Robroyston

Robroyston
Scottish Gaelic: Baile Raibeart Ruadh
Robroyston  Robroyston shown within Glasgow
OS grid reference	NS637690
Council area	Glasgow City Council
Lieutenancy area	Glasgow
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	GLASGOW
Postcode district	G33
Dialling code	0141
Police	Scottish
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
EU Parliament	Scotland
UK Parliament	Glasgow North East
Scottish Parliament	Glasgow Provan
List of places UK Scotland Glasgow

Coordinates: 55°53′41″N 4°10′52″W / 55.894773°N 4.181209°W / 55.894773; -4.181209

The Site of William Wallace's capture, in Robroyston

Auchinairn Instrumental Band, Unveiling of the Wallace Memorial, Robroyston 4 August 1900

The countryside surrounding Robroyston

A view of the countryside around Robroyston, in Autumn

Robroyston (Baile Raibeart Ruadh in Gaelic) is a northeastern suburb of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It was where Scottish leader William Wallace was turned over to English soldiers in 1305. At the site of Wallace's capture there stands a monument — there have also been proposals put forward for a visitors centre in the area, at the site of the monument. On the monument there is a plaque in Latin

'Dico tibi verum, libertas optimum rerum, nunquam servili sub nexu, vivito fili', which translates to 'I tell you the truth, the best of all things is freedom, never son, live under the bonds of slavery'. Taught to William Wallace in his boyhood.

About 200 yards from the monument, 'Wallace's Well' is located on the country road.

Robroyston Hospital was built as a municipal smallpox and tuberculosis hospital and opened in 1918. It was temporarily used as a military hospital in 1918–19. By 1925, 450 beds at Robroyston were devoted to tuberculosis patients, almost half of Glasgow's total complement. In 1945 a maternity unit was added. In 1948 Robroyston joined the National Health Service under the Board of Management for Glasgow Northern Hospitals. In 1974 it was placed in the Northern District of the Greater Glasgow Health Board. It closed in 1977.

Robroyston House, which stood on the routeway to Kirkintilloch, was demolished in the 1960s.

Throughout the 1990s there were massive housing developments in this part of the Urban/rural fringe of Glasgow that drastically increased the population of the suburb to some 8300 people. As a result of the boom in population, the area became chronically deficient in infrastructure and provision of many local services, although this problem has been lessened somewhat by the construction of Asda and Aldi superstores. Robroyston is underdeveloped in terms of community facilities, but a newly opened primary school with community access out of hours is nearby. The Church of Scotland has responded to the growing needs of this new community by establishing Robroyston Church behind Asda at Saughs Drive in the Glendale Estate. Robroyston Church runs both Girls' and Boys' Brigades and employs two youth workers to work with the local teenagers. The church building is also used by a number of other organisations including a parent and toddler group. The development of the Nova Technology Park^[1] also looks to boost the local economy and jobs market. Currently, the area is dependent on neighbouring Bishopbriggs, however, a new development which will bring many new homes and leisure and health facilities, as well as a new train station, worth £300 million has been approved by Glasgow City Council, so this should address the lack of facilities in Robroyston.^[2]

Robroyston's proximity to the M80 motorway permits easy access to Glasgow city centre as well as direct commuter routes to Falkirk, Stirling and Edinburgh. Development is continuing at Robroyston and demand is expected to be high for new properties at the Stewart Milne Campsie Meadows development, Cala Homes Wallacefield and Dickie homes @ Robroyston estate which are situated next to the original Robroyston development near the site of the Wallace Memorial.

In August 2007, the new Wallacewell Retail Park opened for business – at the moment, Homebase, Currys, Watt Brothers and B & M occupy the available units. An Acorn Pet Centre was also based here, however this closed in 2009 after the company went into liquidation. There is also a McDonalds fast food outlet based in the grounds of the Retail Park.

Public Transport services in the area have got better over time, however many residents agree that there is still room for improvements in this area.

Robroyston Community Council have set up a website for residents and interested parties. The Robroytston Facebook and the Robroyston Church website may also be of interest to residents.

Bibliography

• Old Glasgow and It's Suburbs in their Celtic Gard: Also Parish of Baldernock – Kirkintilloch to Stirling – Robroyston by Neil Thomson with 80 pages.^[3]

Footnotes