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Donald's Quay was once the location of the northern terminus of the
Erskine Ferry Erskine Ferry sailed across the River Clyde from Erskine to Old Kilpatrick. The ferry was also referred to as ''East Ferry of Erskine'' as there was another ferry to Dumbarton a few miles down river, known as ''West Ferry''. It is reputed to be ...
then run by
Lord Blantyre Lord Blantyre was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The Scottish feudal barony of Blantyre was first documented in the 13th century. In 1606, it was elevated into the Peerage of Scotland for the politician Walter Stewart, who was thus made a ...
of Erskine House that provided foot passengers with a crossing of the
River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...
, giving direct access between
Dunbartonshire Dunbartonshire () or the County of Dumbarton is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbar ...
and
Renfrewshire Renfrewshire () (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Renfrewshire is located in the west central Lowlands. It borders East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire, and lies on the southern ba ...
. At some point in the early 19th century the northern terminus of the
Erskine Ferry Erskine Ferry sailed across the River Clyde from Erskine to Old Kilpatrick. The ferry was also referred to as ''East Ferry of Erskine'' as there was another ferry to Dumbarton a few miles down river, known as ''West Ferry''. It is reputed to be ...
moved to a site closer to
Old Kilpatrick Old Kilpatrick (, meaning "Patrick's church"), is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The name ''Old Kilpatrick'' is said to be derived from St. Patrick ostensibly being born here. It has an estimated population of 4,820. It belonged to ...
and opposite the Ferry House at Erskine, before closure in 1971 when the
Erskine Bridge The Erskine Bridge is a multi span cable-stayed box girder bridge spanning the River Clyde in west central Scotland. The bridge connects West Dunbartonshire with Renfrewshire and can be used by all types of motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrian ...
was completed. Donald's Quay once had an approximately stone pier that was used by coal boats that transferred their loads into canal barges on the
Forth & Clyde Canal The Forth and Clyde Canal is a canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. This allow ...
at Ferrydyke Wharf and thereby avoided paying fees at the Bowling Basin. The quay was demolished during the construction of the
Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway The Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland. It was promoted independently but supported by the Caledonian Railway, and it was designed to connect Balloch (on Loch Lomond) and Dumbarton with central Glasgow, l ...
in 1896.


Infrastructure

Roy's map of the mid 18th century marks the ferry as being in the Ferrydyke and Donald's Quay location without recording a name. Two sizeable buildings are shown amidst a group of trees; the canal is not marked as it was yet to be built. The Ferry House on the
Erskine Erskine may refer to: Places * Erskine, Renfrewshire Erskine (, , ) is a town in the council areas of Scotland, council area of Renfrewshire, and Renfrewshire (historic), historic county of counties of Scotland, the same name, situated in th ...
side is shown standing at the same location that it did when the ferry closed in 1971. Thomas Telford planned to alter the Clyde until it was wide at Donald's Quay. A light tower was installed at Donald's Quay in 1849. A photograph of it was displayed in St Louis in 1904. The 1860 OS map shows a dwelling at Ferrydyke on the northern side of the canal that may have been associated with the canal. On the southern side a complex of buildings is shown consisting of the stables and the bridge and stable keepers' cottages with a substantial stone quay running out from the river bank at right angles to it. The end of the approximately quay is slightly wider than the midsection and it leads to a lane that accesses the stables area directly as well as running up to the Ferrydyke Wharf on the canal above. Donald's Quay reached the open river allowing boats to call at all stages of the tides. At this date the
Lanarkshire and Dunbartonshire Railway The Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland. It was promoted independently but supported by the Caledonian Railway, and it was designed to connect Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, Balloch (on Loch Lomond) and Dumb ...
had yet to be built. An enclosed area of land runs from the cottage/s a short distance to the east. In 1896 the
Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway The Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland. It was promoted independently but supported by the Caledonian Railway, and it was designed to connect Balloch (on Loch Lomond) and Dumbarton with central Glasgow, l ...
opened its line between
Old Kilpatrick Old Kilpatrick (, meaning "Patrick's church"), is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The name ''Old Kilpatrick'' is said to be derived from St. Patrick ostensibly being born here. It has an estimated population of 4,820. It belonged to ...
and
Bowling, West Dunbartonshire Bowling (,
 ) is a village in
Helensburgh Helensburgh ( ; ) is a town on the north side of the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, situated at the mouth of the Gareloch. Historically in Dunbartonshire, it became part of Argyll and Bute following local government reorganisation in 1996. Histo ...
line near
Dumbarton East railway station Dumbarton East railway station serves the town of Dumbarton in the West Dunbartonshire region of Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is served by trains on the North Clyde Line, west of . History Unlike the majority of the North ...
. The 1896 25 inch to the mile OS map shows Donald's Quay Light (fixed red and white) standing on a very short stone pier that is approached via a substantial footbridge over the new railway. The cottages and stables are still present and roofed. The Ferrydyke cottage on the northern canal side is no longer shown. In 1937 the stables complex and workers cottages are still present and a small extension has been added to one of them. The late 18th century Ferrydyke
bascule A bascule is a counterbalanced structure (i.e. a lever) having one end that rises as the other lowers. It may also refer to: * Bascule bridge, a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span in providing clearance for b ...
bridge (NS458731) is one of the few remaining on the
Forth & Clyde Canal The Forth and Clyde Canal is a canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. This allow ...
and once carried the junction off the Old Portpatrick road to Donald's Quay, former site of the ferry to Erskine. The ruins of canal bridge and stable keepers' cottages (NS4587073042) stand near the Ferrydyke bridge next to the old stables that lie below the canal.


