Helensburgh

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Helensburgh
Scottish Gaelic Baile Eilidh
View over Helensburgh
View over Helensburgh
Coordinates 56 ° 0 ′  N , 4 ° 44 ′  W Coordinates: 56 ° 0 ′  N , 4 ° 44 ′  W
Helensburgh (Scotland)
Helensburgh
Helensburgh
Residents 14,220 2011 census
administration
Post town HELENSBURGH
ZIP code section G84
prefix 01436
Part of the country Scotland
Council area Argyll and Bute
British Parliament Argyll and Bute
Scottish Parliament Dumbarton

Helensburgh ( Gaelic Baile Eilidh ) is a town in Argyll and Bute , Scotland . It is located on the transition area between the north coast of the Firth of Clyde and the east coast of the Gare Loch inlet .

history

The West Kirk in Colquhoun Square in Helensburgh city center

In 1757 Sir James Colquhoun of the Clan Colquhoun from Luss acquired from Charles Lord Cathcart an area of ​​land on the north bank of the Firth of Clyde, which came from the estate of John Shaw, 3rd Baronet of Greenock, who died in 1752 . The area, named Malig or Milrigs after a Gaelic word for a grain mill , was a heathland landscape largely overgrown with various types of gorse . Over the next few years, the new owner successfully ensured that the area, which was previously less productive from an agricultural point of view, was converted into fertile arable land. Colquhoun also wanted to create a planned town on the coast , the layout of which was architecturally based on the New Town of Edinburgh . Three parallel streets running along the coast and a series of cross streets running at right angles to it resulted in square building blocks with an area of ​​two acres each . The central intersection was expanded to form a square, Colquhoun Square, by leaving out a field at each of the four corners.

In January 1776, an advertisement appeared in a Glasgow newspaper, according to which, under generous conditions, leasehold land in this new settlement would be available. People who have been trained in textile production and processing are particularly sought after. The village was initially called Muleigh , Maligs Town or simply New Town , based on the old landscape name, later it was named Helensburgh in honor of Colquhoun's wife.

The small settlement developed slowly at first, in 1794 only around 17 houses were built. 1802 Helensburgh received the status of a Burgh of Barony , similar to a town charter and associated with the authorization to host a weekly market and four annual markets . But even this could not help the city to fulfill its originally intended function as an important location for the textile industry. In the following period, this should never gain significance beyond the local market.

Instead, a development began at the beginning of the 19th century, the consequences of which continue to shape Helensburgh to this day. Traders and industrialists, especially from Glasgow , Greenock and Paisley, discovered the charms of the south-facing location and the soothing sea climate and chose Helensburgh as a summer resort . In addition, there was an increasing number of beach holidaymakers and so the number of residents rose to around 500 by the end of the first decade and to 2000 in the summer months. The not too long distance to Glasgow, the relatively good road connection and daily mail deliveries were helpful.

The shipbuilder, engineer and temporary Provost (mayor) John Bell , who had settled in the city to run a hotel, took over the novel concept of steam-powered ships from the American Robert Fulton . Bell then constructed his own ship, the Comet . With this he offered from 1912 regular ferry connections between Glasgow, Greenock and Helensburgh. With this offer, which was also the first commercial steamship operation in Europe, the accessibility of Helensburgh improved considerably. As a result, more and more people who went about their business in other places chose the city as their place to live. Nevertheless, it was not until 1835 before an expansion of the original urban area was tackled for the first time, ultimately a sign of how overambitious Colquhoun's plan had been. The city's development would accelerate after the city received a rail link in 1858 with the opening of the Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway . For the year 1860 there were several daily ferry connections to Garelochhead , Greenock, Glasgow, Port Glasgow and Rosneath . The architect William Spence drew the drawings for the city extensions that are now beginning. He made sure that the right-angled road system, with a few exceptions, was continued beyond the old core. Spence also designed a number of individual buildings, such as the Hermitage School and Saint Columba Church. The result was a spacious city with wide streets and plenty of space for green spaces, but at the same time there was also a dichotomy between an area characterized by traders, tradespeople and craftsmen, including a number of gardeners, along the coast and an area along the slope characterized by spacious properties .

An expansion of the jetty into a regular port, which was planned from the beginning and was repeatedly discussed at a later date, ultimately failed to materialize. The existing pier was considered one of the most rundown in Scotland in the 1830s. In some cases, passengers preferred the onward journey to the next landing stage in Rhu and the subsequent return journey in the country to the uncomfortable disembarkation in Helensburgh. Finally, in 1860, a new pier was built without solving the basic problems, including with regard to the required capacities. From 1869, Helensburgh was an important transshipment point for the emerging herring fishery for several years , which only exacerbated the difficult situation. The problem was finally solved after several failed attempts by the construction of a new port in 1882, immediately east of the city limits and in the neighboring Civil Parish of, near the hamlet of Craigendoran. This got a siding to the railway line passing in the immediate vicinity and there also a train station.

