Bellahouston (, ) is a district in the southwest of

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

. It is bordered by Dumbreck, Ibrox, Pollokshields, Craigton.

History

Bellahouston Estate in the parish of

Govan Govan ( ; Cumbric: ''Gwovan''; Scots language, Scots: ''Gouan''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former burgh now part of southwest Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the sout ...

was purchased in 1726 by James Rowan of Marylands and his family resided there until 1824. Upon the death of Thomas Rowan in that year, the estate passed to a relative by marriage, one Moses Steven of Polmadie. During his lifetime he increased the size of the estate, buying land at Weariston and a house and land at Dumbreck. The whole became known as Bellahouston. Upon the death of Moses in 1871, the Estate passed to his sisters who, according to his wishes, established a trust which would dedicate the estate for 'charitable, religious and educational purposes' within greater Glasgow. The trust became operative when Elizabeth Steven died in 1892. The Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 was held in Bellahouston Park and attracted over 13 million people. The park has been the focal point of the visits by two

popes The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...

to the city of Glasgow: On 1 June 1982

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

celebrated

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

attended by around 250,000 worshippers (reputedly the largest crowd ever assembled in Scotland). Twenty eight years later on 16 September 2010

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

celebrated Mass close to the same spot as his predecessor. Bellahouston Park contains several sports facilities, including the Palace of Art, Sports for Excellence Centre, Bellahouston Sports Centre and the Glasgow Ski Centre (which is also home to Bellahouston Road Runners). The park also contains " House for an Art Lover" based on designs by

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Charles Rennie Mackintosh Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. His artistic approach had much in common with European Symbolism. His work, alongside that of his wife Margaret Macd ...

, on which construction was completed in 1996. It was also the site of the futuristic Art Deco skyscraper, the Tait Tower, which was completed in 1938, but was subsequently demolished. Bellahouston is also home to the Bellahouston Sport Centre which has been renovated twice following two accidental fires. The latest revamp finished in 2001 means the centre now contains : Health Suite • Fitness Suite • Dance Studio • Main Pool • Leisure Pool • Flume • Outdoor Pool • Baby Pool • 2 x 5-court Sports Halls • Function Room • Gymnastics Centre • Crëche & Soft Play • Cafeteria • 2 Squash Courts. The swimming pools being the most notable new addition.

Rail

* Corkerhill railway station or Dumbreck railway station on the Paisley Canal Line.

References

{{Authority control Areas of Glasgow