Rottenrow

The Rottenrow is a street in the Townhead district of Glasgow, Scotland. One of the oldest streets in the city, it underwent heavy redevelopment in the 20th century and now forms part of the University of Strathclyde's John Anderson Campus.

For the hospital, see Princess Royal Maternity Hospital. For the pathway in London, see Rotten Row.

The Rottenrow entrance to the old Royal Maternity Hospital, demolished in 2001

History
The Rottenrow as it looked in the Victorian era, from Views and Notices of Glasgow in Former Times (1848)

The Rottenrow is one of eight streets which formed the medieval burgh of Glasgow.[1] It was recorded as le Ratonraw de Glasgw in 1283.[2] The name is a common one in British towns and cities and literally means "rat row" (from Middle English ratton raw), suggesting a tumbledown row of houses infested with rats.[3]

The original premises of the University of Glasgow were situated in the Rottenrow, in a building known as the "Auld Pedagogy".[4]

Townhead was once a densely populated residential area, but in 1962 the Glasgow Corporation earmarked it for redevelopment as part of its policy of slum clearance. The tenements surrounding the Rottenrow were swept away to make room for the new University of Strathclyde, formed in 1964 from the Royal College of Science and Technology, and their inhabitants were moved into high rises.[5]

The Rottenrow is perhaps best known as the site of the Royal Maternity Hospital, the birthplace of generations of Glaswegians. Opened in 1860 to replace an older maternity hospital in St Andrew's Square, it continued to function until 2001, when it was superseded by the Princess Royal Building at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.[6] The University of Strathclyde subsequently purchased and demolished the hospital, turning it into a park, Rottenrow Gardens.[7] A few parts of the building, including the main entrance and an arch on North Portland Street, were spared destruction.[8] The area's heritage is commemorated by a giant metal nappy pin at the centre of the gardens, created by sculptor George Wyllie.[9]

References
  1. Foreman, Carol (2007). Glasgow Street Names. Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd. p. 202. ISBN 9781788852708.
  2. "Rat(t)o(u)n raw". Dictionaries of the Scots Language. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  3. Duncan, Archie (1993). "Rottenrow". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  4. "Auld Pedagogy". TheGlasgowStory. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  5. Byrne, Liam; Crawford, Shelley; Cui, Lishan; McCallion, Kieran; Walker, Jordan (2018). History and Stories: High Street, Glasgow. Strathclyde University. p. 43.
  6. "Records of Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland". Jisc. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  7. "Townhead Demolition". TheGlasgowStory. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  8. "Rottenrow Gardens". Archiweb. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  9. "Monument to Maternity". Art UK. Retrieved 25 September 2022.

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