Speaking about the building, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust said: "The Category B Listed West Boathouse was built by the Glasgow Corporation in 1905 to designs by the city surveyor Alexander Beith MacDonald. The West Boathouse is said to be among the grandest of its kind in Britain, occupying the ideal location for rowing on the River Clyde, within Glasgow Green. The building is of a timber frame construction which in itself is a rare building type from that period. The building has been altered over the years and is in poor condition, but remains in active use by the rowing clubs."Speaking about the building, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust said: "The Category B Listed West Boathouse was built by the Glasgow Corporation in 1905 to designs by the city surveyor Alexander Beith MacDonald. The West Boathouse is said to be among the grandest of its kind in Britain, occupying the ideal location for rowing on the River Clyde, within Glasgow Green. The building is of a timber frame construction which in itself is a rare building type from that period. The building has been altered over the years and is in poor condition, but remains in active use by the rowing clubs."
Speaking about the building, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust said: "The Category B Listed West Boathouse was built by the Glasgow Corporation in 1905 to designs by the city surveyor Alexander Beith MacDonald. The West Boathouse is said to be among the grandest of its kind in Britain, occupying the ideal location for rowing on the River Clyde, within Glasgow Green. The building is of a timber frame construction which in itself is a rare building type from that period. The building has been altered over the years and is in poor condition, but remains in active use by the rowing clubs." | © Glasgow Life / Paul Watt Photography

Buildings of Glasgow: 9 landmark Glasgow buildings with a hidden history

Declan McConville
By Declan McConville

Digital Reporter

Published 10th Apr 2025, 15:13 BST

These are some historic Glasgow buildings who have a hidden history.

It wasn’t too long ago that Glasgow was a truly industrial city, and before that a merchant city - there's generations upon generation of different buildings, structures, and spaces that date back hundreds of years in the city, that we might not even realise have such a storied history.

Old factories, warehouses, former churches and post-industrial spaces - we're a enterprising bunch when it comes to re-using out old spaces, so much so that we can forget that these buildings we see everyday were formerly used for an all-together different purpose.

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Here are nine historic Glasgow buildings with a hidden history.

Built 1876-79, and designed by architect Matthew Forsyth (1850-80). The former factory comprises of three ornate red and white brick buildings, which were originally linked by an equally ornate two storey building filling the site between the three buildings. The three buildings sited in the Gallowgate region at the east side of the Barras market area have Italian renaissance inspired design details and have some of the most intricate and ornate use of brick to be found within the city. Originally a clay pipe factory, the three buildings are currently a mix of commercial and residential usage. The buildings are category B listed.

5. Clay Pipe Factory

Built 1876-79, and designed by architect Matthew Forsyth (1850-80). The former factory comprises of three ornate red and white brick buildings, which were originally linked by an equally ornate two storey building filling the site between the three buildings. The three buildings sited in the Gallowgate region at the east side of the Barras market area have Italian renaissance inspired design details and have some of the most intricate and ornate use of brick to be found within the city. Originally a clay pipe factory, the three buildings are currently a mix of commercial and residential usage. The buildings are category B listed. | Architecture Glasgow

The building on New City Road near Cowcaddens was once home to the Glasgow Savings Bank. The building was built in 1909 and is one of only a few older buildings to survive the post-war redevelopment of this part of Glasgow.

6. 101 New City Road

The building on New City Road near Cowcaddens was once home to the Glasgow Savings Bank. The building was built in 1909 and is one of only a few older buildings to survive the post-war redevelopment of this part of Glasgow. | OnTheMarket

The impressive building has been on a journey, going from an old Victorian warehouse that once homed stock of silks, ribbons and fancy hosiery to where Channel 4 have decided to base themselves in the city. According to Historic Environment Scotland, The Garment Factory was built in 1899 for J and W Campbell and Co, who were well-respected drapers and warehousemen.

7. Merchant City Garment Factory

The impressive building has been on a journey, going from an old Victorian warehouse that once homed stock of silks, ribbons and fancy hosiery to where Channel 4 have decided to base themselves in the city. According to Historic Environment Scotland, The Garment Factory was built in 1899 for J and W Campbell and Co, who were well-respected drapers and warehousemen. | Contributed

Designed by the architect William Beresford Inglis from the firm Weddell & Inglis, the Beresford Hotel opened in 1938 to provide accommodation for visitors to the city attending Glasgow’s Empire Exhibition. It was described as ‘Glasgow’s first skyscraper’, the tallest building built in the city between the First and Second World War, standing at seven storey’s high. The building is the city’s most notable example of Art-Deco architecture, and is protected as such under it’s B-listed categorisation. Rather unusually, William Beresford Inglis, the architect of the building, went on to manage the hotel as both the owner and director during the buildings tenure as a hotel from 1938-1952. It was the Baird student halls of residence for the University of Strathclyde from 1964 to 2004, since then it has been used as private residential accommodation.

8. Beresford Building

Designed by the architect William Beresford Inglis from the firm Weddell & Inglis, the Beresford Hotel opened in 1938 to provide accommodation for visitors to the city attending Glasgow’s Empire Exhibition. It was described as ‘Glasgow’s first skyscraper’, the tallest building built in the city between the First and Second World War, standing at seven storey’s high. The building is the city’s most notable example of Art-Deco architecture, and is protected as such under it’s B-listed categorisation. Rather unusually, William Beresford Inglis, the architect of the building, went on to manage the hotel as both the owner and director during the buildings tenure as a hotel from 1938-1952. It was the Baird student halls of residence for the University of Strathclyde from 1964 to 2004, since then it has been used as private residential accommodation. | GlasgowWorld

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