Everything about North Kelvinside totally explained
North Kelvinside (also referred to as
North Kelvin) (
Cealbhainn a Tuath in Gaelic) is a middle-class residential district of the
Scottish city of
Glasgow.
It is usually regarded as a subdistrict of
Maryhill, sharing its
G20 postcode, as well as its
House of Commons electoral constituency prior to incorporation into
Glasgow North in 2004. However, North Kelvinside was never a part of
Maryhill Police Burgh prior to its incorporation into Glasgow in 1912 and the area is markedly different socially and architecturally.
North Kelvinside was originally part of a country estate, which became enveloped by the surrounding city. As a result, many buildings date from the early twentieth century. It is located on the northern edge of Glasgow's west end and its southern boundary is marked by the
River Kelvin. It is close to the
Glasgow Botanic Gardens, the
BBC building on Queen Margaret Drive, and in the vicinity of the
University of Glasgow, although all are actually outwith the North Kelvinside area itself. Being close to Glasgow University many students and academics live in the area.
Kelvinside House was the property of
Lord Provost Sir James Campbell, and was located in the area that's now North Kelvinside. It was there that his son, the future Prime Minister Sir
Henry Campbell-Bannerman was born
1836.
North Kelvinside isn't directly north of the more upmarket area
Kelvinside, which is mainly located to the west. Rather, the area is so named because it's located on the north bank of the River Kelvin. The housing is comprised mainly of
tenements, although there are also some grander villa-type buildings, converted Victorian townhouses, pre-industrial cottages and a small, well-maintained (now mainly ex-)council estate. The area has a reputation for being quiet and tranquil, despite its central location. Unusually, it's impossible to fully traverse the district by car in any direction, due in part to its extremely hilly topography, and to a system of road-blocks designed to combat
ratrunning.
Architecturally significant buildings in the area include the Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church (JJ Stevenson, 1898),
Alexander 'Greek' Thompson's Sixty Steps (1872), and
Gillespie, Kidd & Coia's St. Charles Parish Church (1959), noted for its
hyperbolic paraboloid concrete roof and
Stations of the Cross sculptures by
Benno Schotz. The area also contains the pub where the famous 'balcony' scene in the film
Trainspotting was shot, the beautiful Kelvin walkway along the banks of the eponymous river, linking Kelvingrove Park and the Botanic Gardens, and the tiny North Star cafe, a bohemian hang-out. The area has relatively few retail or leisure facilities, but is within easy walking distance of the numerous shops, pubs and restaurants on Great Western and Byres Roads.
Famous current or former residents include the actor
Robbie Coltrane, director
Lynne Ramsay, screenwriter and playwright
Peter McDougall, members of the rock band
Teenage Fanclub, TV interior designers
Justin Ryan and
Colin McAllister, Ian Davidson MP and former Maryhill MP, Maria Fyfe.
There was a
North Kelvinside Secondary School that served most of the
Maryhill district of Glasgow. However, the school was closed and the vast majority of the pupil's transferred to
Cleveden Secondary School in the
Kelvindale area on the other side of the River Kelvin to the west. Former famous pupils include actor Robert Carlyle and 80's pop-star Jimmy Somerville.
Just south of the area is
Hillhead, which forms the heart of Glasgow's west end, and to the north is Maryhill. To the west are
Kelvindale and
Kelvinside, and to the east
Firhill and
Woodside.
The district, along with Firhill and Murano Street Student Village, is served by North Kelvin Community Council.
Image:NK1sixtysteps.JPG|Detail of Retaining Wall at the 'Sixty Steps'
Image:NK3Stcharlesparishchurch.JPG|St Charles Parish Church
Image:NK2Kelvin_Stevenson_Memorial_Church.JPG|Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church
Further Information
Get more info on 'North Kelvinside'.
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