William Wallace Heritage Trust
Lanark Events - Lanimer Week
"Perambulation of the Marches"The Lord Cornet, with his right and left hand men, the Lord Cornet Elect and several thousand of assorted citizenry will participate in the 'perambulation', one of our oldest traditions, on the Monday night of Lanimer Week. This tradition is one of the essential components of Lanimer (or Landemyrs) Week and has been ongoing since Kind David 1 founded Royal Burghs in the 12th century to develop trade within the country. The 'burgesses were instructed to examine their march (or boundary) stones every year and report that all was well or ill according to what they found. At this time the annual inspection of the March Stones was done on horseback - the Riding of the Marches, as opposed to a 'Perambulation'. Lanark alone, it is believed, can claim that it has held its Lanimers every year since the duty was first imposed by King David. The "Perambulation" dates from 1752. Until then riders did the whole circuit of the Lanark Marches, most men in the burgh being horsemen of a sort, but cropt land had succeeded moor where Jerviswood 'marched' with burgh land and it was thought that less damage would be done if horses were absent. Pedestrians then took over the first part of the annual checking of the march stones, as they do now, with the balance of the boundaries being checked by riders as before later in the week.
The Monday night part of this ancient tradition concludes with a combined procession of riders and pedestrians from the top of St. Leonard's Street to a ceremony at the Cross, during which the Lord Cornet will deliver his report - on the status of the March Stones - and the new Lord Cornet Elect will be formally commissioned and presented with the Burgh Standard and his sash of office. Thereafter the Lord Cornets will adjourn to Castlebank Park where games and races have been organised for the town's children before moving, later in the evening, to the new Lord Cornet's Reception, a social occasion to which all are welcome.
