Glasgow

The oldest surviving house in Glasgow - largely thanks to the medieval city being demolished right into the late 1970s.

Visited ? - A. R. Somerville

Visited 09 May 2004 - Author

Possibly the least inspiring dial on this website - it's small, almost out of sight and not at all adventurous. However, it is practical, utilitarian and would have been of tremendous use before the widespread use of clocks or watches. I wouldn't suggest going far out of your way to see it but then there are so many interesting things nearby in Glasgow city centre that you won't have to. If nothing else it is directly opposite the medieval cathedral and the museum of religion (somewhere I've never been into as I can't stand its fake architectural blend of historicism).

Clergymen associated with the Cathedral were entitled to a prebend, a portion of the revenue from the Cathedral lands. It is believed that Provand's Lordship was one of the prebendery manses connected with the Cathedral, and was occupied by the lord of the Prebend of Barlanark. The lord of the church estate of Barlanark was also lord of Provan(d), and gave the name to the building.

After the Reformation, the Catholic clergy fled Glasgow and the church lands were redistributed. By 1848 the old manse housed a pub, and it was to become the home of a grocery shop. The lean-to on the side of the house was built to accommodate Glasgow's hangman, when public executions were held in the ruins of the Bishop's Palace in the 1780s. It was subsequently occupied by a barber before it was removed some time before 1900.

www.theglasgowstory.com