Would be nice to see some pictures from around Scotland of lost architecture, townscape etc - I'll start of with a few.

Edinburgh. This is possibly one of the biggest losses, although I'm not sure how long these beautiful roofs would have survived with junkies throwing themselves off the Waverley occasionally.

http://www.oldukphotos.com/graphics/Scotland%20Photos/Edinburghshire,%20Edinburgh,%20Princes%20Street%20looking%20East.jpg

St Enoch's Hotel, Glasgow.

http://www.oldukphotos.com/graphics/Scotland%20Photos/Scotland,%20Lanarkshire,%20Glasgow,%20St%20Enoch%27s%20Station.jpg

The old weather station on top of Ben Nevis - goes without saying, the highest postcode in the UK.

http://www.oldukphotos.com/graphics/Scotland%20Photos/Inverness-shire,%20Ben%20Nevis.jpg

The drawbridge of Inverness, with Queen Mary's house in the background (quite a lot of Inverness' density was lost in the 60s by the percieved 'progress' of the Bridge Street and Church Street redevelopment)

http://www.oldukphotos.com/graphics/Scotland%20Photos/Inverness-shire,%20Inverness%20Castle%20and%20Bridge.jpg

Royal Arch of Dundee :no:

http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/dundee1.jpg

In Glasgow the M8 construction and the CDA's (Comprehensive Development Areas) of the 1960-70's swept away too much to mention.

If I had to choose one area looking at what is there now versus what was there previously I think it would need to be St Georges Cross.

http://i46.tinypic.com/25qbvkg.jpg

What was a major thoroughfare with bustling street-scape has turned into a life less soulless back water.

http://i46.tinypic.com/2egfexg.jpg

In Edinburgh for me it would need to be what is now the St James Centre. (Photo courtesy Edinburgh Evening News)

http://i49.tinypic.com/1zdbx2s.jpg

http://i45.tinypic.com/351a6a9.jpg

In my own hometown, what probably would have been the best streetscape in the town leading from Kilmarnock Cross to the Palace Theatre (the name of the street eludes me)...

http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/viki1/cross.jpg

...swept away and replaced with the almighty big red 'megastructure' visible below (looking in the opposite direction, the tower of the theatre visible above still luckily exists below left but cut off by a one-way road and accessed by a dank underpass)

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_ENX_xZqSH-U/R_-yH-azUMI/AAAAAAAAAtY/wxl8wkVFPaU/s640/Burns%20Mall.JPG

We still have Bank Street and John Finnie Street and the Cross and main shopping streets have since been pedestrianized, so it ain't all bad news.

Greenock town centre used to have great symmetry to it. Cathcart St, Hamilton St and West Blackhall St formed one thoroughfare from the Docks in the east to the Esplanade in the west.

This is Hamilton St at the heart of the town centre

http://www.greenock-town.co.uk/images/hamilton-street-1.jpg Looking east with Victoria Tower perched in the sky above.

http://www.greenock-town.co.uk/images/hamilton-street-2.jpg
Looking west towards the lovely spires of the west end.

Hamilton St is now a piddly wee covered shopping mall. So after 5 o'clock, traversing the town centre is unpleasant - thru carparks, loading bays and concrete underpasses.

It's disgusting what they did to Greenock.

http://i49.tinypic.com/1zdbx2s.jpg

Interesting pic, that - the roofless shell at the bottom left is presumably the burnt-out remains of the Theatre Royal, whose auditorium was gutted by fire in 1946. Interesting to see that the safety curtain did its job and saved the stage house, for all the good that did!

Of course, Edinburgh lost this wee gem

http://members.fortunecity.com/gillonj/edinburghskineticsculpture/

:)

Interesting choice BC :yes:

What about this geezer?

'I hope the day is near at hand,
When strong drink will be banished from our land'.

http://www.scotstext.org/images/william_mcgonagall.jpg
Photo from www.scotstext.org

Certainly a significant part of Dundee's townscape in the late 19th Century by all accounts!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Hamilton_Palace_II.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Hamiltonpalacemorris_edited.jpg

Gah!

http://hamilton.rcahms.gov.uk/

The unusual Tudor mansion style Keil House in Southend, Argyll built in 1875 and designed by Campbell Douglas.

