banks of the Avon that the story of the fish and ring took place. Down by the water’s edge Langoreth, the wife of Rhydderch, King of Strathclyde, was having an affair with a young man and lost her marriage ring which fell into the Avon. She was mortified and sought the help of St Kentigern. After some while a servant who was fishing brought a salmon out of the river. Fortunately the ring was inside the salmon.

“Cadzow Castle is still very much in evidence, the ruins are above the Dukes Bridge across the Avon Gorge.

“What one can see today are the remains of the 15/16th century castle. An excavation was done there about 15 years ago .

“Netherton appears in the 12th century around a motte, medieval earth castle. Although there was probably a settlement there earlier – there were possibly Vikings living there

“Netherton was in a thickly wooded area between the mausoleum and the M74 service station. The cross was over from this point nearer to the Clyde.

“The village of Netherton, as the excavations have shown, survived into the 17th century.

“It was the creation of the replacement of Hamilton Palace in 1695 that led to the eventual demise of Netherton and so it has remained in obscurity until 2016.”

However, the archaeologists who carried out the investigations near the M74 on behalf of Transport Scotland are standing by their assertions about having found Cadzow.

Warren Bailie, project manager at Guard Archaeology, said: “Information relating to this dig which took place on the M74 verge and other local archaeological and historical sites, is based on the very best available evidence, including Historic Environment Scotland sources which state that the area investigated has long been considered to be the old toun of Cadzow.

“We work hard to ensure information is accurate and consistent with current understanding of local historical information and our work is peer reviewed to ensure any findings and conclusions drawn reflect a consensus expert view on any particular topic.”

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