Glasgow's Springburn Park and its incredible history

At the peak of the park, you are standing 364 feet above sea level, and you can see views of Ben Lomond, the Trossachs, the Kilpatrick, Campsie, and Kilsyth Hills. Even the Goat Fell on the Isle of Arran can be seen on a very, very clear day.

Among its many features, the 77-acre park contains a peace garden, three wildlife ponds, a football pitch, a rockery, a bowling green, a cricket pitch, and the now-derelict winter gardens.

Much of the park’s history is written with the help of the Reid family, who lived in the nearby Belmont House and owned the rail firm Hyde Park Locomotive Works.

They invested a lot of money in the park, donated a bandstand for live music performances and kickstarted the plans for the winter gardens. In exchange for funding the Glasgow Corporation with £12,000 to build the Springburn Public Halls, Hugh Reid asked them to build the gardens.

It was one of five buildings in Glasgow to resemble a conservatory or glasshouse, the others being the Botanic Gardens, People’s Palace, Queen’s Park and Tollcross Park. It even served as inspiration for landscape architects on the other side of the world, as a replica was erected in the botanic gardens of Christchurch in New Zealand.

The winter gardens were a much-loved part of north Glasgow for its array of exotic plants, and the popular exhibitions and events held there.

In 1983 the building was damaged by a bad storm that hit the city and it was forced out of use. It was days away – literally, two – from being gone forever in 1985 when Glasgow District Council had plans in motion to have the site demolished.

At the eleventh hour, the building was granted listed status by the Scottish Office. It was later placed on the buildings at risk register and in 2014, after years of no moves for a refurbishment plan, it was classed as a ruin at critical risk.

While the gardens have fallen into a sorry sight, there looks to be a bright future ahead as plans are said to still be in the works for an £8.1 million restoration, which would see the space transformed into an arts venue for major events and performances. 

Statue of James Reid, whose family invested in the park (Image: Newsquest)

The nearby Mosesfield House still stands and predates the rest of the park. The original was home to wealthy merchant William Moses, who made his living selling sedan chairs. He lived there from 1790.

The newer two-storey house was built in 1838 for bookseller James Duncan and later became the manse for Springburn’s United Presbyterian Church. It was the home of Reverend James Johnston and his son George and would end up being the setting for one of the country’s most revolutionary developments in transport.

George worked at the Hyde Park Locomotive Works, and in 1894 he was asked to build a steam-powered tram that would replace horse-led trams, but the idea was abandoned after it caught fire during a trial demonstration.

Mosesfield House (Image: Newsquest)

After that, George looked into the idea of making a better motor car than those on the continent, and in particular, he felt he could design a better engine. Thus, the yard of Mosesfield House was where the first British-built motor car was conceived and built.

The lower part of the house served as a museum until World War II, then it became a men’s club which is still its use today.

Springburn Park’s rockery is a fantastic example where the land’s history is preserved while its aesthetic is adapted for a new purpose. The site used to be an old mining quarry, and when the Glasgow Corporation purchased the land to build the park, they built the rocks in its place. And apart from the greenery, its jagged surface does resemble an old mine.

One of the park’s most beautiful features which also serves as an escape from city life is the Peace Garden. Dedicated to the late Lord Provost, Bob Innes, the garden features heather beds, memorial seats, pergolas, and a 'Peace Pole' which was donated by survivors of the Japanese atomic bomb.

What is your favourite part of Springburn Park? Send your thoughts to letters@glasgowtimes.co.uk.