Kelvingrove Park
Encyclopedia
Kelvingrove Park is a public park located on the River Kelvin
in the West End of the city of Glasgow
, Scotland
, containing the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
.
, Head Gardener at Chatsworth House
, whose other works included The Crystal Palace
in London
. The Town Council had purchased the land, which formerly represented the Kelvingrove and Woodlands estates, that year for the sum of £99,569, around £8million today. The park was intended to provide for the continued expansion of the city to the west, providing relaxation and recreation opportunities for the new middle class to the west, and an escape from the rapid slumming of the city centre for those left behind.
and the 1911 Scottish Exhibition
. Large, impressive buildings were constructed in the park for the International Exhibitions, including a large Indian pavilion where the Art Gallery now stands, and a Russian restaurant building. These, however, have since been demolished. The Doulton Fountain at Glasgow Green
was originally situated in the park for the 1888 Exhibition but was later relocated.
shortly before the river's confluence with the Clyde
, and as such is an urban haven for wildlife. Birds found in the area include the grey heron
, cormorant
, and kingfisher
, the mallard
and goosander
, and other animals include the red fox
, brown rat
and otter
s. The park is flanked to the West by Gilmorehill and the University of Glasgow
, to the South by Partick
and Anderston
, to the East by Charing Cross
and to the North by Hillhead
and Woodlands
. This central location makes it a popular route for commuters to the city centre, leading quickly from the West End to Charing Cross whilst avoiding traffic. The park is also popular with dog-walkers, and students from the University.
Kelvingrove sits around the contours of a large hill, on which is sited the Park district of Glasgow. This was formerly a highly desirable residential area before falling out of fashion and being taken over mostly for office space and student accommodation. However, recent high-class residential developments there have made living in the area much more appealing. The area is also home to 22 Park Circus
, the city's registry office
, and to the Glasgow branch of the Goethe-Institut
, a German
culture institution.
Kelvinbridge subway station
and bus routes provide access to the park.
, skatepark
, bowling
and croquet
greens, and various statues and monuments. The largest monument is the Stewart Memorial Fountain, built to commemorate Lord Provost Robert Stewart (1851–1854) and his achievement of providing the city with fresh water from Loch Katrine
. The fountain was built in 1872 to a design by James Sellars, who later designed the nearby St. Luke's Orthodox Cathedral
and Kelvinside Academy
. It is built of granite, sandstone, marble and bronze, features imagery of the Trossachs, and is topped by a figure of Sir Walter Scott
's Lady of the Lake
. The fountain is currently undergoing a half-million pound refurbishment supported by the City Council, Glasgow City Heritage Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund
and Scottish Water
.
The park also contains statues of physicist Lord Kelvin
, writer Thomas Carlyle
, Field Marshal Lord Roberts
and chemist Joseph Lister
, as well as memorials to local regiments the Cameronians and the Highland Light Infantry
. The park is popular with dog-walkers and joggers
, and is convenient for tourists, being adjacent to Kelvin Hall
Sports Arena, on the opposite side of Argyle Street. The park also contains the recently renovated world-renowned Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
.
Rock Concerts. It was also used for charity fundraising concerts such as the 'Woodlands Fun Days for Children' with Yorkhill Hospital's Radio Lollipop between 1993 and 98.
Scottish bands and musicians such as Belle & Sebastian
, Teenage Fanclub
, Franz Ferdinand
, Eddi Reader
, Carol Laula and Horse have all expressed support for the restoration of Kelvingrove Park's Bandstand. MSP Pauline McNeill also presented a motion to the Scottish Parliament about the bandstand restoration.
River Kelvin
The Kelvin rises on watershed of Scotland on the moor south east of the village of Banton, east of Kilsyth - . At almost 22 miles long, it initially flows south to Dullatur Bog where it falls into a man made trench and takes a ninety degree turn flowing west along the northern boundary of the bog...
in the West End of the city of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, containing the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. The building houses one of Europe's great civic art collections...