It became Keil School and burned to the ground with the school reloacting to another building in Dumbarton in 1925.

http://i30.tinypic.com/2nai9oj.gif

http://i26.tinypic.com/309341c.jpg

The remains are still visible.

http://i31.tinypic.com/erjton.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Hamilton_Palace_II.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Hamiltonpalacemorris_edited.jpg

Gah!

http://hamilton.rcahms.gov.uk/

Such a great loss

elgin cathedral. tragic loss :( makes me glad that the english reformation wasn't as violent as the scottish one - only one single cathedral was lost in england.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/5398ElginCathedral_pic1.jpg

Jesus H! Now THAT is a loss. Cheers for that Goth.

Another huge loss is Urquhart Castle (although it still makes a fantastic ruin) - yet another building lost through the turbulance of the 17th and 18th centuries.

http://www.historyandlegends.com/UrquhartCastleasitoncestood.jpg

[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Hamiltonpalacemorris_edited.jpg

Gah!

http://hamilton.rcahms.gov.uk/

Stunning. Would have made a fantastic university or the like.

Lost Scotland?

That title prompts lots and lots of worrying thoughts. These include:

The Antonine Wall. (The point at which the masssive, innovative and bullish Roman Empire said "stop"; Scotland would be going too far. Which we neglect to the point of denial).

Cullodden. Nothing to see, everything to understand.

Mary Queen vs Elizabeth Queen? (we can still learn everything about our internal differences from the sisters).

The Railways of Scotland (from Invergarry to Riccarton, why has rail been so vigourously LOST? And denied.) Now nothing (much) to see.

Shale bings. (In trying to deny the past, they're now visual art, though formerly the detritus of miserable and fatal hard labour, which even produced poor benefit to their owners). Everything still to see, and nothing to understand.

The massive sprawling Mental Sanatoria that only Scotland could establish and then deny. (You only had to be an unmarried Scottish mother to be condemned to one of these enormous but invisible gothic prison-worlds-within-Scotland). This is probably my favourite "Lost Scotland" denial.

Scotland's historic bond with alcoholism. Not really lost, but re-described to such an extent that distilling is proclaimed as key driver of regeneration, while health care for alcoholics struggles and hides from view.

Retained History vs Heritage industry. Does anyone really believe that by retaining cobbled streets in Edinburgh New Town (or anywhere else) we're not actually being deceitful about the past? That it wasn't about cobblestones and communal stairs, but about health and disease, washing places and filth, poverty and oppulence, and inability to access the education we now pretend was available.

If we loose much more of Scotland then I'm actually going to start believing the crap about how great everything is, was and always has been. I'm not a good historian, but I think can recognise the difference between the lost past available to researchers and the manufactured past available to consumers.
[Ah, never mind. Pass me another shiny plastic bottle of Highland Spring water, please. Ah. Lovely.]

Well, well DXNEW that was an interesting take on this thread :yes: - you really think that we try to paint the past as such an idyllic time? From what I can remember in school, we were constantly reminded of how shit everything was.

you really think that we try to paint the past as such an idyllic time?No, that's not quite my view.
I make a distinction between romanticising the past (which many other cultures and groups do too, especialy through their tourist industries), and denying the past.
It just takes some careless forgetfulness to forget the past, but it requires a more institutionalised committment to deny the past).

If I stick with my prime example of the Mental Institutions (and I'm old enough to remember visiting "patients" in 3 of them), we haven't romanticised them or their inmates at all. My claim is that we're in denial. Its as if these grand buildings either idn't exit or were something more charitable.

Or the shale bings. I don't think we romanticise them either, but then I'm not sure if we're also trying to deny them to some extent. I do feel they kind of disappear from view by their very plain-ness. We could be doing all sorts of creative stuff with them (as we do with new builds), but we don't. It seems we want them to become unnoticed.

The lack of promotion of the Antonine Wall is truly amazing. Anywhere else, a roman ruin of such significance would be marketed more agressively - and might be hyped into something greater and "more amazing" than it is or was. It just seems to be overlooked (not that I'm in any hurry to return to Bearsden either).

Oh, and how could I forget them? The tenements. I was criticised recently for exagerating the extent of their clearance around the M74-M8 link. I don't think I was wrong, I just had a longer memory. I'd often visited rellies in some of them (near the Coliseum. I'm sure it was there the last time I looked.). But the few tenements that remain don't tell the story. Their human Lost Scotland includes the net curtains on the doors, the smell on the cold stone common stairs, the glistening stone where it had been scrubbed daily, the flimsy iron handrails, the cheap peeling whitewash/paint, the taught wires suspended between any available anchor which clothes would be hung on to dry, the polished brasses, the little stove in the corner (and knowing how to feed a family on it, using only basic ingredients), the condensation and the rubbish. The contrast between the external display of poshness and the crap and rubbish we all produce was brought into a lovely contrast in the high-density tenements. That's another Great Lost Scotland. But I'll never forget their smell!

