River Clyde, Greenock

Although the waterfront here still reflects aspects of its previous use in the building and servicing of ships, all other traces of this former use have been swept away by modern development. The 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Renfrewshire 1864, sheet II) depicts a ‘Ship Building Yard’, approximately 1 hectare in size, containing two ranges of buildings, an entrance on the High Street at its SSE end and access to the foreshore on the NNW. By the end of the 19th century (Dumbartonshire 1896, Sheet XXI.NW) the yard had expanded to the west, taking in a former timber pond. In the first half of the 20th century the yard was known as the Greenock and Grangemouth Shipbuilding Yard.

Visited by RCAHMS (AGCH, DD) 28 May 2015.

A shipyard annotated ‘Ship Building Yard’ is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 25-inch map (Renfrew 1864, sheet II.5). It comprised a range of buildings in a U-shaped arrangement fronting the High Street and extending along the E and W boundaries. The buildings are all annotated on the 1857 OS large scale town plan of Greenock (sheet II.6.18) and it comprised an Office and Workshop fronting Main Street. On the E boundary and extending N from the frontage there was a Furnace Shop and Smithy, and on the W boundary there was a Joiners’ Workshop and Saw Pits. Two quays are also shown extending N along the E and W boundaries, with a small building depicted on the end of each quay.

The Yard was developed by Caird in 1844, known as Mid-yard until they sold it to Scott in 1867. In 1879 it was owned by Russell & Company until the Greenock Dockyard Company took over in 1900. The yard continued in use until 1934 when a deal struck between Scotts and the Greenock and Grangemouth Dockyard Company resulted in the companies exchanging the Mid Yard and the East Cartsdyke yards allowing Scotts to merge Mid Yard with their existing Cartsburn yard to the W. The yard continued in use until 1984 and the site was later cleared for redevelopment (offices and light industry).

Information from Historic Environment Scotland (AKK) 4 May 2017.