Port Glasgow
Port Glasgow (
Port Ghlaschu in
Scottish Gaelic) is the second largest
burgh in the
Inverclyde region of
Scotland, located adjacent to neighbouring
Greenock.
The town grew from the central area of the present town and thus many of the towns historic buildings are found here. Port Glasgow expanded up the steep hills inland to open fields where areas such as
Boglestone and
Devol were founded. This area has subsequently become known as upper Port Glasgow and most of the towns population occupies these areas.
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Newark Castle stands close to the last shipyard on the Lower Clyde. |
Port Glasgow was originally a small village known as
Newark, possibly named after
Newark Castle, in the parish of
Kilmacolm. Trading ships from
France and the
low countries were unloaded here and the cargo taken up the
River Clyde to
Glasgow on smaller boats. In
1667, the town council of Glasgow purchased land for the construction of a
harbour and
breakwater. This became Glasgow's first deep-water port and the town of Newark became known as Port Glasgow. After
1693, the
grid-iron street layout which still forms much of the town centre today, was laid out.
Shipbuilding
By the
19th century Port Glasgow had become a centre of shipbuilding. The
Comet was built in the town in
1812 and was the first commercial
steam vessel in
Europe. A replica of the Comet and a
plaque commemorating the actual site of construction are situated in Port Glasgow town centre.
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PS Comet, Europe's first commercially successful steamboat, was built in Port Glasgow, and a replica of her made by shipyard apprentices now stands in the town centre. |
Port Glasgow became a
burgh in
1833, but around this time, the River Clyde up to Glasgow was deepened and new road and rail links meant that the town was no longer needed much as a port. The
shipbuilding industry then took over as the main source of employment and prosperity. Port Glasgow has been responsible for about a quarter of the total tonnage of ships launched on the Clyde. however like the rest of Inverclyde this industry has all but gone and only Fergusons shipyard remains in the town today and is one of the last privately owned shipyards left in Scotland.
Newark Castle
Newark Castle stands very close to the shore of the Clyde, and dates to around
1484. It was home to the Maxwell Family, but they no longer lived in the castle after
1694. By
1800 the castle was surrounded by shipyards, but today only Fergusons shipyard survives, standing close to the west of the castle, and an open park area and waterfront walkway have been landscaped to the east. The castle is now a visitor attraction owned by
Historic Scotland.
Parliamentary burgh
Port Glasgow was a
parliamentary burgh as a component of
Kilmarnock Burghs from 1932 to 1918, when it was merged into the
West Renfrewshire constituency.
Bardrainney Boglestone Bogston Bouverie Broadfield Devol Highholm Kelburn Lilybank Chapelton Mid Auchinleck Park Farm Parkhill Robert Street Slaemuir Springhill Town Centre Woodhall*
The Local Community Website*
Port Glasgow & photographs of Inverclyde
