Trongate
Encyclopedia
Trongate is one of the oldest street
s 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. Trongate begins at Glasgow Cross
, the original centre of medieval Glasgow, marked by the Tolbooth clock tower - the remains of the city's original City Chambers which was destroyed in 1926 by fire. Heading westward, it becomes Argyle Street
, the most southerly stetch of Glasgow's "Golden Z" shopping thoroughfare.
It was around the 1560s that the name Trongate first began to be used. The name comes by virtue of a weighbeam erected in the mid 16th century. The weigh beam was where all goods that were brought in from the Clyde were weighed and taxed. 'Tron
' was the Norman French
derived Scots term for weighing scales, the region became known as Trongate.
The Tron church (built in the 17th century) with its distinctive steeple and clock is the street's best known landmark, and was substantially redeveloped in the 1980s as the Tron Theatre
. Historically, in line with the rest of Glasgow's medieval area, Trongate fell into decline following the Industrial Revolution
as the city expanded westwards, and even today there are still many derelict buildings and half-closed shops.
In line with the rest of the Merchant City, the area has undergone a renaissance since the 1990s, with new bars, restaurants and upmarket apartment blocks being built from the old Victorian
buildings. The London
based retailer Selfridges
acquired the former Goldbergs
site on the corner of Trongate and Candleriggs
on which to build a new department store which promised to revamp the area significantly, although progress on this has become stalled indefinitely and much of the northern side of the street remains semi-derelict.
Street
A street is a paved public thoroughfare in a built environment. It is a public parcel of land adjoining buildings in an urban context, on which people may freely assemble, interact, and move about. A street can be as simple as a level patch of dirt, but is more often paved with a hard, durable...
s in the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Glasgow
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...
.
Merchant City
The Merchant City is a district in the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland.- History :The medieval Glasgow Cross was located on the road between High Street and Saltgait. Its modern replacement was built to the south-east of the original location to aid traffic. The town's tron was placed on the...
commonly known as "Old Glasgow", it is the main route into the central area from the East End. Trongate begins at Glasgow Cross
Glasgow Cross
Glasgow Cross is a major junction in the city centre of Glasgow, which has, at its centre, five streets running from it: the High Street, Gallowgate, London Road, the Saltmarket and the Trongate ....
, the original centre of medieval Glasgow, marked by the Tolbooth clock tower - the remains of the city's original City Chambers which was destroyed in 1926 by fire. Heading westward, it becomes Argyle Street
Argyle Street, Glasgow
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...
, the most southerly stetch of Glasgow's "Golden Z" shopping thoroughfare.
It was around the 1560s that the name Trongate first began to be used. The name comes by virtue of a weighbeam erected in the mid 16th century. The weigh beam was where all goods that were brought in from the Clyde were weighed and taxed. 'Tron
Tron (Scotland)
A tron was a weighing machine in medieval Scotland, usually located in the marketplaces of burghs. There are various areas of several Scottish towns that are named for them...
' was the Norman French
Norman language
Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified as one of the northern Oïl languages along with Picard and Walloon...
derived Scots term for weighing scales, the region became known as Trongate.
The Tron church (built in the 17th century) with its distinctive steeple and clock is the street's best known landmark, and was substantially redeveloped in the 1980s as the Tron Theatre
Tron Theatre
The Tron Theatre is located at the corner of Trongate and Chisholm Street, in the Merchant City area of Glasgow, Scotland.From its early years as a theatre club, the Tron has grown into a thriving multi-faceted venue...
. Historically, in line with the rest of Glasgow's medieval area, Trongate fell into decline following the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
as the city expanded westwards, and even today there are still many derelict buildings and half-closed shops.
In line with the rest of the Merchant City, the area has undergone a renaissance since the 1990s, with new bars, restaurants and upmarket apartment blocks being built from the old Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
buildings. The London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
based retailer Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
acquired the former Goldbergs
Goldbergs
A. Goldberg and Sons plc was a Scottish retail organisation which, prior to its demise in 1990, had grown from a single Glasgow store in 1908 to a chain of over 100 outlets.At the Edinburgh store there was a cafe on the top floor with a roof garden....
site on the corner of Trongate and Candleriggs
Candleriggs
Candleriggs is a street in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is located in the Merchant City area of the city centre.Candleriggs is best known for it being the home of City Halls, a musical venue operated by Glasgow City Council. The old Candleriggs Fruit Market building at the corner of...
on which to build a new department store which promised to revamp the area significantly, although progress on this has become stalled indefinitely and much of the northern side of the street remains semi-derelict.