Argyle Street, Glasgow
Encyclopedia
Argyle Street is a major thoroughfare in the city centre of Glasgow
, Scotland
.
With Buchanan Street
and Sauchiehall Street
, Argyle Street forms the main shopping artery in the city centre. It is the longest street by distance in the city centre, running for almost two and a half miles.
Originally known as Westergait, Argyle Street led west from Trongate
to the city's West Port, the western gate out of the city's walls. It was renamed in honour of the Duke of Argyll
, some time after the removal of the West Port in 1751, as a result of the expansion of the city westward.
It begins in the south-eastern corner of the city centre, at the Trongate, where it is pedestrianised as far as Queen Street. This section forms the major shopping section of the road, including the St. Enoch Centre and the Argyll Arcade (a Victorian
arcade principally containing jewellers). It passes underneath Glasgow Central Station
(the so-called Hielanman's Umbrella) before becoming a major thoroughfare connecting the M8 motorway
and the Clydeside Expressway (the A814 road) at Anderston
.
Major reconstruction of the area, the development of high-rise flats and the construction of the M8 motorway means that line is now fractured, and the main vehicle route over the motorway runs along St. Vincent Street, leaving a 250 metre stretch of the road in Anderston isolated as a cul de sac.
The route then joins St. Vincent Street where it heads out towards the West End of the city. It connects with Sauchiehall Street
at Kelvingrove Art Gallery, and the road itself ends just beyond the Kelvin Hall
on a bridge over the River Kelvin
, where it becomes Dumbarton Road.
It was revealed in 2010 that British serial killer Peter Tobin
sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman in the Driftwood Pub on Argyle Street in February 1968, the same year as the notorious Bible John
killings in the Barrowland Ballroom
.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
With Buchanan Street
Buchanan Street
Buchanan Street is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. It forms the central stretch of Glasgow's famous shopping district with a generally more upmarket range of shops than the neighbouring streets: Argyle Street, and Sauchiehall Street.-History:...
and Sauchiehall Street
Sauchiehall Street
Sauchiehall Street is one of the main shopping/business streets in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Along with Buchanan Street and Argyle Street, it forms the main shopping area of Glasgow, containing the majority of Glasgow's high street and chain stores.Although commonly associated with the...
, Argyle Street forms the main shopping artery in the city centre. It is the longest street by distance in the city centre, running for almost two and a half miles.
Originally known as Westergait, Argyle Street led west from Trongate
Trongate
Trongate is one of the oldest streets in the city of Glasgow, Scotland.Located in the area of the Merchant City commonly known as "Old Glasgow", it is the main route into the central area from the East End...
to the city's West Port, the western gate out of the city's walls. It was renamed in honour of the Duke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll is a title, created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The Earls, Marquesses, and Dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful, if not the most powerful, noble family in Scotland...
, some time after the removal of the West Port in 1751, as a result of the expansion of the city westward.
It begins in the south-eastern corner of the city centre, at the Trongate, where it is pedestrianised as far as Queen Street. This section forms the major shopping section of the road, including the St. Enoch Centre and the Argyll Arcade (a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
arcade principally containing jewellers). It passes underneath Glasgow Central Station
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
(the so-called Hielanman's Umbrella) before becoming a major thoroughfare connecting the M8 motorway
M8 motorway
The M8 is the busiest motorway in Scotland and one of the busiest in the United Kingdom. It connects the country's two largest cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and serves other large communities including Airdrie, Coatbridge, Greenock, Livingston and Paisley...
and the Clydeside Expressway (the A814 road) at Anderston
Anderston
Anderston is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is on the north bank of the River Clyde and extends to the western edge of the city centre...
.
Major reconstruction of the area, the development of high-rise flats and the construction of the M8 motorway means that line is now fractured, and the main vehicle route over the motorway runs along St. Vincent Street, leaving a 250 metre stretch of the road in Anderston isolated as a cul de sac.
The route then joins St. Vincent Street where it heads out towards the West End of the city. It connects with Sauchiehall Street
Sauchiehall Street
Sauchiehall Street is one of the main shopping/business streets in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland. Along with Buchanan Street and Argyle Street, it forms the main shopping area of Glasgow, containing the majority of Glasgow's high street and chain stores.Although commonly associated with the...
at Kelvingrove Art Gallery, and the road itself ends just beyond the Kelvin Hall
Kelvin Hall
The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, is a mixed-use arts and sports venue that opened as an exhibition centre in 1927. It has been a music hall, indoor arena and barrage balloon factory, and is currently home to the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena and from 1987 to 2010, Glasgow's Museum of...
on a bridge over the River Kelvin
River Kelvin
The Kelvin rises on watershed of Scotland on the moor south east of the village of Banton, east of Kilsyth - . At almost 22 miles long, it initially flows south to Dullatur Bog where it falls into a man made trench and takes a ninety degree turn flowing west along the northern boundary of the bog...
, where it becomes Dumbarton Road.
It was revealed in 2010 that British serial killer Peter Tobin
Peter Tobin
Peter Britton Tobin is a convicted Scottish serial killer and sex offender now serving a sentence of life imprisonment for the murders of three young women....
sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman in the Driftwood Pub on Argyle Street in February 1968, the same year as the notorious Bible John
Bible John
Bible John is the nickname of a serial killer who is thought to have operated in Glasgow, Scotland, in the late 1960s. Three murders were attributed to him, but it is not clear if they were the work of the same person.-Murders:...
killings in the Barrowland Ballroom
Barrowland Ballroom
The Barrowlands is a major dance hall and concert venue in Glasgow, Scotland.-History of Barrowland Ballroom:The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre...
.