Pause here for a moment. This seemingly ordinary grassy mound before you is Gallowflat Tumulus. It is more than just a bump in the landscape. It holds secrets from centuries past.
Gallowflat Tumulus sits in a public recreation area. It is on the north side of Main Street in Rutherglen. This round grassy mound measures 31 meters in diameter. It stands about 1.6 meters high.
Let’s journey back to 1773. The surrounding ditch was widened to create a fishpond for Gallowflat House. During this work, a passage was discovered. It was 6 feet broad. It was laid with unhewn stones. This passage led to the summit. Artifacts dating to the early centuries AD were also found. At that time, the mound was smaller in diameter. It was about 25 meters. But it was taller almost 3.7 meters in height.
Later, a brick structure was added. It was likely an ice-house. A footpath was built around the base. These additions reduced the mound to its present size.
Some people thought it was a medieval motte. But the site has been changed so much. It is hard to know its original shape or purpose. The objects found during the 18th-century improvements suggest a Roman Iron Age occupation. These finds included two Roman bronze paterae. They were stamped with the maker’s name. The name was either CONGALLVS or CONVALLVS. There were also three melon-shaped beads. The upper stone of a rotary quern was discovered too.
A stone cup-shaped lamp was reportedly found here as well. It is now in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. Its accession number is AQ 77.
In 1975, a small excavation took place. This was before the land was redeveloped. The fishpond at the base of Gallowflat Tumulus was uncovered. It had destroyed evidence of any ditch that encircled the mound. No objects of interest were found during that dig. However, one of the glass beads is now in Rutherglen Museum. Its accession number is RG 80.2.
An archaeological evaluation was carried out in 2008. This was before housing was built on the site. Trenches showed modern ground laid over the natural geology. This indicated recent changes to the site. The foundation trenches of a demolished building cut into the natural geology. No archaeological deposits or features were found.
Gallowflat Tumulus is an enigmatic reminder of the past. It has been reworked and reused over time. It is a valued landmark to many. Its true origins may never be fully known. Yet it stands as a testament to the layers of history beneath our feet. Take a moment to appreciate this ancient survival. It is nestled within an urban environment. It is a living monument of Glasgow’s past.