GLASGOW’S MERCHANT CITY GLASGOW’S MERCHANT CITY Web: www.glasgowmerchantcity.net Merchant City Trail

All efforts have been made in the accuracy of the information in this leaflet. The funders of this leaflet are not responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur. The Merchant City...... open for trade

The Merchant City lies at the heart of Glasgow’s City Centre, where historically the tobacco lairds and traders which once made Glasgow the Second City of the Empire came to do business, socialise and build their townhouses ... and later their warehouses. The area still possesses a remarkable consistency, of materials and rhythm and demonstrates a strong civic pride through the number of buildings adorned with carved coats of arms. Despite the area falling victim to the inner city obsolescence that afflicted so many parts of urban Britain in the Twentieth Century, the Merchant City became the scene of a remarkable public sector led renaissance during the 1980’s and was held up internationally as a successful example of how post industrial architecture can re-make itself if events and political wills conspire - to create new solutions and dynamic partnerships.

More recently a large part of the area has been designated the focus of an inter agency programme to repair the fabric of its historic architecture and streets. The Merchant City Townscape Heritage Initiative matches funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund with finance from both Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise Glasgow to enable a phased programme of improvements to buildings and re-use of empty floorspace to take place.

The aim of the THI and other public and private sector initiatives in the area is to again raise the profile of the Merchant City as a unique part of Glasgow, a place where old values of commerce and business have evolved to assimilate the new buzzwords of design and style, of inner city loft living and café counter culture

The message from all of the above is that the Merchant City is a place not just to be seen in, but to SEE - and it is the aim of this trail to make sure that you see as much of it as you possibly can, within the space of a meaningful meander amongst times past and the beat of tempos new...

...and the good news - the Merchant City is FLAT ...so walk on. The Trail The Trail starts and ends alongside the National Trust for Scotland’s Hutchesons’ Hall at 157 Ingram Street where the contemporary exhibition on Glasgow Style is a permanent feature of this showcase venue.

