Digging history at Greenbank

The National Trust for Scotland’s experts and volunteers are joining forces with local interest groups to host the first Archaeology Day at the historic house on Sunday (July 27).

Visitors vying for a future slot on

Derek Alexander, head of archaeology at NTS, said: “We have undertaken some small scale archaeological investigations before at Greenbank, but this is the first time we’ve been able to open it up to the public.

“I am particularly interested to see if we can find any traces of the missing 18th centure lean-to building shown on the old estate map.

“It promises to be a great day.”

Objects previously found at the site will be on display alongside local history info — the most common of which are discarded clay pipes from the 19th century.

Nestled less than a mile from busy Clarkston, Greenbank House and its walled garden were built for Robert Allason in the 1760s.

The estate — gifted to NTS in 1976 — is used as an educational public garden and hailed as an urban oasis with more than a few unusual plants on display.