Gallowgate Barracks

The barracks, often referred to as Glasgow Barracks, were built in 1795 at a cost of £15,000, and could accommodate up to 1,000 men. Before their construction, soldiers had been billeted with the town's inhabitants. The buildings were erected on the site of the city butts, where the burghers of medieval Glasgow had practised archery and were required to gather at the time of the wapinshaws (weapon shows), to present their arms and armour for inspection. The newly opened Barrack Street was its eastern boundary. It is unclear as to whether the land had been owned by the 'Town and University' and was sold to the Government for a token payment, or if the military were only allowed the use of the land, not sold it, and that it should have been returned to the original owners after it was no longer required. Historians noted that people were suspicious of the Government's motives for establishing military barracks throughout the country. This was a time of great concern for the Government. Social unrest throughout Europe had culminated in the French Revolution of 1789 and the ensuing war with France and there had been riots in the area during the Weavers Strike of 1787.[1]

By the mid-19th century, the buildings were in a dire condition. Such was the spread of disease due to soldiers sleeping with the "sporting ladies" of the town that certain wards of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary were used only to treat the military.[14] This, and the "exceptional depravity" of the area, was given as one of the reasons for the re-location of the barracks, but the University had already moved from the area because the Gallowgate was an unhealthy place to live. In 1872 new barracks were opened on Maryhill Road.[15]

The Gallowgate Barracks fell into dereliction after new quarters were built in Maryhill. Despite hopes that the War Office would hand back the barracks to the city to be utilised as an open garden space, they were sold to a railway company in 1889 for use as a railway goods yard.[16]

A rifle range consisting of a series of brick walls/foundations with sand pits dug out of the concrete floor behind the walls was located in the South Tunnel. The rifle range in the tunnel was in use throughout the seventies and eighties by a civilian rifle and pistol club and was entered through a small door in the perimeter wall in Barrack Street.[17]

• Delavoye, Alexander Marin (1880). Records of the 90th Regiment, (Perthshire Light Infantry); with roll of officers from 1795 to 1880. Richardson & Co.