Glasgow, Parkhead

A detailed archaeological and historical assessment was carried out for Forestry Commission Scotland for their land holdings at Cuningar Loop, Glasgow, focussing on the site's industrial past, and in particular on the role it played during the early ninteenth century in the evolution of the city's first mains-delivered water supply. Information was derived largely from maps and documentary sources, including primary reference material held amongst the Boulton and Watt Collection in Birmingham City Archives. A walkover survey carried out upon the site revealed that all traces of any surviving nineteenth remains were now concealed beneath a thick layer of rubble laid down during the late twentieth century.

Information from Oasis (rathmell1-111489)

The 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Lanarkshire 1858, Sheet VI) depicts these water works occupying land on both banks of the River Clyde. On the north bank there were the earliest part of the works, comprising a filtering pond and a group of buildings built by the Glasgow Water Company soon after its formation in 1806. This was soon found to be insufficient to supply the demand and land was acquired thereafter on the south bank of the river. Here, in a meander loop, the map depicts two small buildings and a series of large and small ponds the purpose of which was to store water drawn up from below the ground by steam pumps. The works became disused by the end of the 19th century. The north bank became industrialised and was eventually occupied by part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village. The south bank, which has been developed as part of the wider ClydeGateway Development project associated with the Commonwealth Games, was at one time used as a landfill, including by the Dalmarnock Paper Mill which transported waste material across the river by way of an aerial cableway that is depicted on the 6-inch map (Lanarkshire c.1946, Sheet VI.SE - revised in 1938). On the date of visit a tree planting scheme had placed coloured plastic sapling tubes across the reserve.

Visited by RCAHMS (AGCH, GLB) 12 May 2015.

In 1806, the Glasgow Water Company Act was passed which enabled the setting up of Glasgow Water Works at Dalmarnock on the north bank of the River Clyde. The Waterworks utilised the loop in the River Clyde to build reservoirs on the south side of the River Clyde (area now called Cuningar Woodland Park) to collect water which was put through various filters before sending onto other smaller reservoirs throughout the city. The quality of the water produced would have depended on the water level of the river. The waterworks was designed by Thomas Telford and James Watt. Watt explained the building of a suction water pipe to bring water from the filters on the south side of the River Clyde (at Cuningar) to the reservoir south of the Water Works in a letter of 1810.

The waterworks buildings and reservoir are named and depicted as 'Glasgow Water Works (Dalmarnock)' on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 25-inch map (Lanarkshire (City of Glasgow), surveyed 1857/8, published 1860, sheet VI.16).

By the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey 25-inch map (Lanarkshire, revised 1896, published 1897, sheet XXXIX.12), the waterworks buildings had been demolished, although the reservoir to the south survived. The filtration reservoirs on the Cuningar Loop on the south side of the River Clyde are shown as earthworks. As the 19th century progressed, this area of Glasgow became heavily industrialised and the waterworks would no longer be able to produce potable water.

The waterworks site gave way to Dalmarnock Paper Mills. The area was redeveloped for housing in the 20th century. The Cuningar reservoir filtration area is now a parkland.

Information from Survey and Recording Section (Miriam McDonald), Heritage Directorate, HES, 5 February 2021.