History

The quay was named for Robert Donald, well known ' Tobacco Lord' and Lord Provost of Glasgow who acquired the nearby Mountblow estate (NS 4798 7222) in 1767 and built a mansion house there. Robert came from an old established Dumbartonshire family. The presence of a Roman fort nearby at
Old Kilpatrick Old Kilpatrick (, meaning "Patrick's church"), is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The name ''Old Kilpatrick'' is said to be derived from St. Patrick ostensibly being born here. It has an estimated population of 4,820. It belonged to ...
and the presence of a bath house at Ferrydyke has led to speculation that a harbour of some sort may have existed in the area to service the fort itself and the requirements of the
Antonine Wall The Antonine Wall () was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. Built some twenty years after Hadrian's Wall to the south ...
infrastructure. Bruce speculates that a ferry across the Clyde once existed here in Roman times. By 1896 the quay had been demolished due to the construction of the
Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway The Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway was a railway company in Scotland. It was promoted independently but supported by the Caledonian Railway, and it was designed to connect Balloch (on Loch Lomond) and Dumbarton with central Glasgow, l ...
that reclaimed an area of the River Clyde shoreline here as well as building over the quay where it emerged from the land. The stables area was not effected by the railway and they remained in use providing horses to haul canal barges. The name 'Ferrydyke' given to the site records the onetime presence of a ferry as well as suggesting that this quay may have been part of the large numbers of artificial dykes that were built in an effort to deepen the
River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...
to permit passage to
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 ...
docks by larger ships. Another explanation of the use of the word 'dyke' is that the site stands close to the termination of Graham's Dyke which was another name used for the
Antonine Wall The Antonine Wall () was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. Built some twenty years after Hadrian's Wall to the south ...
. The small village of Ferry Dyke once existed here. The
River Clyde The River Clyde (, ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. Th ...
could be forded at nearby Dumbuck and a well formed 'made' route has been identified of possibly Roman origins. This crossing ceased to be passable once dredging etc. took place to deepen the channel.


