Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

Cranes at Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

This afternoon, I was attracted by a unusual concentration of construction cranes on a site near the Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow. After obtaining a few images I walked back to the centre along the interesting waterfront encountering a wide range of interesting constructions en-route.

Images of the cranes can be found immediately above and below.

Cranes at Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

Here is a crane from a by-gone age (1932) when Glasgow was very strong on commercial ship building and heavy engineering. Now redundant.

Finnieston Crane, Glasgow, Scotland

Here is the Clyde Arc or ‘Squinty Bridge’ which dates from 2006 and spans the River Clyde at Finnieston.

Squinty Bridge, River Clyde, Glasgow

Here is the Broomielaw-Tradeston Bridge aka ‘Squiggly Bridge’ which is for pedestrians and also spans the River Clyde. Opened 2009.

Squiggly Bridge, River Clyde, Glasgow

Here is Glasgow’s Central Station. This originally dates from 1879 but was re-built 1901-1905.

Inside Central Station, Glasgow, Scotland

Interesting image of a glass fronted building in Oswald Street.

Reflections on Glass-fronted Building, Glasgow

Overall, a short, but interesting journey taking in a diversity of engineering and architecture.

John Knox Monument, Glasgow Necropolis, Scotland

Today, I escorted two guests on a short architecture themed tour of Glasgow.

We commenced with the famous necropolis near Glasgow Cathedral. Here there are some 50,000 burials dating from around the 1830s onwards. Many of the memorials commemorate the ‘great and good’ of Victorian Glasgow which at the time ranked as the second city of the British Empire and was home to wealthy business people.

Above is an image of the John Knox memorial which dates from 1825 and thus pre-dates the Necropolis. Knox was a 16th century Protestant reformer.

Here is an image of one aspect of the Necropolis.

Glasgow Necropolis, Scotland

Here is a typically elaborate mausoleum.

Monteath Mausoleum, Glasgow Necropolis, Scotland

Here is a view of Glasgow’s 13th century Cathedral taken from the Necropolis.

Glasgow Cathedral, Castle Street, Scotland

Next we drove across ther river to the Gorbals to view the interesting architecture (mainly domestic) which has replaced a once very deprived area.

After the Gorbals we drove round to visit Govan, an old shipbuilding area on the Clyde. Here we went to the water’s edge to view the scenery which included the Tall Ship ‘Glenlee’  moored opposite.

Tall Ship, Glenlee, Glasgow

Next we visited Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s masterpiece, House for an Art Lover.

House for an Art Lover, Glasgow, Scotland

En-route to drop-off at Kelvingrove  we encountered this demolition in process at Govan.

Demolition in progress, Govan, Glasgow

Overall. a good day aided by bright, sunny weather.

Defunct Drydock at Govan, River Clyde

This evening, I am focusing on Govan which is a very old community opposite the confluence of the Rivers Clyde and Kelvin. The site of Govan Old Church may date back to the 6th century (as a Christian site) and possibly earlier. Judging from evidence of carved medieval stones (on display in the Old Church) Govan may well have been the base of a local royal line or power centre during the 9th-11th centuries before being eclipsed by Glasgow.

The first official records of Govan date to 1147 subsequent to which the church was made an associate of Glasgow Cathedral in 1153. Govan progressively grew from a fishing and farming community in the 16th century to developing  coal mining and then textiles industries. Finally, Govan rose to prominence in the 19th century through shipbuilding resulting in a population boom, from 2122 in 1836 to 90,908 in 1904. After WW2 shipbuilding and heavy industry declined resulting in a re-focusing of the town. However, shipbuilding for the military continues in reasonable health.

The visitor today is presented with a number of interesting sites to visit including Govan Old Church and its famous collection of carved stones  to the eerily derelict former dry docks. This video clip  (latter part) shows Govan with its still active shipbuilding cranes.

Here is the unique Govan Sarcophagus which is Glasgow’s first designed and crafted work of art.

Sarcophagus at Govan Old Church, Scotland

Here is Govan Old Church which dates from 1888 but sits on a very ancient Christian ( and possibly pre-Christian) site dating back at least 1500 years. 

Parish Church of St Constantine, Govan, Scotland

Govan & Linthouse Parish Church, Govan, Scotland

This is the Pearce Institute (1906) gifted as a community centre by the widow of shipping magnate Sir William Pearce.

Pearce Institute, 1906, Govan

Here is St Anthony’s Catholic Church which is built in Italian Romanesque style and dates from 1879.

St. Anthony's R.C.Church, Govan, Scotland

Here is the now defunct Broomloan Road Public School which legendary football manager, Sir Alex Fergson attended.

Public School at Broomloan Road, Govan