Named after the former Deacons Bank Farm, let’s explore Deaconsbank. It is a neighbourhood in Glasgow, south of the River Clyde. Once open farmland, Deaconsbank transformed in the late 1970s. Barratt Developments built an estate of around 639 private houses.
Deaconsbank sits near the M77 motorway to the west. Rouken Glen Park and its golf course border it to the east. The suburban town of Newton Mearns lies a short distance to the south. Patterton railway station is also nearby.
Deaconsbank has three distinct housing stages. These stages were constructed one after the other. There are no direct roads between them. Walkways connect the phases. Each phase shares its name as the first part of the street name. Inverewe was the first phase off Nitshill Road. It is named after a location near Loch Ewe. Loganswell, the second phase, adjoins the Jenny Lind area. Loganswell may be named after a hamlet in East Renfrewshire. The last and largest phase is Invergarry. It is named after a location near Loch Oich. Invergarry is located off Stewarton Road.
For many years, Deaconsbank has had an active residents association. This association maintains the common grounds. These grounds total about 27 acres. They are largely grassland.
More housing has been built south of Invergarry. These developments are called Thistlebank and Mearns Grove. The streets in Thistlebank are named after Deaconsbank. This is a nod to the existing housing estate.
The name Deaconsbank comes from Deacons Bank Farm. The farm was located beside the Auldhouse Burn. This burn flows through Rouken Glen Park. Before housing, the land was used for agriculture. Both areas were part of the Maxwell family’s Pollok Estate. Sale documents described the area as Darnley Park. An area between Deaconsbank and Jenny Lind was called The Clogholes. Watercolours of Darnley Park and The Clogholes hang in Pollok House. An unknown artist painted them in 1830. They are part of a series depicting the Maxwell family’s estate.
During World War II, the land near Deaconsbank and Patterton was a prisoner-of-war camp. Thistlebank, south of Invergarry Drive, was the site of the camp. Archaeological work has been done on the PoW camp. It was the first archaeological work on a PoW camp in Scotland. Camp remains are now in the care of Glasgow City Council.
Deaconsbank is also a golf course. It is east of Stewarton Road, next to Invergarry and Thistlebank. The golf course adjoins Rouken Glen Park. A 16th-century circular dovecote stands at its southern end.
Before moving to Newton Mearns, Whitecraigs Rugby Club was located in Deaconsbank. Their ground adjoined Invergarry. The land is now used for Whitecraigs Care Home and more housing.
To get to Deaconsbank, you can use the A727 or the M77 motorway. Patterton railway station is nearby. Several First Bus services also serve the area. Deaconsbank offers a blend of history and modern living. From farmland to housing estate, it has a unique story to tell.