Glasgow, Langside, Myrtle Park, Cathkin Park, Third Lanark Football Ground

RCAHMSAP

NS 58976 61944 (Cathkin Park) and NS 58751 61970 (Hampden Bowling Club) Playing The Past explores the physical history and built heritage of some of Scotland’s historic sporting sites. A desk-based assessment, geophysical survey and excavation at Cathkin Park and a dedrochronological assessment at Hampden Bowling Club were carried out, 28 August – 20 November 2017, as part of this project. A desk-based assessment was also undertaken for a number of historic sporting sites, focusing on the Cathcart/Crosshill area in S Glasgow. The work consisted of map regression, historical analysis, and a collation of oral histories from local residents and sporting club members.

Part of the assessment included Cathkin Park, home to Third Lanark, which prior to the construction of Cathkin Park Stadium had housed the second incarnation of Hampden Park. Geophysical survey and excavation were carried out within Cathkin Park to investigate the remains of both

Cathkin Park Stadium, and Hampden 2.

The geophysical survey was carried out on the existing pitch and surrounding parkland to the S, whilst excavations focused on the former pavilion of Cathkin Park Stadium. The excavation of two small trenches formed the launch of Scottish Archaeology Month 2017. One of the trenches revealed the brick built remains and possible floor level of the former pavilion, whilst both trenches revealed large amounts of demolition rubble and debris associated with its destruction.

An additional study was carried out at the pavilion of the Hampden Bowling Club, which is located on the site of the original Hampden Park. A dendrochronological assessment was conducted on the roof beams of the current pavilion, as it is believed that the roof of the pavilion was reused from the pavilion of the first Hampden Park. However, there were too few tree rings to allow dendrochronological dating. The assessment did identify construction styles in the roof, and highlighted that further analysis of the construction of the roof and comparison with old photographs would help to establish if the roof is from the original Hampden Pavilion.

Archive and report: NRHE (intended)

Funder: HLF and Historic Environment Scotland

Ian Hill, Helena Gray, Phil Richardson, Iain Pringle, Rebecca Barclay and Coralie Mills – Heritage and Archaeogical Research Practice Ltd and Archaeology Scotland

(Source: DES, Volume 18)

NS 58964 61936 In June 2022 two weeks of fieldwork were undertaken at Cathkin Park, on the southside of Glasgow, a football stadium that was once home to Third Lanark AC and before that the second Hampden Park, home to Queens Park FC and the Scottish national team.

The focus of the excavation was the Third Lanark Pavilion and grandstand, which related to the ‘new’ Cathkin Park, located on the northern side of the ground. This stadium was built in 1904 after Queens Park had moved to a new Hampden, the current Hampden Park on the southern side of Mount Florida. Third Lanark played at the stadium until the team folded in 1967, after which the stadium slowly fell into ruin before being demolished in the late 1970s. The surrounding terracing on the E, W and S side of the ground remain, and the pitch is used by various junior teams including the Jimmy Johnston Academy.

Three trenches were excavated during the course of the fieldwork: Trench 1, which was positioned across a previous trench opened by AS in 2017, measured 5 x 5m, and was located over the site of the former pavilion. The western portion of the trench revealed that much of the building had been demolished by machine, with the foundations ‘grubbed up’ and the subsequent rubble back filled and levelled to create the current surface. Within this deposit were numerous structural artefacts including bricks, tiles, metal, and wood amongst other forms of debris. Additionally, there were several fragments of window glass, bottles, plastic, and china, some of which were red and white, indicating their use by the football club whose colours were red and white.

In the eastern portion of the trench, part of the original ground floor surface remained intact. This surface was formed by a hard asphalt type material onto which concrete was poured. This hard surface was then covered by red and white linoleum tiles, again reflecting the team colours. In total, 2.0 x 0.8m of this surface was exposed, but it did run below the baulk of the trench and more of it may survive, alongside other elements of the pavilion beyond the trench edge.

Below the surface was a layer of made ground of ash and gravel, which appears to be demolition or levelling material, deposited after the second Hampden was demolished, and used to create a surface on which to build the New Cathkin Park Pavilion. Below this made ground deposit was a partly demolished brick wall or foundation, which may relate to the second Hamden, this wall overlay an earlier field drain that might be related to farming activity at the site before the construction of the stadium, or land improvement for the second Hampden pitch. At the same level the foundations of the home team bath were discovered. This feature was defined by white glazed bricks surviving to one course high, within which was a concrete surface, 1.8 x 0.65m of which was exposed it continued below the trench baulk.

Two trenches measuring 2 x 3m were excavated in the location of the former grandstand. Trench 2 clipped the edge of a large concrete base and so was partially extended to the W. The concrete base measured 1 x 1m, in the centre of which was a large iron bar and is thought to be the remains of one of the stanches of the grandstand. Several fragments of window glass, bottles, metal and china were recovered from the trench.

Trench 3 did not contain any structural archaeological remains but did reveal a large wooden post, that was left in situ, which may have come from the original wooden grandstand, discarded in place after demolition.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Archaeology Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland

Paul Murtagh – Archaeology Scotland

(Source: DES Volume 23)