Old Hampden Football Park Stadium

NS 58870 61957 A geophysical survey, consisting of both resistance (0.16ha at 0.5m x 0.5m) and GPR (0.4ha at 0.5m traverse interval), was commissioned at the location of the original Hampden Park Football ground. The general location of the former football ground, as indicated on an early railway map, is now occupied by the Hampden Bowling Club, Kingsley Gardens, and Queens Park recreation ground.

The survey was undertaken as part of a wider community project with excavation taking place alongside the geophysical surveys (see above).

Areas within the Bowling Club, beyond the bowling green, could not be surveyed due to steep slopes, vegetation cover, and obstructions. In addition, resistance survey was not undertaken within Kingsley Gardens. This was due to the large number of flowerbeds and plants. It was felt, in consultation with Archaeology Scotland, that the risk of damage to the active community garden was too high and as a result, only GPR survey was undertaken within this area. Suitable areas for survey within the recreation ground were limited due to modern landscaping, dense trees, excavation trenches, and their associated fencing. As a result, isolated GPR traverses were collected where possible with the aim of identifying the stadium enclosure.

Both the resistance and GPR surveys detected ephemeral

anomalies that show some correlation with the map evidence for the football ground, although interpretation is tentative. Both the GPR data and resistance data suggested a displacement from the map evidence of somewhere between 6 to 20m. GPR anomalies within the garden were targeted for excavation, while those within the bowling green were not available for excavation.

Archive: Rose Geophysical Consultants Funder: Archaeology Scotland

Susan Ovenden – Rose Geophysical Consultants

(Source: DES Vol 22)