.
History
Kelvingrove was originally created as the West End Park in 1852 by noted English gardener Sir Joseph PaxtonJoseph Paxton
Sir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
, Head Gardener at Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is a stately home in North Derbyshire, England, northeast of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield . It is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, and has been home to his family, the Cavendish family, since Bess of Hardwick settled at Chatsworth in 1549.Standing on the east bank of the...
, whose other works included The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The Town Council had purchased the land, which formerly represented the Kelvingrove and Woodlands estates, that year for the sum of £99,569, around £8million today. The park was intended to provide for the continued expansion of the city to the west, providing relaxation and recreation opportunities for the new middle class to the west, and an escape from the rapid slumming of the city centre for those left behind.
The Great Exhibitions
The park has been the site of three exhibitions: the 1888 International Exhibition, the 1901 International ExhibitionGlasgow International Exhibition (1901)
The Glasgow International Exhibition was the second of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Summary:...
and the 1911 Scottish Exhibition
Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry
The Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry was the third of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Summary:...
. Large, impressive buildings were constructed in the park for the International Exhibitions, including a large Indian pavilion where the Art Gallery now stands, and a Russian restaurant building. These, however, have since been demolished. The Doulton Fountain at Glasgow Green
Glasgow Green
Glasgow Green is a park situated in the east end of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde. It is the oldest park in the city dating back to the 15th century.In 1450, King James II granted the land to Bishop William Turnbull and the people of Glasgow...
was originally situated in the park for the 1888 Exhibition but was later relocated.
Location and features
The park is 34 ha (85 acres) in size, and located in the West End of Glasgow. It straddles the River KelvinRiver Kelvin
The Kelvin rises on watershed of Scotland on the moor south east of the village of Banton, east of Kilsyth - . At almost 22 miles long, it initially flows south to Dullatur Bog where it falls into a man made trench and takes a ninety degree turn flowing west along the northern boundary of the bog...
shortly before the river's confluence with the Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
, and as such is an urban haven for wildlife. Birds found in the area include the grey heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
, cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
, and kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
, the mallard
Mallard
The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
and goosander
Common Merganser
The Common Merganser or Goosander Mergus merganser is a large duck, of rivers and lakes of forested areas of Europe, northern and central Asia, and North America. It eats fish and nests in holes in trees...
, and other animals include the red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
, brown rat
Brown Rat
The brown rat, common rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat, Brown Norway rat, Norwegian rat, or wharf rat is one of the best known and most common rats....
and otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s. The park is flanked to the West by Gilmorehill and the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
, to the South by Partick
Partick
Partick is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch. Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city.-History:...
and Anderston
Anderston
Anderston is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is on the north bank of the River Clyde and extends to the western edge of the city centre...
, to the East by Charing Cross
Charing Cross, Glasgow
Charing Cross is a major road junction in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde on Sauchiehall Street, at a major interchange of the M8 motorway. Formerly the gateway from the shopping area of Sauchiehall Street to the more prosperous Woodlands area, its...
and to the North by Hillhead
Hillhead
Hillhead is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Kelvingrove Park and to the south of the River Kelvin, Hillhead is at the heart of Glasgow's fashionable West End, with Byres Road forming the western border of the area, the other boundaries being Dumbarton Road to the south and the...
and Woodlands
Woodlands, Glasgow
Woodlands is a residential area in the west-end of Glasgow, Scotland. It is to the east of Hillhead, the south of Maryhill and Woodside, and north of the city's Park District...
. This central location makes it a popular route for commuters to the city centre, leading quickly from the West End to Charing Cross whilst avoiding traffic. The park is also popular with dog-walkers, and students from the University.
Kelvingrove sits around the contours of a large hill, on which is sited the Park district of Glasgow. This was formerly a highly desirable residential area before falling out of fashion and being taken over mostly for office space and student accommodation. However, recent high-class residential developments there have made living in the area much more appealing. The area is also home to 22 Park Circus
22 Park Circus, Glasgow
22 Park Circus is a townhouse in Glasgow, Scotland, housing the city's register office.-Construction:The house forms part of Park Circus, the focal point of the formerly-residential Park district of the West End of the city...