Workings details

The original
Erskine Ferry Erskine Ferry sailed across the River Clyde from Erskine to Old Kilpatrick. The ferry was also referred to as ''East Ferry of Erskine'' as there was another ferry to Dumbarton a few miles down river, known as ''West Ferry''. It is reputed to be ...
ran from Donald's Quay to the Ferry House at
Erskine Erskine may refer to: Places * Erskine, Renfrewshire Erskine (, , ) is a town in the council areas of Scotland, council area of Renfrewshire, and Renfrewshire (historic), historic county of counties of Scotland, the same name, situated in th ...
on a route that made use of the tides to assist the ferry prior to a chain being laid and finally powered vessels being introduced at a different site further up river. By 1863 and probably somewhat earlier, Donald's Quay was no longer in use as a terminus for the Erskine Ferry. The location of the quay close to the canal would have allowed passengers carried on canal boats to easily access the ferry. Bruce records that a sandbank formed in the 18th century that interfered with the passage of the ferry and forced its removal to its final location up river to the east of the Erskine Bridge. The quay was used at one time for the unloading of coal that was then taken to barges waiting at the canal's Ferrydyke Wharf as this avoided the payment of fees at the
Bowling Bowling is a Throwing sports#Target sports, target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a bowling ball, ball toward Bowling pin, pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). Most references to ''bowling'' are ...
Basin of the
Forth & Clyde Canal The Forth and Clyde Canal is a canal opened in 1790, crossing central Scotland; it provided a route for the seagoing vessels of the day between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde at the narrowest part of the Scottish Lowlands. This allow ...
. The 1914 OS map shows for the first time a number of mooring posts running along the northern bank of the canal towards Lock 37 from Ferrydyke bascule bridge that were still present in 1937. The stables below Ferrydyke Bridge are of an unusual construction having a '
walled garden A walled garden is a garden enclosed by high walls, especially when this is done for horticultural rather than security purposes, although originally all gardens may have been enclosed for protection from animal or human intruders. In temperate c ...
' style outward appearance with a large entrance door in keeping with that analogy. Internally some brickwork of a later date survives and to the west stands a building that is more typically stables-like. The variety of buildings present suggest other uses throughout their working life than purely stabling for horses.


The site today

Donald's Quay Light now stands at the approximate site of the end of Donald's Quay and is still in use as a navigation aid for shipping using the River Clyde. The old stables and associated cottages are in a ruinous condition although substantial remains are extant. Two large stone pillars represent the remnants of the footbridge that the railway built to provide access to the Donald's Quay Light. The railway track has been lifted however the sea wall is still present and remains in good condition.


Micro-history

A distance Slab of the Twentieth Legion was found at Ferrydyke at some point before 1684 marking the western termination of the
Antonine Wall The Antonine Wall () was a turf fortification on stone foundations, built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. Built some twenty years after Hadrian's Wall to the south ...
. A second distance slab was found here in 1758 and excavations have shown that a Roman bath house associated with the nearby Old Kilpatrick Roman fort also once stood at Ferrydyke. It has been suggested that a port serving the fort may once existed in the Old Kilpatrick area.Old Kilpatrick Fort
/ref>


See also

*
Bodinbo Island Bodinbo Island is an islet in the estuarine waters of the River Clyde close to the old ferry slipway at Erskine. Before the dyke or training wall was built the rocky Bodinbo Island was a prominent feature in the river hereabouts and a hazard to ...
*
Park Quay The disused Park Quay or Fulton's Quay (NS 47436 70692) is located on the old Lands of Park, situated on the south bank of the River Clyde in the Parish of Inchinnan, close to Newshot Island and the old Rashielee Quay. A slipway is also part of ...
*
Rashielee Quay The old Rashielee Quay or Rashielie Quay (NS471709) was located on the old Lands of North Barr, situated on the south bank of the River Clyde in the Parish of Inchinnan, between Bodinbo Island and Park Quay. It was built to facilitate the loadi ...
*
St Patrick's Rock St Patrick's Rock or St Patrick's Stone is located in the River Clyde (NS461724) close to the Erskine Bridge and the old Erskine Ferry on the Renfrewshire side of the river. It is reputedly the location from which the 16 year old Saint Patrick wa ...


References


Notes


Sources

* Bruce, John (1893). ''History of the Parish of West or Old Kilpatrick''. Glasgow : John Smith & Son. * Hume, John R. (1976). ''The Industrial Archaeology of Scotland. The Lowlands and Borders.'' London : B.T. Batsford. . * Thomas, John (1971). ''A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain : Volume VI. Scotland : The Lowlands and the Borders.'' Newton Abbot : David & Charles. .


External links


Video footage of Donald's Quay stablesFerrydyke Quay and bascule bridge
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donald's Quay Bays of Scotland Ports and harbours of Scotland Firth of Clyde Landforms of West Dunbartonshire