Blackhill, Glasgow
Encyclopedia
Blackhill is an area of north east Glasgow
, Scotland
. It was developed as a council housing estate
in the 1930s. Most of the new development was designated Rehousing, the lowest grade of council housing intended for those cleared from Glasgow's 19th century slum
s, particularly those in the Garngad (now Royston
) area. The new buildings were three-storey, slate-roofed
tenement
s built of reconstituted stone
. The western side of Blackhill, near Riddrie
, was designated Intermediate, a grade up from Rehousing, and housing was of the cottage flat
-type with front and rear gardens and a measure of landscaping in the streets. 'Rehousing' areas cost £250 per house to build, while 'Intermediate' areas cost £1000.
Blackhill was built on a country golf course, near the Monkland Canal
(with its remarkable Blackhill locks). Many early residents report summers of country rambles, often along the Molendinar Burn
- now the only place this historic burn is still visible on the surface - to the loch
at Hogganfield
. There was (and is) a strong sense of neighbourliness, partly encouraged by the enclosed nature of the site - industry, railways and main roads cutting it off from other districts. It was, however, built close to a gasworks and a distillery, which did not add to the health of the area and, perhaps for this reason, it gained a reputation for being "difficult to let". Nearby is a prison, HM Prison Barlinnie, which may also have encouraged negative evaluations of the area. The area has been comprehensively redeveloped in recent years, with much of its housing stock having been demolished and replaced with improved stock. A recent community survey reported residents' concerns were similar to those in other urban areas:
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...
. It was developed as a council housing estate
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
in the 1930s. Most of the new development was designated Rehousing, the lowest grade of council housing intended for those cleared from Glasgow's 19th century slum
Slum
A slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
s, particularly those in the Garngad (now Royston
Royston, Glasgow
Royston/Roystonhill is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde. It was previously known as Garngad and is still known as such by residents with a familial link to the area...
) area. The new buildings were three-storey, slate-roofed
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
tenement
Tenement
A tenement is, in most English-speaking areas, a substandard multi-family dwelling, usually old, occupied by the poor.-History:Originally the term tenement referred to tenancy and therefore to any rented accommodation...
s built of reconstituted stone
Artificial stone
Artificial stone is a name for various kinds of synthetic stone products used from the 18th century onward. They have been used in building construction, civil engineering work, and industrial uses such as grindstones....
. The western side of Blackhill, near Riddrie
Riddrie
Riddrie is a north eastern district of Glasgow, Scotland. It lies on the A80 Cumbernauld Road.Riddrie is a residential area mainly consisting of 1930s semi-detached houses, originally built as council housing but now largely privately owned. The former Monkland Canal to the north was filled in the...
, was designated Intermediate, a grade up from Rehousing, and housing was of the cottage flat
Cottage flat
Cottage flats, also known as Four-in-a-block flats, are a style of housing common in Scotland, where there are single floor dwellings at ground level, and similar dwellings on the floor above. All have doors directly to the outside of the building, rather than into a 'close', or common staircase...
-type with front and rear gardens and a measure of landscaping in the streets. 'Rehousing' areas cost £250 per house to build, while 'Intermediate' areas cost £1000.
Blackhill was built on a country golf course, near the Monkland Canal
Monkland Canal
The Monkland Canal was a 12.25-mile canal which connected the coal mining areas of Monklands to Glasgow in Scotland. It was opened in 1794, and included a steam-powered inclined plane at Blackhill. It was abandoned for navigation in 1942, but its culverted remains still supply water to the Forth...
(with its remarkable Blackhill locks). Many early residents report summers of country rambles, often along the Molendinar Burn
Molendinar Burn
The Molendinar Burn is a stream in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the site of the settlement that grew to become the kernel of Glasgow, and where St Mungo founded his church in the 6th century. It was later used to power the growing town's mills....
- now the only place this historic burn is still visible on the surface - to the loch
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
at Hogganfield
Hogganfield
Hogganfield is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, located to the north east of the city centre. The Hogganfield electoral region is Glasgow North. Hogganfield is surrounded by the Glasgow districts of Craigend, Ruchazie, Blackhill, Riddrie, Provanmill, Millerston, Robroyston and Stepps....
. There was (and is) a strong sense of neighbourliness, partly encouraged by the enclosed nature of the site - industry, railways and main roads cutting it off from other districts. It was, however, built close to a gasworks and a distillery, which did not add to the health of the area and, perhaps for this reason, it gained a reputation for being "difficult to let". Nearby is a prison, HM Prison Barlinnie, which may also have encouraged negative evaluations of the area. The area has been comprehensively redeveloped in recent years, with much of its housing stock having been demolished and replaced with improved stock. A recent community survey reported residents' concerns were similar to those in other urban areas:
"In the last issue we reported the findings of a local survey that helped to pinpoint the top 10 priority issues for your neighbourhood – things like road safety, litter and vandalism, dog fouling, dumping and youth disorder all featured strongly."
External links
Source and further information
- Damer, Seán. Last exit to Blackhill : the stigmatization of a Glasgow housing scheme. University of Glasgow, Centre for Housing Research, 1992
- Sparks, Ian. Working with a community : the Blackhill Project 1972-77 Barkingside/Dr Barnardo's, (1978)