(near the Coliseum. I'm sure it was there the last time I looked.)

Nope, demolished after the usual fire last year.

I think I know what you mean, DX. I visited Summerlee Heritage Park yesterday, first time I'd been there since it was revamped.

I have a hard time reconciling the notion of Scotland as having once produced vast quantities of raw materials and tangible heavy goods, of the millions of jobs such industries supported, with the poor working and living conditions I have no doubt existed for many at those times. Is that better than today's zero-hours contract service economy, where it's pretty much impossible to buy anything made in Scotland other than a can of Irn Bru and a Tunnocks teacake? Will there ever be museums in the future showcasing the call centre as a proud tradition?

Hmm, I've perhaps had one too many Innis & Gunns tonight (now there IS a fine Scottish product!)...

What happened to Princes Street really is unfortunate.

http://www.andrewcusack.com/net/wp-content/uploads/64princ2.jpg

The North British and Mercantile Insurance Co, now the fairly unremarkable British Home Stores building.

Aside from that, I can only echo the gut-wrenching feeling brought about by the excesses of the Reformation. Still, I suppose I rather like ruined abbeys. Imagine, however, the dedication which went into creating these massive religious structures.

Or how about the two end-pieces of Ingram Street in Glasgow, standing opposite the Gallery of Modern Art on Royal Exchange Square? The old British Linen Bank replaced by the soon-to-be-demolished eyesore of the Bank of Scotland, and a fine building on the other side replaced by the somewhat better, but still fairly poor, Royal Exchange House.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1043/1407851084_3a6d289453_o.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/james73/urbang/ingram_queen_st_old.jpg


What about this geezer?

'I hope the day is near at hand,
When strong drink will be banished from our land'.

Silly sod. If strong drink is banished, we'll simply drink more of the weak stuff!

Those two buildings opposite Royal Exchange Square were stunning, huge loss.

Armadale House, Skye

http://www.slch.org.uk/images/armadale_castle_2.jpg

Biel House, East Lothian

http://www.slch.org.uk/images/biel_house_2.jpg

The original castle of Inverness

http://www.gaelicvillage.co.uk/en/component/image?id=10878&zoom=2

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Hamilton_Palace_II.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Hamiltonpalacemorris_edited.jpg

Gah!

http://hamilton.rcahms.gov.uk/

Where was this in Hamilton? Was it in the area where the Palace Grounds retail park now sits? I'm quite local to Hamilton, and i've never known of this before!

Those two buildings opposite Royal Exchange Square were stunning, huge loss.

I read somewhere that this building was bomb damaged during the war, perhaps demolished not long after, and that is why we got Royal Exchange House.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v113/james73/urbang/ingram_queen_st_old.jpg

The British Linen bank was demolished in 1967-68 and is a absolute travesty that this was allowed to be demolished especially for the monstrosity that is there now. I have also read somewhere that the interiors were spectacular.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1043/1407851084_3a6d289453_o.jpg

Where was this in Hamilton? Was it in the area where the Palace Grounds retail park now sits? I'm quite local to Hamilton, and i've never known of this before!

Yep, certainly is, hence the name :)

The Mausoleum was part of the estate as was Chatelherault - if you go up the Chatelherault you can just about make out the view that would have been and the avenue between them :)

I read somewhere that this building was bomb damaged during the war, perhaps demolished not long after, and that is why we got Royal Exchange House.

Ah, I suppose I sometimes underestimate the war damage to British cities, particularly Glasgow. I've heard similar stories in relation to other rather poorly sited buildings.

The British Linen bank was demolished in 1967-68 and is a absolute travesty that this was allowed to be demolished especially for the monstrosity that is there now. I have also read somewhere that the interiors were spectacular.


There are a few photos on the RCAHMS website: http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/144722/digital_images/glasgow+110+118+even+queen+street+british+linen+bank/

... but nearly there.


Slane Castle - Cruden Bay

before...
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9510/newslains.jpg (http://img204.imageshack.us/my.php?image=newslains.jpg)

now
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/544/fullfacadebyaberdeenloo.jpg (http://img442.imageshack.us/my.php?image=fullfacadebyaberdeenloo.jpg)http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/8876/45167679.jpg (http://img833.imageshack.us/my.php?image=45167679.jpg)

Apparently Bram Stoker got the inspiration to write Dracula from the unusual traditions of the small village, down in the bay.

