Springburn Virtual Museum

Springburn in transition

Cowlairs Mansion, c 1860s

Cowlairs Mansion was built in 1824. The countryside around Glasgow at this time consisted of farmland along with the policies of the many large mansions built as summer dwellings for the wealthy merchants and professional men of the city. Gourlay Street derives its name from the builder of Cowlairs Mansion, John Gourlay.

As early as 1568, reference is made to a path northwards from Glasgow as the 'common passage to Bischopis Briggis'. In 1817, a tiny stretch had been built up by the owner of nearby Petershill Mansion. By the mid-1830s, the small settlement of weavers, miners and quarrymen which became known as Springburn Village grew up just to its north.

Cowlairs works later derived its name from this mansion, near to which it was built. St Rollox, where the railway works of that name was built, seems have derived its name from St Roche, medieval patron saint of plague victims. A chapel was built in this area in 1506, but no remains of it have ever been found.

Source: Glasgow City Archives