Description

The monument consists of a canal basin complex and a short stretch of canal, both now disused and cut off from the rest of the canal network. The canal basin, called Port Dundas, was opened in 1790 as an extension to the Glasgow Branch of the Forth and Clyde Canal. The site was originally scheduled in 1999, including land that has been redeveloped as industrial units: the present rescheduling rectifies this.

The canal basin complex, when constructed, comprised two unequal-sized basins. Only the smaller basin remains in water; the larger basin (the so-called "Timber Basin") was infilled in this century and capped with a concrete surface. The three early 19th century bascule bridges giving access to the island wharves have been removed. A fourth bascule bridge (refurbished in 1996) survives at the north end of Mid Wharf Street, as does a late 19th century railway swing bridge beside it.

The area to be scheduled is irregular in shape, with maximum dimensions of 276m from its northernmost to southernmost points and 480m between its most easterly and westerly points, and comprises all the canal basin and canal still in water, the infilled Timber Basin, and adjacent land up to 2m from the water's edge, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. All of the land below the water defining the canal basin is included, as is the one surviving bascule bridge at Mid Wharf Street, and the railway swing bridge also at Mid Wharf Street.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it was the main canal basin complex in the heart of Glasgow. Opened in 1790, Port Dundas soon became the focus of an area of intensive industrial and commercial activity, replacing the older Hamiltonhill Basin, a little to the NW. Although the larger of the two canal basins has been infilled, the entire complex survives, much of it in water, making it one of only three canal basin complexes remaining in Scotland. As such, it enhances the understanding of early modern transport systems, and the development and location of industry in general.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NS 56 NE 217.01.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland