Strange things happened here in Crosshill between 1976 and 1979. Locals whispered about the Gurning Man. This wasn’t your typical ghost story. This apparition was solid and human-like.
Crosshill, now a vibrant suburb of Glasgow, holds more than just modern life. It has tales of Victorian architecture and unexplained mysteries. Crosshill was once an independent police burgh from 1871 to 1891. Imagine this small town, buzzing with its own identity.
One chilling story tells of a middle-aged woman. She awoke to a snorting sound in her bedroom. It wasn’t her husband. A man stood at the end of her bed. Moonlight illuminated him. He rubbed his hands against his chest grinning maniacally. The woman screamed waking her husband. He switched on the light but the figure vanished.
Just days before, two teenage girls had their own encounter. They walked home late one night. They saw a strange man under a street light. He was thin dressed in a tight black leotard. He moved nervously. As they passed he pulled a contorted expression. It was a mix of a smile and a grimace. He snorted and grunted. They ran in fear. When they looked back he was gone. The road offered no hiding place.
Another woman putting out milk bottles saw a man in black. He jogged on the spot then vanished. In total there were 17 reports of the Gurning Man in Crosshill. Eleven sightings were on the street. Six happened inside homes. Some thought he was a burglar. Police found no break-ins. The mystery of the Gurning Man remains unsolved.
Crosshill wasn’t always part of Glasgow. In 1871 it was a self-governing police burgh. Glasgow wanted to annex it. Crosshill residents didn’t want Glasgow taxes. But in 1891 Crosshill joined Glasgow. The Cathcart District Railway brought Crosshill closer to the city.
Before becoming Crosshill, the area was known as Corsehill or Corshill. This means Gorse hill. Some say the name comes from an ancient cross. It stood on a height called Cross Hill. The cross depicted Christ entering Jerusalem. Vandals removed it in the 18th century.
Today Crosshill boasts Victorian architecture. Balmoral Crescent is a prime example. William McNicol Whyte designed it around 1886. A figure stands at the eastern corner holding a shield. She is a guardian of Crosshill. There is also a carved portrait of the architect.
Dixon Halls is another landmark. William Smith Dixon gifted it to the burghs. It was completed in 1879. Frank Stirrat won the competition to design it. The building bisected Crosshill and Govanhill. Each burgh had separate courtrooms and offices. It was renamed Dixon Halls soon after opening.
Crosshill is also home to Holyrood Secondary School. The area once held Cathkin Park a former football stadium.
Crosshill Avenue features unique cottages. Ronald Bradbury designed them. They were built after 1948. The development won a Festival of Britain Medal in 1951.
Crosshill is served by its own railway station. It’s on the Cathcart Circle Lines.
Crosshill has a rich history. It blends Victorian elegance with unsolved mysteries. The Gurning Man may be gone. But the stories linger. They remind us that even quiet suburbs have their secrets. Next time you’re here consider the Gurning Man and Crosshill’s unique past.