1. Hutchesons’ Hall designed 2. Former John Street Church Company, now part of the by the large, spreading dome and by David Hamilton 1802 designed by JT Rochead adjacent Marks & Spencer store, heavy carving to stonework- in 1860 and could you miss the subliminal note especially the main North Like many civic buildings in the advertising of the ‘Jacobean doorway with figure of St. Merchant City Hutchesons’ Hall More palazzo than church, and Corsetry’ building opposite?! Mungo in a niche, the symbolic (below) forms the vista stop to a with extraordinarily heavy figures of Commerce, Industry wide public street, rather like a plasterwork by James Steel and Thrift and the fine ornate judge presiding over a court or a surviving on the converted upper ironwork to the main doors. preacher over a congregation. floors, the design of this building Hutchesons’ Hall is now owned enables it to fit remarkably well 21. The Corinthian designed and operated by the National into the hard urban setting of by David Hamilton 1841, Trust for Scotland, but the original the Merchant City and has perhaps J Salmon 1853, J Burnet 1876 founders - the Hutcheson allowed its successful transition brothers still flank the main into other (office and bar) uses. Site of the former Virginia entrance of their institute for Mansion, then the Union Bank, poor craftsmen. 3. The Italian Centre 18. The Warehouse designed latterly much cut up and divided remodelled by Page & Park by Robertson & Dobbie 1907 as Lanarkshire House Court. Don’t miss a visit to the in 1990-1. Fortunately, its interior riches have sumptuous upper level hall, At the corner of Glassford Street been restored in a stunning new remodelled by John Baird II in One of the first pieces of and Wilson Street you’ll find a club, restaurant and bar complex 1876 and your chance to see commercial, private sector led handsome Art Nouveau former with amazing attention to detail the very best of new Glasgow urban regeneration to venture warehouse, with a great deli and in what is now one of the City’s style design (boldly transformed into the modern day Merchant wine cellar, and typical Glasgow most glorious rendezvous spots; by Gareth Hoskins Architects) City. A bold and massively popular style ironwork. particularly impressive when seen on display and on sale in the re-claiming of derelict early 19th at night when the floodlighting shop below. Century tenements which saw 19. Trades House designed by brings to life the mannerist, the creation of a mixed use Robert Adam in 1791 Italianate facade and its free scheme of housing, offices and standing classical sculptures. ‘haute couture’ shops and cafes Designed to accommodate the with a heavy dose of classical offices of Glasgow’s rising trades and contemporary public art. guilds, this is the first example in Particularly noteworthy are the city of the use of a grand Sandy Stoddart’s ‘bronzes’ of front to close a vista at the end Mercury and Italia sitting atop of a standard, flat fronted street. the wallheads and Shona Kinloch’s Inside, the Hall has rich panelling ‘wee dug’ and and a Belgian silk tapestry of ‘wee man’ - 1902 depicting the various trades the latter a - fleshers, tanners, bonnetmakers, budding and bakers amongst others. Romeo throwing a 20. Former Glasgow (Trustee) kiss to his Savings Bank designed by JJ imaginary Burnet in 1900 sweetheart (check out the This muscular Edwardian French tattoo) on one Renaissance building belies its of the upper essentially single storey stature to balconies powerfully turn the corner into ...aaahh! Ingram Street, aided stylistically 22. Gallery of acquired it, the restored building 26. City Modern Art now provides a home for many Chambers enlarged as of the City’s leading architectural designed Royal Exchange and amenity organisations by William by David including GBPT itself and the Young in Hamilton in 1827 Scottish Civic Trust. Across the 1880 narrow wynd is the Italianate Continuing the peculiarly Glasgow facade of the original Stirling’s Arguably tradition of setting major public Library by James Smith. one of the buildings within built up squares, finest public this splendid building was once 24. Merchants House of buildings of the mansion house of William Glasgow JJ Burnet 1875 19th Cuninghame, one of the richest Century of Glasgow’s tobacco lairds. With its golden ship and globe Britain, the In its time the building has finial and additional storey City Chambers commands the the Cathedral (No.28). To the assumed a chameleon-like ability (JJ Burnet 1907-9), the Italianate wide expanse of George Square. south the award winning Homes to change and survive, being first Merchants House is entered up a Facing west, the ornate facade is for the Future (No.29) and the encapsulated within Hamilton’s marble staircase with fine stained periodically bathed in sunshine Peoples Palace (No. 30) on grand Royal Exchange with its glass. The baroque remodelling or soaked by the Glasgow rains - Glasgow Green are just a few of magnificent temple front (now of the main Hall, Directors’ and sometimes both at the same the many attractions that will brought up to date by the Dean of Guild rooms by Burnet time. The chambers took seven take you both back in time and mirrored pediment by artist Nikki Jnr is characterised in particular years to build and engaged the bring you bang up to date with de St. Phalle); the building then by the dark, Jacobean style skills from as far a field as Italy what is going on in the City. became a telephone exchange in painted boards recording and France. This extravagance is the 1920’s and latterly the local bequests made to the House clearly manifest inside where Recommended reading: public library - until 1996 when over the centuries. the marble staircase, and the its superb barrel vaulted interior sumptuous Banqueting Halls Penguin Buildings of Scotland: was converted to a gallery 25. George Square with their ornate plasterwork, Glasgow: Williamson E., Riches A., Higgs M. housing the City’s fine, alabaster and mahogany fittings RIAS Guide to Glasgow: McKean C. controversial and challenging Laid out circa 1782 to a plan and art works are all accessible Sculpture of Glasgow: Ray McKenzie collections of modern art prepared by James Barry, George to the public in daily organised 1999 Itinerary V1 including notable examples of Square quickly became a focus of tours or else unwittingly the new Glasgow Boys civic buildings and statues, glimpsed as the backdrop to Acknowledgements: ...and Girls. including Robert Mathesons many a film - ostensibly set in General Post Office (1875) (now a the Vatican or the Kremlin! Thanks to Iain Paterson, Glasgow City 23. Tobacco Merchants House hotel), and is home to a clutch of Council and Ian Samuel, Merchant City designed by John Craig 1775 first class monuments - including Other places to visit Civic Society the homage to Walter Scott, a Restored by Glasgow Building Greek Doric column (1837). Within a short walk of the trail is Photography: Preservation Trust in 1995, this St. Andrew’s in the Square (No. 27) GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDE VALLEY TOURIST BOARD, pretty little classical house is the Other statues are to great one of the finest examples of GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, ANDREW LEE last surviving tobacco lairds Scottish men - Robert Burns, neo-baroque church architecture house left standing in the James Watt, Doctor Livingstone in Scotland, whose incredible DESIGN BY CACTUS: 0141 585 6327 Merchant and Lord Clyde as well as a gilded plasterwork interior was City. Badly youthful Queen Victoria - acting converted between 1998 - 2000 altered and as a lonely female figurehead in into a traditional music venue ruinous the Square - a distinction to and bar/restaurant by Glasgow when the feminism she would no doubt Building Preservation Trust; and Trust have shunned! to the north east of the area -