The industrial cotton-spinning village is only the fourth site in Scotland to receive the status given to places of exceptional value. It joins internationally renowned sites including the Giant's Causeway and the Tower of London. New Lanark became famous as a model community under the management of Robert Owen from 1800 to 1825. He improved the mills and used profits to finance social and education reforms, including progressive schools in a building known as the Institute for the Formation of Character.
Children were allowed to enter the Institute as soon as they could walk, which enabled their mothers to work in the mills. Owen banned corporal punishment and said young children should not be 'annoyed with books' but rather have freedom to play and socialise. Music and dancing played an important part of the curriculum which included nature studies, history, geography and drawing as well as reading, writing and arithmetic.
Visitors, including nursery and school groups, can now see a reconstruction of a New Lanark classroom of the 1820s along with other exhibitions on life in the village. Tourism, culture and sport minister Mike Watson said, 'I am delighted that the international significance of New Lanark has been recognised with the award of World Heritage Status.
'Inclusion on the World Heritage List will raise awareness of New Lanark, help to promote tourism and benefit the local community.'
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