LANARK LANIMER DAY
An ancient celebration held within the Royal Burgh of Lanark on the Thursday between the Sixth and Twelfth days of June annually since the year 1140.
 

Lanimer Week - Tuesday

When anyone is asked about the Tuesday of Lanimer Week the tendency is to be told that there is not much happening and that most people are recovering from the activities of the previous day. This is far from the truth. The sponsors are in the throes of penultimate preparations for the completion of their tableaux and pageants, the Lanimer Court have their final rehearsal with all concerned involved, the Lanimer Committee have their last meeting to adjust duties and deal with last minute problems, the initial impact is made upon traffic control with the erection of the foundations of the stand which is to yield such a resplendent splash of colour at the crowning ceremony on Lanimer morning and so on, and so on ... with a variety of activity too extensive to cover in detail.

During the day the main visible stir is taking place at the stables at the auction market which for Lanimer week Messrs. Lawrie and Symington kindly lease out to the sole control of the Lord Cornets' Club, and an ever-increasing number of horses and ponies arrive to consolidate and develop the traditional equestrian aspect of the Lanimer festivities. Throughout Tuesday they are washed, trimmed, groomed, shod where necessary and generally titivated, while in other corners, horsemen and grooms of all ages are seen cleaning up tack to enhance their turnout on the following days.

In the afternoon an exercise ride goes out under the control of the mounted police and the Lord Cornet has a preliminary tour of the Thursday mounted inspection of the boundaries of the burgh. Later, too, there are escorted exercise rides for riders of horses hired through the Lord Cornets' Club who were working or at school when the earlier outing is organised, an element of control imposed in the interest of rider and mount alike.

Cornets and wives at Lanimer Ball

Finally, in the evening those interested turn to dancing and the welkin rings until the early hours of the next morning at parties and the official Lanimer Ball. At this dance the Cornets add a splash of colour with their sashes and badges and the evening is now traditionally graced by the presence of the Lanimer Queen and her parents who are escorted to the function by the Lord Cornet, dining at a table set aside for the royal party and dancing throughout the evening until the Queen leaves at the witching hour of midnight to give herself some prospect of rest for the arduous duties ahead.

The Lord Cornet escorts the Queen to the ball.	A practice ride on Tuesday.	Grooms of all ages cleaning up tack.

Thus the festivities of Lanimer Week continue, affording an opportunity for all, the dyed-in-the-wool Lanarkians as well as the latest inhabitant, to participate in this wonderful tradition, and Tuesday in its own way helps to give Lanark the unique facility of readily absorbing everyone in any way interested as members of a community which can through its traditions retain an identity of its own in this age of appalling anonymity.

G. S.