In the area of ​​this Craigendoran station, the West Highland Railway , which runs further to the north, was connected in 1894 , which bypasses the city center to the northeast and slightly higher up. The newly built Helensburgh Upper stop above the city made it possible to develop higher areas of the city area and thus in particular those that offered an excellent view of the estuary and its surroundings. As a result, a number of villas were built there, whose architecture is remarkable in some cases and which can only be found in such a density in a few other places. In addition to the existing Victorian and Edwardian buildings, there were also those with elements of other architectural styles such as Art Deco . In the 1930s, Helensburgh was first referred to as the Garden City , also due to the streets lavishly designed with rows of trees . Two smaller quarters, built in the area of Schloss Ardencaple in 1919 and in the Kirkmichael Estate in 1935, which were modeled on Ebenezer Howard's concept of the garden city, were ultimately no longer of particular importance.

Helensburgh today

Today Helensburgh presents itself as a seaside resort with a beach promenade and a pier , which is popular with tourists , but after the last ferry connection was closed in 2012, it is only used by excursion boats. In this area there is also an indoor swimming pool and the visually striking tourist office, which is located in the tower of a former church. Immediately north of the city limits, already belonging to the neighboring town of Rhu , is a marina for sailing boats and yachts. Highland Games are held in the city every year .

The city is an attractive place to live for people who commute to work in Glasgow , but also for members of the military, as the Faslane naval base is only a few kilometers north on the east bank of the Gare Loch . The facility is an important economic factor and at the same time an employer for the people of Helensburgh. The navy operates a care center for its relatives in the city. Helensburgh is considered a relatively expensive residential area. In 2006 house prices were the second highest in Scotland after Edinburgh.

In its central location function , Helensburgh is the main shopping center in the area. One of the eleven decentralized contact points of the superordinate administrative unit Argyll and Bute, known as Service Points , is also located in the city . Helensburgh is considered their official second administrative center after Lochgilphead .

Hill House

Recent developments show a change in the tourist demand from long-term tourists to day tourists . Accordingly, the number of overnight stays and, as a result, the number of hotels and guest houses is falling. The reason for visiting the city also changed from tourists attracted by the location on an estuary to tourists who are interested in the architectural features. In particular, the Hill House should be mentioned here, which records around 40,000 visitors annually and is now even considered for inclusion in the list of world cultural heritage. Ecological tourism is seen as the third pillar of tourism . The city's proximity to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park , which begins at the height above Helensburgh and directly on the city limits, plays an important role . The town is the starting point of the Three Lochs Way Walking Route , a hiking trail that connects Gare Loch, Loch Lomond and Loch Long .

The municipality believes that both the coastal area and the historic town center should be made more attractive again. To this end, both the coastal promenade and the centrally located Colquhoun Square are to be upgraded and rebuilt. The redesign work should be completed in summer 2014. A master plan was drawn up in the early 2010s for the area around the pier itself and the former school site, which was closed in 2008.

Attractions

There are just over two hundred listed buildings in the city. Of these, in addition to the Hill House already mentioned , twelve more fall into the highest category A. These are the St Michael and All Angels' Church , the war memorial in Hermitage Park , the villas Dalmore House , Cairndhu House , Brantwoode , Drumadoon , Greycourt , Longcroft , Rockland , Red Towers , White House and 38-40 Sinclair Street .

Ardencaple Castle , first mentioned in 1296 , expanded in the 16th century and remodeled at the end of the 18th century, had to give way to the construction of a housing estate for navy members at the end of the 1950s. Only a single tower remained of the original system, which was to serve as a landmark for ships.

From the ridge above the city you have a wonderful view of the surrounding area. To the north the view extends into the national park over Loch Lomond to the Arrochar Alps , to the south, especially from the highest mountain in the city, Ben Bouie , over the Clyde and the hilly landscape of southern Argyll .

Administrative affiliation

At the time of its creation, the area of ​​Helensburgh was in the area of ​​the then purely ecclesiastical Parish of Row and within Dunbartonshire . With the establishment of the Civil Parishes as municipal administrative districts in Scotland in 1845, based on and initially with the same territory, Helensburgh consequently came to the Civil Parish of Row, renamed Rhu in 1927. Due to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 , a restructuring took place for the first time: Helensburgh became the center of the Helensburgh District , which comprised several of the Civil Parishes, now reduced to a purely statistical function, and stretched from the city limits of Dumbarton to the northern tip of Loch Lomond . The city itself was awarded Small Burgh status. With the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 , the Scottish administrative system was reformed again. County Dunbarton became District Dunbarton, now as part of the newly established Strathclyde Region . The previous local system of burghs and districts disappeared, and their tasks were now transferred to the new, enlarged districts and regions. In May 1975 these changes were implemented, both the City Council and the District Council of Helensburgh dissolved. Instead, a Community Council was set up, which by law is mainly assigned an advisory role.

