Medieval Remains Of Partick Castle Unearthed In Glasgow

MessageToEagle.com – Medieval remains of Partick Castle have been unearthed during recent archaeological fieldwork in Glasgow, conducted by a team of archaeologists from GUARD Archaeology.

Based on historical evidence, it had been suggested that there was a royal estate at Partick, the country seat of the Bishops of Glasgow and an ecclesiastical center.

However, the overall site had been heavily disturbed by industrial works during the nineteenth century. Therefore the assumption was that there was only a very slim chance of any remains of the medieval castle of Partick surviving here.

Now, archaeologists discovered a series of archaeological features including ditches, a well and several stone walls.

Further excavation has recovered significant amounts of pottery, as well as metalwork, leather, glass and animal bones, that suggests a date range of twelfth/thirteenth century to the seventeenth century.

‘This fits well with the historical references to the original Bishop’s residence being erected no earlier than the twelfth century and demolished in the early seventeenth century prior to a new tower house being constructed on the site,’ said GUARD archaeologist and excavation leader, Beth Spence, in a press release.

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‘So the archaeology we are encountering is probably the remains of both of these residences and what we will need to do once we have completed our excavation is disentangle the remains of the later tower house from the earlier castle.’

The lands of Partick were given to Glasgow Cathedral in 1136 by King David.

It was believed to have subsequently become the country seat of the Bishops of Glasgow, with a fortified stone structure of some kind likely erected on the site.

Building documents relating to the construction by George Hutcheson of a towerhouse in 1611 specify the demolition of a pre-existing structure.

Conversely this later tower house became known locally as the ‘Bishop’s Palace’. The ruin of this seventeenth century building stood on the west bank of the River Kelvin, near the position of the railway bridge until it was removed around 1837.

The site was subsequently used as industrial ground.

More images from old Partick – here

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