The Battle of Linwood Bridge

I don't think we will ever see Mel Gibson dramatise this local battle in an epic movie like Braveheart. The battle of our local bridge isn't quite on a par with Sir William Wallace's battle of Stirling Bridge. *Link to Battle of Stirling Bridge: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stirling_Bridge

However it is local history, raises other interesting subjects and the bridge is still there.

Before the original bridge over the river cart was built in 1776 the only way to cross the river was by stepping stones. After it’s construction the way to trade was opened up and industry followed in the shape of two cotton mills, a print mill and engineering works. On Saturday 12th July 1859 the miners from The Redan in Linwood,on one side of the river, and their rivals from Inkerman, on the other side, met in the Battle of Linwood Bridge. The men were armed with various weapons such as mining tools, swords and cudgels or as we would say they were carrying chibs,well tooled up ! A bloody battle was fought resulting in  the death of one man and several others were badly injured. We don't hear much of this tale of violence but perhaps worthy of a plaque of sorts on the bridge to at least retain some history of the successful mill, mining & engineering production of the time?
The bridge was renovated in 1911 and is still in use today linking Bridge Street with Candren Road.

The tale mentions rival gangs from Redan & Inkerman which were small settlements within the Linwood borders along with Balaclava. The village or settlement of Balaclava must ring bells with even the least interested in history amongst us and indeed did inspire some research from myself.

These three settlements were all named after famous battles fought in the Crimean war.

1. The Siege of Sevastopol

   War: Crimean War; September 1854 to September 1855.
   The Battle of Malakoff was fought between the French and Russian armies on September 7th-1855 as a part of the Siege of Sevastopol.The name 'Redan' comes from when the British captured a Russian-held fort, or in the local dialect, a redan. Conquered only after nearly a year of attrition, which left over 20,000 British soldiers dead and four times as many French. The word 'Redan' is now part of the English language, and the definition given by the Oxford Dictionary is 'Fort - A work having two faces forming a salient towards the enemy.'"
   Interest link: http://www.britishbattles.com/crimean-war/sevastopol.htm

2. The Battle of Balaclava

   (the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Charge of the Heavy Brigade and the Thin Red Line)

   War: Crimean War

   Date: 25th October 1854
   Interest link: http://www.britishbattles.com/crimean-war/balaclava.htm

3. The Battle of Inkerman

   War: Crimean War

   Date: 5th November 1854

   Place: Crimea in the Ukraine, at that time part of the Russian Empire.

   Combatants: British and French troops against the Imperial Russian Army.
   Interest link: http://www.britishbattles.com/crimean-war/inkerman.htm

There were many Scottish regiments involved in the Crimean War & the dates of the Battle of Linwood Bridge fall into  the timeline. Interesting the obvious influence this war & particular battles had on the naming of  the local settlements. Worth noting is that many of the workforce employed to cope with the growing demands of local industry in Linwood were from the Highlands & would perhaps have established these "new settlements" to accomodate themselves as they settled in a new area.

These three settlements were possibly all related to the ironstone mining business of Merry & Cunningham.

Inkerman was a mining village in the Candren road area & was still there until demolished in the 1940's.The old Inkerman school-house is still there today converted into a dwelling.

Balaclava was also a mining village catering for "the Clippens Pit" and began operating around 1855.

Redan Rows was perhaps another settlement area providing accomodation for the miners & their families.

If anyone has any further information on the Battle of Linwood Bridge or the influence of the Crimean War please send it in.

Looks like this is leading to an article on the history of local mining !