Towns > Hamilton > 1878-79 - Naismith's Hamilton directory for 1878-79, including Bothwell, Blantyre, Uddingston, Motherwell, and Larkhall to which is added, A history of Hamilton and neighbourhood

HAMILTO?^ PALACE. 35
THE CHARTER ROOM.
The cliarterroom contains, besides the family charters,
a number of vakiable manuscript letters, including the
correspondence of Charles the First, the Duke of
Lauderdale, and others, with the first Duke of Hamil-
ton and his brother, the Earl of Lanark. Many-
other curious relics are deposited here, as, for in-
stance, the ring given by Queen Mary previous to her
execution, to Lord John Hamilton, afterwards
Marquis of Hamilton, and the veritable gun with
which Hamilton of Bothwell Haugh fired the shot
which proved fatal to the Eegent Murray at Linlith-
gow.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Palace and main avenues are lighted with gas.
The Duke Alexander, amongst other improvements,
at considerable expense provided a copious sup)ply of
pure water for the use of the Palace. A large tank
and filter were constructed on the heights at Chatel-
herault. The water is conveyed by pipes into cisterns
on the roof of the Palace. Pipes are also laid round
the exterior of the building as a provision in case of
fire. Eecently the town's gravitation water has also
been added, so that should unfortunately a fire ever
take place, it is expected the provision will be equal
to the emergency.
The stables stand between the Palace and town,
and are in every way worthy of the splendid edifice
of which they are an appropriate accompaniment.
The gardens belong to a recent date. During the-
season of 1861, a new geometrical flower plot was
formed at the eastern wing of the Palace. It covers
nearly an acre of ground, and is surrounded by a
massive balustrade wall, with a handsome fountain in
the centre. The new kitchen and forcing garden was