New Lanark World Heritage Site

About this place

Historic mill village and UNESCO site with visitor centre, museum and scenic river walks.

This remarkably preserved cotton mill village on the River Clyde was built in the late 18th century and became famous under the mill manager Robert Owen, whose progressive ideas about workers' welfare, education and fair treatment made New Lanark an early and influential model for social reform, decades ahead of most industrial employers of the time. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the village combines a visitor centre and museum with scenic river walks leading up towards the nearby Falls of Clyde. The mill buildings and workers' housing survive in genuinely good condition, giving a vivid sense of industrial life two centuries ago. There's an admission charge for the museum and attractions, with village walks free, and most of the site is accessible.

Make a day of it — within 5km