The castle's location is overwhelming.
http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/170/newslains12.jpg (http://img693.imageshack.us/my.php?image=newslains12.jpg)

^^ It looks like the manor from "the woman in black"...

Where was this in Hamilton? Was it in the area where the Palace Grounds retail park now sits? I'm quite local to Hamilton, and i've never known of this before!
Shame we lost this impressive house. Was out there during 'Doors Open' weekend to see Hamiltom Mausoleum and bod from the council said the Palace was the largest non royal residence in the UK. Subsidence due to mining meant it had to be demolished.

Another wee bit of Scotland lost, thanks to White Van Man.

Historic Scone Palace archway destroyed by contractor (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-11422478)

An ancient archway at Scone Palace in Perthshire has been destroyed after a van crashed into it.

The historic 16th Century arch, which marked the spot of an Augustinian Abbey that once stood on the site, was hit by the van being driven by a contractor.

Officials at the palace said they were "devastated" by the accident and said conservationists were set to visit.

It is understood the contractor was on site to remove a marquee used at an event over the weekend.

Suzanne Urquhart, chief executive at Mansfield Estates said: "We were notified of the accident shortly before 1pm today and took immediate steps to make the area around the archway safe.

"We are currently taking advice from Historic Scotland and have arranged for conservation architects to examine what remains of the archway as soon as is practical, with a view to undertaking a reconstruction project in the longer term.

"Clearly we are devastated that such a priceless monument and important piece of Scottish history has been destroyed in this manner, however we are thankful that neither the driver nor any member of the public was injured".

Scone Palace is best-known as the place where former kings of Scotland were crowned and the original home of the Stone of Destiny.

Public access to the palace and its grounds remains unaffected by the incident

Another wee bit of Scotland lost, thanks to White Van Man.

Historic Scone Palace archway destroyed by contractor (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-11422478)

Horrible!

http://news.scotsman.com/getEdFrontImage.aspx?ImageID=468000

becomes

http://news.scotsman.com/getEdFrontImage.aspx?ImageID=468001

I bet the driver feels like a bit of a tit.

I bet the driver feels like a bit of a tit.

I think he should be executed. :hahano:

I think he should be built into the archway, a la the (alleged) Kingston Bridge foundation bodies.

^^
How did that happened?!!
I hope someone can fixe it!!

^^
How did that happened?!!
I hope someone can fixe it!!

A man drove a vehicle into it while reversing :(

^^ Then I agree with you!!!

I think he should be executed. :hahano:

I just can't believe it... it's a shame! a piece of history... But did't he realized that his van wasn't small enough to pass through the arch?? aghhhh!! :ohno::uh::evil:

^^ Then I agree with you!!!



I just can't believe it... it's a shame! a piece of history... But did't he realized that his van wasn't small enough to pass through the arch?? aghhhh!! :ohno::uh::evil:

I hope he feels awful - although, being a white van driver, I have a feeling he might just shrug it off while saying "It was only a fucking wall" - I hope I'm wrong though :(

^^I have this feeling your feeling may be right ;)
______________
(off-topic) I have a question, I've been thinking about studying something related with building conservation (I don't know if it is the correct term), after finishing my degree in architecture, but I' would like to know, how does it works in UK or EU? I mean, is there opportunity to work on that area?

date of the old pics would be nice

BBC - In pictures: Scotland on the map (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-15008220)

Fullarton House near Troon

http://www.ayrshireroots.com/Towns/Troon/Old%20Views/Troon_Fullarton_House.jpg
http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/images/l/1216209/

Reduced to nothing except 2 pillars, a ruined grotto, ruined icehouse and the stable block (which is now rather nice flats). Demolished by the council in the 60's after being left to rot for 40odd years :ohno:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JonBpOdKMIw/Rzx7wB1cXQI/AAAAAAAABA4/XeJ5hf-KfmQ/s400/Fullerton+House+01.jpg

Fullarton House near Troon

http://www.ayrshireroots.com/Towns/Troon/Old%20Views/Troon_Fullarton_House.jpg
http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/images/l/1216209/

Reduced to nothing except 2 pillars, a ruined grotto, ruined icehouse and the stable block (which is now rather nice flats). Demolished by the council in the 60's after being left to rot for 40odd years :ohno:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_JonBpOdKMIw/Rzx7wB1cXQI/AAAAAAAABA4/XeJ5hf-KfmQ/s400/Fullerton+House+01.jpg

Typical of the socialist Labour council. They managed to erect the worst eye offence tower blocks in a quaint little are of Motherwell. Nothing but pure hatred for anybody aspiring to be more than a grey face in a grey box.