, the city's registry office
Register office
A register office is a British term for a civil registry, a government office and depository where births, deaths and marriages are officially recorded and where you can get officially married, without a religious ceremony...
, and to the Glasgow branch of the Goethe-Institut
Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German...
, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
culture institution.
Kelvinbridge subway station
Kelvinbridge subway station
Kelvinbridge subway station serves the Woodlands, Woodside and Hillhead areas of Glasgow, Scotland. It is named after the bridge crossing the River Kelvin, next to the station...
and bus routes provide access to the park.
Monuments
Kelvingrove contains a bandstandBandstand
A bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
, skatepark
Skatepark
A skatepark is a purpose-built recreational environment made for skateboarding, BMX, aggressive inline skating and scooters. A skatepark may contain half-pipes, quarter pipes, spine transfers, handrails, funboxes, vert ramps, pyramids, banked ramps, full pipes, pools, bowls, snake runs stairsets,...
, bowling
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
and croquet
Croquet
Croquet is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a competitive sport. It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing court.-History:...
greens, and various statues and monuments. The largest monument is the Stewart Memorial Fountain, built to commemorate Lord Provost Robert Stewart (1851–1854) and his achievement of providing the city with fresh water from Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine
Loch Katrine is a freshwater loch in the district of Stirling, Scotland. It is roughly 8 miles long by 2/3 of a mile wide and runs the length of Strath Gartney...
. The fountain was built in 1872 to a design by James Sellars, who later designed the nearby St. Luke's Orthodox Cathedral
St Luke's Orthodox Cathedral, Glasgow
St. Luke's Greek Orthodox Cathedral is a cathedral of the Greek Orthodox Church located in the Dowanhill district of Glasgow, Scotland.-Belhaven U.P. Church:...
and Kelvinside Academy
Kelvinside Academy
Kelvinside Academy is a private school in the City of Glasgow, Scotland, founded in 1878. It has a capacity of 640 pupils and spans two years of Junior Start , six years of Junior School , and seven years of Senior School , comprising fifteen years in all...
. It is built of granite, sandstone, marble and bronze, features imagery of the Trossachs, and is topped by a figure of Sir Walter Scott
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
's Lady of the Lake
The Lady of the Lake (poem)
The Lady of the Lake is a narrative poem by Sir Walter Scott, first published in 1810. Set in the Trossachs region of Scotland, it is composed of six cantos, each of which concerns the action of a single day...
. The fountain is currently undergoing a half-million pound refurbishment supported by the City Council, Glasgow City Heritage Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
and Scottish Water
Scottish Water
Scottish Water is a statutory corporation in Scotland that provides water and sewerage services. Unlike in England and Wales, water and sewerage provision in Scotland continues as a public corporation accountable to the public through the Scottish Government....
.
The park also contains statues of physicist Lord Kelvin
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin OM, GCVO, PC, PRS, PRSE, was a mathematical physicist and engineer. At the University of Glasgow he did important work in the mathematical analysis of electricity and formulation of the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and did much to unify the emerging...
, writer Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher during the Victorian era.He called economics "the dismal science", wrote articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, and became a controversial social commentator.Coming from a strict Calvinist family, Carlyle was...
, Field Marshal Lord Roberts
Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts
Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Bt, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, PC was a distinguished Indian born British soldier who regarded himself as Anglo-Irish and one of the most successful British commanders of the 19th century.-Early life:Born at Cawnpore, India, on...
and chemist Joseph Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister
Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister OM, FRS, PC , known as Sir Joseph Lister, Bt., between 1883 and 1897, was a British surgeon and a pioneer of antiseptic surgery, who promoted the idea of sterile surgery while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary...
