When we think of Glaswegian history, we often think of our proud industrial heritage on the shipyards - sticking together massive hunks of steel and then shipping them out to sea.
But we’d be amiss to forget the older history of Glasgow, of the men and women who built the very foundations of the city around the River Clyde. These ancient old buildings tell a story that can still be seen in the structures down High Street, Glasgow’s oldest road, today.
A new comer to the city might think High Street is nothing special, when in truth its the most historically significant thoroughfare in the city.
While you may pass by any one of these buildings everyday (many of them remain integral to the structure of the city to this day), you may not know the history of the buildings, and how much they contributed to building the city of Glasgow.
It was the cities main street in medieval times, leading from Glasgow Cathedral down past the cross and to the banks of the River Clyde - in the modern day High Street now stops at Glasgow Cross before becoming Saltmarket leading south to the Clyde. It still holds significance today as the boundary between the city centre and the east end.
High Street also used to be the home of the University of Glasgow's Old College, before it moved to the west end in the latter half of the 19th century. So to were the original City Chambers found at the foot of the High Street on Glasgow Cross, before they were moved to George Square.
The industrial revolution moved Glasgow's administrative centres further westward alongside the newly established Merchant City, which itself popped up thanks to transatlantic trade in tobacco, sugar, and slavery.
High Street was left to its own devices, and much of the residents on the road fell into poverty while tenements dropped to slum conditions as the 20th century continued.
For more on the origins of Glasgow's ancient streets, check out our article: The 13 original streets of Glasgow that shaped the city in chronological order.
If you want to find out more about the history of High Street and by extension Glasgow, check out the banner trail set up by Glasgow City Council showcasing the areas rich heritage - you can find out more by clicking here.
Join us as we explore the origins of Glasgow in eight structures still standing around High Street to this day.
1. Glasgow Cathedral (1904)
Glasgow was built around the Cathedral - making it one of, if not the first building to ever be built in what would become Glasgow. The cities Cathedral is described as ‘one of the finest buildings of the 1200s to survive in mainland Scotland.’ The building and extension of the cathedral took place over decades, with different renovations occuring in different centuries. Building fabric from Bishop Jocelin’s time (1174–99) is still standing. He is recorded as ‘gloriously enlarging’ his cathedral in 1181. Fragments from the previous cathedral have also been found. | Contributed
2. Lion and Unicorn Staircase
Though the staircase now sits on the modern University of Glasgow complex in the West End, the staircase originally formed part of the university's Old College site on High Street, situated in the Outer Court and leading to the Principal's Residence and the Fore Hall. | Photographic Unit University of Glasgow
3. Barony Hall
The Barony Hall, previously known as Barony Church, is a red sandstone Victorian neo-Gothic-style building on Castle Street in Townhead. On this site, St Nicolas Hospital was built sometime around 1471. The hospital which lay beside the manse of Provand (or Provands Lordship) and the Trades Alms house, accommodated twelve poor men and six women, and was presided over by a priest from the Cathedral. It is believed that Provands Lordship was built as the manse for the hospital. | Contributed
4. Mercat Cross
The Mercat Cross in Glasgow. The cross is a 1929 replica of the medieval original and the arch behind is all that remains of St Mary's Church after it was burnt down by the local Hell Fire Club. | Getty Images