Kelvinhaugh is a neighbourhood in the city of

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Scotland. It is situated directly north of the River Clyde in the West End of the city. Its boundaries are not precisely defined, but roughly correspond to the River Clyde to the south,

Yorkhill Yorkhill ( gd, Cnoc Eabhraig) is an area in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated north of the River Clyde in the West End of the city. It is known for its famous hospitals and remains the location of the West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Ho ...

to the west,

Finnieston Finnieston is an area of Glasgow, Scotland, situated on the north bank of the River Clyde roughly between the city's West End and the city centre. Finnieston is home to the SECC and SSE Hydro, where many musical concerts, sporting events a ...

to the east and Kelvingrove to the north, the division being Argyle Street. Smaller neighbourhoods such as

Sandyford Sandyford () is a suburb of Dublin, located in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland. Sandyford Business District makes up much of the suburb and encompasses 4 business parks: Sandyford Business Park, Stillorgan Business Park, Central Park and S ...

and Overnewton have also been absorbed into what is a continuous area of fairly dense urban development with little to distinguish them other than in the names of some local amenities, the same issue for Kelvinhaugh in relation to the more prominent Finnieston and Yorkhill.

History

An area of flat land to the east of the mouth of the

River Kelvin The River Kelvin (Scottish Gaelic: ''Abhainn Cheilbhinn'') is a tributary of the River Clyde in northern and northeastern Glasgow, Scotland. It rises on the moor south east of the village of Banton, east of Kilsyth. At almost long, it init ...

(this being the translation of ''haugh'', in contrast to the neighbouring

which was on high ground), Kelvinhaugh originally developed in the 19th century in connection with Glasgow's industries of shipbuilding and trading -

Alexander Stephen and Sons Alexander Stephen and Sons Limited, often referred to simply as Alex Stephens or just Stephens, was a Scottish shipbuilding company based in Linthouse, Glasgow, on the River Clyde and, initially, on the east coast of Scotland. History The co ...

had a yard there for 20 years from 1851 prior to moving across the river to their better-known facility at

Linthouse Linthouse is a neighbourhood in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated directly south of the River Clyde and lies immediately west of Govan, with other adjacent areas including Shieldhall and the Southern General Hospital to the west, a ...

, ''John Shearer & Sons'' took it over for another 30 years before moving to Scotstoun, and the yard then became the Yorkhill Quay. The A. & J. Inglis shipyard (in use 1862-1962) was located a short distance to the west at Pointhouse. The collapse of these industries in the latter part of the 20th century led to a decline in the fortunes of the area (and the city), with both residential and commercial premises abandoned and the Kelvinhaugh name being used far less frequently. Kelvinhaugh Ferry 19

The resulting gap sites in the vicinity included the large expanse of the Queen's Dock which was filled in and became the

SEC Centre The SEC Centre (originally known as the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre until 2017) is Scotland's largest exhibition centre, locate ...

in the mid-1980s, with the

Clyde Auditorium The SEC Armadillo (originally known as the Clyde Auditorium) is an auditorium located near the River Clyde, in Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of three venues on the Scottish Event Campus, which includes the SEC Centre and the OVO Hydro.

being added in the mid to late 1990s and the SSE Hydro following in the early 2010s.Queen's Dock & Yorkhill Quay
Clyde Waterfront The increasing numbers of visitors to these venues led to a marked rise in popularity for

and neighbouring areas in the early 21st century, with several new cafés, bars, restaurants and specialist stores being established and revitalising the area around Argyle Street.Is This Part of Glasgow Really 'the Hippest Place in Britain'?
Vice, 11 April 2016 Kelvinhaugh Street - geograph

At the same time, due to the proximity of the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

and rising prices in 'digs' in traditional areas such as

Kelvinbridge Kelvinbridge is the common name of the Great Western Bridge, a cast iron road and pedestrian bridge located in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, built to carry the Great Western Road (A82) at a high level across the River Kelvin. ...

Hillhead Hillhead ( sco, Hullheid, gd, Ceann a' Chnuic) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Kelvingrove Park and to the south of the River Kelvin, Hillhead is at the heart of Glasgow's fashionable West End, with Byres Road forming th ...

and

Dowanhill Dowanhill is an area in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. An upper middle-class residential district, the area generally contains a mixture of terraced townhouses with private communal gardens, detached villas with private grounds and a number ...

, much of the vacant land in Kelvinhaugh was developed as modern student accommodation, although it was noted by locals that, as in other districts experiencing similar rapid change such as

Partick Partick ( sco, Pairtick, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and ...

, the increase in population has not equated to a noticeable growth in community identity due to so many of the residents living there temporarily and focusing most of their attentions on the University institutions, while the main thoroughfares became dirtier and harder to drive and park in. The local primary school dating from the 1880s became a private college, with its playground also being purchased for new flats.

SWG3 and other changes

The area has become familiar to live music fans for the ''SWG3'' arts venue (converted from disused railway arch workshops, metalwork yards and warehouses) which has grown in stature in Glaswegian entertainment circles following the closure of similar venues such as The Arches in the city centre and ''Soundhaus'' in

Anderston Anderston ( sco, Anderstoun, gd, Baile Aindrea) is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. It is on the north bank of the River Clyde and forms the south western edge of the city centre. Established as a village of handloom weavers in the early 18th cent ...

, with its patrons also attracting more custom to local businesses. In addition to a number of existing works at SWG3, in 2019 a series of vibrant murals was added to the railway arches facing onto the adjacent Clydeside Expressway dual carriageway in 2019. On the opposide side of the expressway (accessible via a pedestrian/cycle bridge), in 2017 the landmark pumphouse which once controlled entry to the Queen's Dock, then served as a visitor attraction for Glasgow's maritime heritage featuring the

Glenlee (ship) ''Glenlee'' is a steel-hulled three-masted barque, built as a cargo ship at Port Glasgow under that name in 1896 for Glasgow owners. With later owners she was named ''Islamount'' and ''Clarastella''. From 1922 she was the sail training ship ''G ...

, was converted into a new

Clydeside distillery Clydeside distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery in Glasgow, Scotland. When production began in 2017, Clydeside was the first active distillery in Glasgow city centre for over 100 years. Location The distillery is at a quayside on the River ...

.Our Story
The Clydeside Distillery In 2011, the maritime heritage centre (and the Glenlee) had moved to the new

Riverside Museum The Riverside Museum (formerly known as the Glasgow Museum of Transport) is a museum in Glasgow, housed in a building at Pointhouse Quay in the Glasgow Harbour regeneration district of Glasgow, Scotland. The building opened in June 2011, winnin ...

located on the site of the Inglis shipyard.

References

External links

*
Yorkhill & Kelvingrove Community CouncilKelvinhaugh Street, Glasgow
(painting by James Morrison) {{Areas of Glasgow Areas of Glasgow