How about a stroll through Mansewood’s history? Mansewood is a residential district in Glasgow with a story rooted in church lands and 19th-century development. This area, south of the River Clyde, offers a glimpse into Glasgow’s past.
Mansewood was once part of the glebe land of Eastwood Parish Church. Glebe land is land belonging to a church. The name Mansewood comes from “Manse” meaning the minister’s home, and “Wood” referring to the area’s trees.
The transformation of Mansewood began in 1871. Reverend George Campbell of Eastwood Parish sought permission to lease the land to developers. Construction started around 1880. The first houses were built from blonde sandstone. These homes formed a triangle along what are now Mansewood Road, Bemersyde Avenue, and Thornliebank Road. Early residents had diverse occupations. Wine merchants, bleach works managers, ship owners, fancy box makers, and even a minister called Mansewood home.
Let’s talk about Hillhead House. The land where Hillpark Secondary School now stands was once known as “The Kirkie”. Before the school, this area was farmland and the site of Hillhead House. Hillhead House appeared on Roy’s map of Scotland in 1747. It stood near where the grocer’s shop is on Hillpark Drive.
An old description from 1856-1857 paints a vivid picture. Hillhead House was an excellent dwelling with a square tower. Its elevated position made it visible from almost anywhere in the parish. Sir John Maxwell built the house for himself. Later, William Colledge, factor to the Pollok Estate, occupied it. Hillhead West lodge house stood at the Mansewood Road entrance to the school.
In May 1950, an RAF aerial reconnaissance plane captured the Kirkie and the ruins of Hillhead House. You can view this photograph online. The Kirkie is the area of fields in the southwest of the photograph. Hillhead House and its gardens are to the east.
Henryscroft Farm was located at the corner of Mansewood Road and Burnfield Road. Older residents recall the farmer moving cows to and from the fields each day. They also remember him plowing the fields with horses. Today, Harper’s Park on the grounds of Hillpark Secondary School is all that remains of the former fields. It is named for Thomas Harper, a school alumnus known for his work in meditation and drug abuse.
Mansewood has a few interesting facts tied to it. The main postal depot for postcodes G43-G46 is on Burnfield Road. Also, famous past residents include Rangers FC player Kai Johansen and Michelle Mone, founder of Ultimo lingerie. So, as we stand here in Mansewood, remember its journey from church land to a thriving residential area, shaped by industry, agriculture, and the lives of its residents.