With the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 , the previously existing dual structure of regions and districts was abolished and instead Unitary Authorities were set up in which all municipal and regional areas of responsibility were bundled. Helensburgh was assigned to the newly created UA Argyll and Bute , which also meant that the city was administratively separated from Dunbarton for the first time in its history.

At the municipal level, Helensburgh now forms an independent Community Council Area , which, in addition to the actual city, also includes the sparsely populated area to the east, which did not belong to the historical area of ​​the Burgh, but was part of the adjacent Parish of Cardross . There was an independent Colgrain Community Council until the 2000s . The largest settlement in this area is Craigendoran, which has now grown together with Helensburgh.

traffic

Helensburgh has three stations on two different railway lines. The station Helensburgh Central as a terminal station is one of the two endpoints of the western North Clyde Line , Helensburgh Upper is on the coming of the North West Highland Line . Both routes unite in the Craigendoran station on the eastern outskirts , although the West Highland Line trains do not stop there, and continue via Glasgow to Edinburgh . While around half a dozen pairs of trips are offered daily on the West Highland Line, trains on the North Clyde Line run every half hour . Helensburgh Upper is also a stop for the Caledonian Sleeper , a night train between Fort William and London .

Until April 2012 there was a regular ferry service from Helensburgh over the Gare Loch to Kilcreggan at the end of the Rosneath Peninsula and further over the Firth of Clyde to Gourock in Inverclyde , but was then reduced to the section from Kilcreggan to Gourock for reasons of profitability.

In the summer months of Helensburgh Pier is within the scope of excursions from the Waverley , the last still-active ocean-going paddle paddle steamer , driven.

Sons and daughters

literature

Web links

Commons : Helensburgh  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Information from the Scottish Parliament
  2. ^ Robert Chapman: The Picture of Glasgow or Strangers Guide. New, Enlarged Edition, Glasgow 1812, page 257. Available online from Google Books, right by the page
  3. ^ Portrait of Henry Bell on the Helensburgh Heroes website, accessed July 17, 2013
  4. ↑ a b Donald Fullarton: Helensburgh Town Council on the website of the Helensburgh Heritage History Association , accessed on July 18, 2013 (English)
  5. ↑ Donald Fullarton: Architect who designed burgh on the website of the Helensburgh Heritage history association, accessed on July 24, 2013 (English)
  6. ↑ Alistair Mcintyre: The story of Helensburgh's piers on the website of the Helensburgh Heritage history association , accessed on July 18, 2013 (English)
  7. ↑ Helensburgh and Lomond Highland Games Official website of the event, accessed on July 20, 2013.
  8. ↑ Helensburgh Families Center on the Royal Navy website, accessed July 15, 2013
  9. ↑ Aberdeen tops the table in Scotland . Bank of Scotland press release of December 26, 2006 on the website of the information portal easier.com, accessed on July 17, 2013
  10. ↑ List of Service Points on the Argyll and Bute Unitary Authority website, accessed July 17, 2013
  11. ^ A b Helensburgh Vision Steering Group: A Vision for Helensburgh. Strategy paper from July 2004, available online ( memento of the original from March 20, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on the website of the Helensburgh Community Council, PDF, 270kB. Accessed July 22, 2013 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.helensburghcommunitycouncil.co.uk
  12. ↑ Official website of the Helensburgh & District Access Trust for the hiking trail ( Memento of the original from November 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed on July 25, 2013 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.threelochsway.co.uk
  13. ↑ Helensburgh West Bay Esplanade and Transforming the Town Center Information about the project on the website of the Unitary Authority of Argyll and Bute, accessed on July 18, 2013 (English)
  14. ↑ Helensburgh Masterplan on the website of the Unitary Authority of Argyll and Bute, accessed on July 18, 2013 (English)
  15. ↑ Representation of the boundaries on the UA Argyll and Bute map server ( Memento of the original from August 16, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed July 13, 2013 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.argyll-bute.gov.uk
  16. ↑ Timetable of the route 2012/13 ( Memento of the original from December 28, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on the website of the operating company Scotrail , accessed on July 17, 2013 (English) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.scotrail.co.uk
  17. ↑ Timetable of the route 2012/13 ( Memento of the original from February 18, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on the website of the operating company First ScotRail, accessed on July 17, 2013 (English) @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.scotrail.co.uk
  18. ↑ Timetable of the train on the Scotrail website, accessed on July 17, 2013 (English)
  19. ↑ Vivienne Nicoll: End of line for ferries to Helensburgh . Evening Standard, January 18, 2012, accessed July 15, 2013
  20. ^ Damien Henderson: Steep fall in passengers using downgraded Kilcreggan ferry . The Herald, September 10, 2012, accessed July 15, 2013