Life in the suburbs 800 years ago as Glasgow’s medieval past unearthed

Wooden posts, woven fencing and a collection of pottery, which dates from the 13th to 14th century, have been found in a “remarkable survival” of medieval material at the former settlement of Spoutmouth near Gallowgate, to the east of the city centre.

Here, people lived during the medieval period by a burn, which flowed directly into the River Clyde. It was on its banks that St Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow who founded the city, built a church in the sixth century.

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The traces of settlement, which include 63 well-preserved wooden posts, and the pottery were found 4.5m below street level at the site, which is now to be turned into new social housing.

Thomas Muir, of GUARD Archaeology, said: “This rare discovery of preserved wooden structures opens a window into Glasgow’s past when it underwent its first wave of major expansion.

“It is no news that Glasgow will celebrate its 850th anniversary of receiving burgh status this year. But remarkably, in the same year, we have discovered some evidence of those beginnings at Spoutmouth.

“This is a remarkable survival of organic archaeology in an area of the city that has witnessed substantial development over the many years since Glasgow was first established. [It is] a small sliver of medieval Glasgow that has somehow survived centuries of building and rebuilding.”

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Mr Muir said “numerous” sherds of medieval pottery, animal bone and other organic material had caught up in the wattle fencing found at the site, which had survived given the watery conditions below street level.

The fencing appears to be part of a very early eastward expansion of the medieval burgh.

The Spoutmouth site lies on the south side of the former line of the Molendinar Burn, which was once one of the most well-known water courses in Glasgow that drains into the River Clyde. It now flows underground, having been culverted in the 1800s.

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The finds help track the development of Glasgow, which was granted burgh states in 1175 by King William the Lion.

Burghs had been introduced by William’s grandfather, David I, and allowed Glasgow economic and legal privileges in return for significant tax contributions to the Royal Exchequer of Scotland.

By the 12th century, the newly established bishopric and its cathedral were built nearby. The site lay dormant as a car park until Wheatley Group developed plans to build 34 homes for social rent and two commercial units.

Due to the site’s location on the edge of medieval Glasgow, a comprehensive archaeological investigation was required as part of the planning conditions.

The £9.295 million development is supported by a Scottish Government Grant of £5.57m.

Construction works will start after the completion of archaeological works. Posts and pottery will be carefully removed from the site and passed to museums once analyses have been undertaken.

The archaeological team is expected to complete their work by next month. Once the site is cleared, construction will commence, with completion anticipated by summer 2027.

The archaeological work was funded by Wheatley Group.