Less than a lifetime ago, there was once a small mining village in south Lanarkshire called Haywood, known as High Wood by the locals. At one time, it was a thriving mining community.
I have made this short film about Haywood village, it is called Hope for me.
There are several online sources of information on Haywood:
There is also a privately published account of the village by ‘Dod’ George Donaldson (1875-1949): Reminiscences of Haywood.
Life in Haywood began in the late 19th century. Towards the century’s turn, the population was about 1,200. Most of the houses were built of bricks that were produced in the Auchengray brickwork, a factory that no longer exists today.
As the village developed, roads were built, the number of jobs increased, and so more people were attracted to live in the brick-built village. 
Various institutions were built to cater to this growing population such as a church, a school, a police station, a post office, and a train station.
Six in a home was the average in Haywood village: either in one room or two. These were termed single ends or double ends.
There were also several local stores and merchants to serve the community. Records indicate that there were three tailors and three dressmakers, a doctor, a stationmaster, and a shoemaker. The village even had its own fitba’ team, the Haywood Wanderers, formed in 1884 and were never beaten at home in 11 years:
Haywood produced coal, which was used for the distillation of oil. The Cooperative in Haywood, ‘the Store’ as it was designated, opened in 1894 on Christmas Day. It was supported by the income that came from coal mining.
Unfortunately, the mines in Haywood and other mining villages began to close at the end of the 20th century. Since the surrounding area was moorland that wasn’t suitable for agriculture, no other livelihood was possible, and so Haywood’s population rapidly dwindled.
By 1951, there were only 15 households, and not long after, Haywood was completely deserted.
Today, visitors to this abandoned site can find the ruined remains of the inn hotel ‘Greenbank’ and a small cottage, as well as the remnants of abandoned cars.
A worn inscription on a windowsill of what used to be the inn that reads: ‘Oh Annie went thou here tae see A waefu wumin thou wad be’. This refers to Annie Little [1889-1956] who was married to Samuel Little [1886-1964]
There is also a war memorial that commemorates the inhabitants of the village who lost their lives or went missing during the First and Second World Wars. A total of 14 names are included.
In old newspapers, in the time of WWI, Annie Little and her husband placed remembrances of the young men of Haywood who lost their lives
ARCHIVAL TIMELINE:
1 October 1857, Falkirk Herald:
12 April 1901, Dundee Evening Post:
17 March 1914, The Scotsman:
19 December 1922, Edinburgh Evening News:
22 December 1922, Carluke Gazette:
8 July 1935, Daily Record:
10 June 1938, Carluke Gazette: “Mrs Little asked for six flowering shrubs for the memorial at Haywood”
4 November 1949, Carluke and Lanark Gazette:
11 March 1953, Daily Record:
12 March 1953, Daily Record:
10 November 1988, The Scotsman:
