OS grid reference NS532675 Sovereign state United Kingdom Postcode district G14 Dialling code 0141 | Post town GLASGOW Scottish parliament Glasgow Kelvin | |
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Scotstoun is an area of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Garscadden to the west, Victoria Park, Jordanhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde (and Braehead beyond) to the south. At the heart of Scotstoun lies Scotstounhill, an enclave of late Victorian and post-war housing centred upon Scotstounhill railway station. Scotstoun (along with the Govan shipyard) is home to BAE Systems Surface Ships (formerly Yarrow Shipbuilders), a naval shipbuilding defence contractor owned by BAE Systems.
Contents
Map of Scotstoun, Glasgow, UK
History
Scotstoun was until the early 1860s the site of the Oswald family estate, which was centred on Scotstoun House. By 1861 the westward expansion of the Clyde shipbuilding yards had reached Scotstoun with the opening of the Charles Connell and Company shipyard in 1861 and the new Yarrow Shipbuilders yard in 1906. This led to the break-up of the estate, as portions were sold off for housing, to create Victoria Park and for further industrial development (iron, engineering and shipbuilding) along the river, with companies such as the Coventry Ordnance Works and Albion Motors locating in the area.
The southern part of Scotstoun is characterised by late 19th/ early 20th century tenements, while at its heart, and dating from a similar period, is a grid-like estate of mainly terraced cottage style villas with distinctive English styling in wide tree-lined streets, an early example of Ebenezer Howard-type garden suburb town planning.
Current Amenities
Today this is a much sought after conservation area, part of which lies in the fiercely sought after Jordanhill School catchment, and is popular with families seeking fine period houses with gardens close to the heart of the West End. The local primary school and church lie in the centre. Unfortunately, the area has suffered the loss of many of its mature trees in recent years and the Council-promised tree-planting scheduled for spring 2009 failed to materialise.
Scotstoun is today home to Scotstoun Primary School, and formerly a fine red sandstone secondary school, Victoria Drive, which was closed and demolished in 1998. Scotstoun's finest B listed building, the former Scotstoun West church, was mysteriously destroyed by fire then replaced with a Cala development of flats with little architectural merit in the 1990s.
Scotstoun has recently undergone new housing development and is also the site of the new Scotstoun Leisure Centre, opened in 1994, hosting Scotstoun Stadium, an international athletics venue, the Scottish National Badminton Academy, and a 25-metre swimming pool used by the City of Glasgow Swimming Team.
A brand new community centre was opened on Balmoral Street on 18 June 2011. It is called "The Heart of Scotstoun Community Centre".
Scotstoun is a designated conservation area and has an active residents association called Scotstoun Conservation Area Residents Association which works closely with the local school, church and community. Other local groups are often involved in contributing to the community, for example on 7 May the Scotstoun Woodies cleaned up litter on the Nature Walk as part of the council's clean up drive.
Scotstoun Primary School
Scotstoun Primary School is a primary school built by the Renfrew Landward School Board in 1905 on Earlbank Avenue. The building differs from those built by the Glasgow School Board in many respects, notably in the inclusion of its distinctive towers. The current head teacher is Gillian Mackay. Scotstoun Primary is part of the Knightswood New Learning Community.