Once upon a time affluent townhouses were converted to offices in the Park District. Now many are returning to residential use. Today we explore the Park District of Glasgow’s West End. It is an affluent area nestled around Park Circus. Park Circus sits atop Woodlands Hill beside Kelvingrove Park.
The Park District is bordered by the City Centre, Kelvingrove, Kelvingrove Park and Woodlands. Park Circus was built between 1855 and 1863. The area was declared a Conservation Area in 1970.
Before 2013 the Glasgow City Council’s civil marriage rooms were at 22 Park Circus. It was formerly the Italian consulate. The Scottish Football Association SFA once had its headquarters on Park Gardens. They moved to Hampden Park when the stadium was redeveloped. The stadium became a home for the organisation. A mosaic depicting the badge of the SFA still exists at their former headquarters.
The Scottish Labour Party formerly had its headquarters in the Park District. The towers that once formed the University of Glasgow’s Trinity College are on Lynedoch Place. They dominate the local skyline. Classes ceased in the early 1970s. The building was converted to apartments in the 1980s. The neighbouring Park Church is in contrast. Only its distinctive white tower remains. The church itself was replaced by offices in the late 1960s. Offices were in demand then. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has offices here. The Scottish Council for Development and Industry is also located here. Furthermore, the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund and the Goethe Institute are here.
Park Circus forms a centrepiece of the Park District. It has two gently curving crescents of large 19th-century townhouses. 22 Park Circus is one of them. An oval garden sits in the centre.
The University of Glasgow had a hall of residence on Park Terrace. It was known as Maclay Hall. Lord and Lady Maclay donated it to the University in 1921. It was in memory of their two sons. They fell during the First World War. The hall was sold for private development in 2004. The development suffered a setback on 13 June 2006. Fire swept through House 18 and the surrounding terrace.
The University of Glasgow is near the Park District. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is also nearby. They are approximately 8 minutes of walking away. Nearby public transport includes Kelvinbridge subway station. Charing Cross Glasgow railway station is also close.
Charles Wilson created the planned development in the 1850s. The layout is reminiscent of the Georgian new town in Edinburgh. The lands at Woodlands Hill were acquired. They created the terraces centered on Park Circus at the summit of the hill. Sir Joseph Paxton laid out the adjacent West End Park now Kelvingrove Park. This was part of Wilson’s overall plan. Thomas Kyle supervised the realisation of the scheme.
Wilson won the architectural competition. He designed the district’s principal public building. It was Free Church College in 1856. This building was later known as Trinity College. It retained the name when converted to flats in 1985/1986. The white tower of Park Church remains a local landmark. The church building was very carefully demolished in 1968/ 1969. J.T. Rochead completed it in 1858.
The Park and Woodlands Heritage Group organised an exhibition in January 2016. It was hosted by the Goethe Institut at 3 Park Circus. The Park Circus History Heritage and Development Exhibition featured photographs, drawings and a 3D model of the district.
In 2015 controversial proposals were made. They planned to finish Park Quadrant with blocks of modern flats. This is at the extreme right of the picture. As you leave Park District, consider its lasting impact on Glasgow. Its architecture and green spaces continue to inspire.