The History of Blairtummock House

Blairtummock House is a country house or villa.  The structure includes an 18th century block, with 19th century and Edwardian additions.  

To the east of the house is a walled garden with an 18th century pedimented garden pavilion which was originally a porch from a house in Glasgow's Queen Street.

When first built, Blairtummock was located in a rural setting with grounds extending down towards the Monkland Canal (as can be seen in the artist's impression, left).  After the second World War, Glasgow Corporation acquired Blairtummock and its 103 acres by compulsory purchase.  By the 1960's, the house was surrounded by local authority housing.

Around 1980, the Monkland Canal was drained and replaced by the M8 motorway, on approximately the same line.  The grounds between the House and the motorway to the south were re-landscaped with bowling greens and a play area. 

Blairtummock House was listed as a Category B structure in 1990 by Historic Scotland.  As well as the main building, the listing specifically mentions the walled garden and garden pavilion.

The Monklands, in which Blairtummock is located, consisted of lands granted to the Cistercian monks of Newbattle in 1162.  Although some mining was carried out under the monks’ ownership, the parish was essentially rural up to the 18th century. 

The area was transformed by the Industrial Revolution as the Monklands became the industrial powerhouse of Scotland.   The Monklands Canal, opened in the late 1770s to facilitate coal transport, acted as a great stimulant to mining and later iron manufacture.  

Vast fortunes were gained, and this is reflected in the architectural development of the villas and mansions of the 19th century iron and coal masters.  20th century industrial decline was gradual, but after World War II most of these mansions fell into disrepair and were demolished.

The area was comprehensively re- developed during the post-war period as part of the Greater Glasgow creation of new settlements on the outskirts of the city, including Easterhouse.