Shawlands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shawlands is an inner suburb of Glasgow, in Scotland. Like many similar areas in the city, it grew up as a direct response to improved tram links to the city centre, and the need for working/middle class housing prompted by Glasgow's growth in population and economy.
An 18th Century painting shows Shawlands as completely undeveloped, save for a solitary cottage at the Cross (the meeting place of Pollokshaws Road and Kilmarnock Road, and not as is sometimes assumed, the junction of Langside Avenue/Minard Road and Pollokshaws Road). This would change dramatically within the next century.
Today, housing in the Shawlands area consists mainly of tenement flats and two-storey terraced cottages along with a small number of detached and semi-detached houses. The area has seen a gradual gentrification over the past 20 years, leading some to dub it "the new West End". Property prices are substantially above the Glasgow and Scottish averages.
Shawlands has both a primary and a secondary school. Both are fairly large with Shawlands Academy having around 1250 pupils, about 3 times the number in attendance at Shawlands Primary. Shawlands Academy is considered an 'International' school representing many nationalities and spoken languages within its walls.
The area can be best described as a 'hub' for most of the South Side of Glasgow, due to many shops, services, and amenities available in the Shawlands area.
It is well served by various transport links, including several railway stations and frequent bus services to various points in Glasgow, details of which can be found at Traveline Scotland.
[edit] Attractions
There are a large variety of bars, pubs and some nightclubs in the Shawlands area, including Tusk, Cell and The Shed. There are also a few clothes boutiques, delicatessens, restaurants such as Di Maggio's and coffee shops, including a branch of Beanscene, part of a growing chain of Scottish coffee shops. There is also a bohemian tea shop called Tchai-Ovna the second of two in Glasgow, offering a large variety of teas, vegetarian food and holding community events.
Within walking distance are The Tramway Theatre (and Secret Garden), Pollok Park, Burrell Collection; the Victoria Infirmary; Hampden Park, home of Queen's Park F.C. and where the Scotland national football team play the majority of their home fixtures; Newlandsfield Park, home of Pollok F.C.; and Battlefield Monument, erected to commemorate the 1568 Battle of Langside.
[edit] Adjoining districts
Battlefield, Glasgow, Crossmyloof, Govanhill, Hillpark, Langside, Mansewood, Merrylee, Mount Florida, Newlands, Pollokshaws, Pollokshields, Queens Park, Glasgow, Strathbungo, and Thornliebank.