, as well as memorials to local regiments the Cameronians and the Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
. The park is popular with dog-walkers and joggers
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
, and is convenient for tourists, being adjacent to Kelvin Hall
Kelvin Hall
The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, is a mixed-use arts and sports venue that opened as an exhibition centre in 1927. It has been a music hall, indoor arena and barrage balloon factory, and is currently home to the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena and from 1987 to 2010, Glasgow's Museum of...
Sports Arena, on the opposite side of Argyle Street. The park also contains the recently renovated world-renowned Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a museum and art gallery in Glasgow, Scotland. The building houses one of Europe's great civic art collections...
.
Bandstand
The bandstand within the park was built in 1924 and designed by James Millar. It was a popular location for outdoor music until it became neglected and vandalised around 1995. It played host to thousands of events from military bands to old-time Music Hall acts, Glasgow's first-ever Steel Band Festival to the Radio ClydeRadio Clyde
Radio Clyde is a division of Bauer Radio based in Glasgow, Scotland. They currently operate an FM station and an AM station from studios in Clydebank West Dunbartonshire.- History :...
Rock Concerts. It was also used for charity fundraising concerts such as the 'Woodlands Fun Days for Children' with Yorkhill Hospital's Radio Lollipop between 1993 and 98.
Scottish bands and musicians such as Belle & Sebastian
Belle & Sebastian
Belle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
, Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub
Teenage Fanclub are an alternative rock band from Bellshill, Scotland. The band is composed of Norman Blake , Raymond McGinley , Gerard Love and Francis MacDonald , with songwriting duties shared equally among Blake, McGinley and Love...
, Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
, Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader MBE is a Scottish singer-songwriter, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career. She is the recipient of three BRIT Awards and has topped both the album and singles charts...
, Carol Laula and Horse have all expressed support for the restoration of Kelvingrove Park's Bandstand. MSP Pauline McNeill also presented a motion to the Scottish Parliament about the bandstand restoration.
Trivia
- The poet, Lyle, wrote a song about the park, entitled Kelvin Grove.
- The Belle & SebastianBelle & SebastianBelle and Sebastian are an indie pop band formed in Glasgow in January 1996. Belle and Sebastian are often compared with influential indie bands such as The Smiths, as well as classic acts such as Love, Bob Dylan and Nick Drake. The name Belle & Sebastian comes from Belle et Sébastien, a 1965...
song Like Dylan in the Movies was written after a bout of paranoia suffered by the lead singer of the band, Stuart MurdochStuart Murdoch (musician)Stuart Lee Murdoch is a Scottish musician, and the lead singer and songwriter for the indie pop band Belle & Sebastian. The majority of his childhood was spent a stone's throw from the birthplace of Robert Burns in Alloway, Ayr until he left school and attended university in...
, when walking through the park. The band record in the nearby CaVa StudiosCaVa StudiosCa Va Studios or Ca Va Sound is a professional recording studio at 30 Bentinck Street, Kelvingrove in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland.Situated in the former Kelvingrove Church, the studios began in 1974 and since then have recorded some of the biggest names on the UK and international music scene...
. - Much of Alasdair GrayAlasdair GrayAlasdair Gray is a Scottish writer and artist. His most acclaimed work is his first novel Lanark, published in 1981 and written over a period of almost 30 years...
's novel Poor ThingsPoor ThingsPoor Things is a novel by Scottish writer Alasdair Gray, published in 1992. It won the Whitbread Novel Award in 1992 and the Guardian Fiction Prize for 1992....
takes place in and around the park. - The Glasgow UniversityUniversity of GlasgowThe University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
physicist, William Thomson, was raised to the peerage as Baron Kelvin in 1892, which title derived from the river. - The BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
suburb of Kelvin GroveKelvin Grove, QueenslandKelvin Grove is an inner northern suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia located approximately 3 km from the CBD. This hilly suburb takes its name from Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow, Scotland. It is primarily residential with tree-lined streets and some commercial and light industrial...
was named after the park