A priest hanged from a tree. That’s how some say Priesthill got its name. Priesthill a neighbourhood in Glasgow’s south. It sits south of the River Clyde. Darnley lies to the south. Nitshill is to the west. Househillwood and the Silverburn shopping centre are to the north. The M77 motorway runs to the east.
Priesthill’s history stretches far back. Ancient texts mention it as a farm community. Walter Steward owned the land. He was an ancestor of the Stuart kings and queens. Lord Darnley husband of Mary Queen of Scots also owned the land. Darnley Lane allegedly saw a Catholic priest hanged during the Reformation. This event may have given Priesthill its name. Another theory points to an ancient church atop the hill. However no evidence exists to support this. Legend says Mary and Darnley courted near Darnley Lane. An old tree still stands near Darnley Lane. It’s close to the A726 highway.
The 1910s saw Priesthill become part of Glasgow. It was one of the city’s first attempts at rehousing families. Families from Gorbals and Pollokshaws moved to Priesthill. Many were homeless. They found homes between 1948 and 1950. Schools like St Robert Bellarmine Secondary opened to educate the new residents. The surrounding hills were farmland until the 1960s. Sir John Maxwell owned the Kennishead farm. Glasgow Corporation bought this land for housing. The Darnley development was built there. Eastwoodmains adjacent to Arden and Priesthill was also farmland. Some of this land was used for the M77 motorway.
Many of the houses built in the 1950s were later condemned. They were demolished in the 2000s. New private and public housing replaced them. Some houses were refurbished in the 1980s but needed more work by the 2010s. Priesthill has seen many changes. It began as a farm community. It became a place for rehoused families. Now it’s a mix of old and new housing. Priesthill’s story reflects Glasgow’s own evolution. From ancient farmland to a modern suburb. Priesthill stands as a testament to the city’s enduring spirit. A neighbourhood with a rich history. A neighbourhood with a future yet to unfold.