Arches in Royal Exchange Square

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Arches in Royal Exchange Square

Postby dazed_and_confused » Mon Dec 26, 2005 1:13 pm

It might just be me, but has anyone else ever wondered about the stone arches at either side of Borders books, at the back of the GOMA? If you notice, they don't seem to fit into the gap between the buildings, as if they've been transplanted from somewhere else? The pillars seem to match the ones at the top of the steps though.

My sister once said she'd thought there had been 2 huge stone arches in George Square, at the mid north and south edges, back at the turn of the century. I wondered if they'd maybe been moved down at some point? I'm having a poke around the Virtual Mitchell just now, and I've found a few photos, but they look a bit too big. Does anyone know about either set of arches?

George sq in 1883
Image

Royal Exchange sq around 1900
Image

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Postby Ronnie » Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:34 pm

The first picture looks like the laying of the foundation stone of the City Chambers. The triumphal arch may have been a temporary structure, build of wood and plaster, but that's merely a guess based on other structures elsewhere.

The arches in Royal Exchange Square were built as part of the Royal Bank of Scotland building (now Borders), to the design of Archibald Elliot II in 1827, who also planned the square. Note how the Ionic columns in the arch match those at the "back door" of Borders.

Hope that helps. Good question, especially about the arch in George Square - anyone else have an answer to that?

Another picture of the arches in George Square:

http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSE00406
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Postby dazed_and_confused » Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:41 pm

Cheers for clearing that up! :) I just always thought it odd how they only joined on to the old Royal Bank at the top of the structure, and not at the base. Saying that, the wee gap at either side is sometimes useful for dodging the big issue salesmen who always seems to stand there! ::):

I suppose it was just wishful thinking assuming they were the same arches. :roll:
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Postby viceroy » Mon Dec 26, 2005 8:57 pm

I had a look at a couple of photographs of George Square taken around 1870 just before the Merchants House was built on the west side of the square [the pictures are in C.A. Oakley's "The Second City"]. There are no archways shown on each corner of the square as far as I can see and I wonder whether the ones in TheGlasgowStory's picture are in fact ceremonial archways put up for the foundation stone laying ceremony [although if they were supposed to be temporary structures you would think it would be more appropriate to build them with wood rather than stone]. It seems to me also that the two on the east side of the square are taking up space subsequently occupied by both corners of the City Chambers building. It would certainly be interesting to know more about these archways. I for one never even knew they had existed.
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Re: Arches in Royal Exchange Square

Postby Schiehallion » Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:00 pm

dazed_and_confused wrote:My sister once said she'd thought there had been 2 huge stone arches in George Square, at the mid north and south edges, back at the turn of the century. I wondered if they'd maybe been moved down at some point? I'm having a poke around the Virtual Mitchell just now, and I've found a few photos, but they look a bit too big. Does anyone know about either set of arches?

George sq in 1883
Image


Your sister is slightly out with the placing of the arches D&C. Those arches are actually placed at what are now the south-west and north-west corners of the City Chambers. All those crowds are all on the actual site of the building. (Sorry Viceroy - I've just noticed you're saying the same thing!)

The street beyond the arch in your picture is South Frederick Street.

Here's another pic which shows one of the arches in more detail along with a false wall which bordered a sloping temporary terracing. This photo appears to be taken from the first floor of the building now demolished and replaced with the Ernst & Young building at the north-east corner of George Square.


Image
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Postby Schiehallion » Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:06 pm

Incidentally this brilliant old photo shows what was there before work on the City Chambers started.

Image
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Postby Ronnie » Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:35 pm

Does anyone else think that the arches in the various photos look as if they are astride the roadways (George Street and Cochrane Street) rather than within the City Chambers site?
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Re: Arches in Royal Exchange Square

Postby dazed_and_confused » Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:52 pm

Schiehallion wrote:Image


Ronnie wrote:Does anyone else think that the arches in the various photos look as if they are astride the roadways (George Street and Cochrane Street) rather than within the City Chambers site?


Well looking again at the above photo, I'm sure I can make out tram lines going under the arch, which would suggest that they straddled the road. I'm assuming that there were horse drawn trams in the city at this time? :?

The pictures are quite deceiving though. When I first saw them I thought the crowds were all gathered in George sq, rather than on the site of the city chambers. Great photos though!
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Postby crusty_bint » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:12 pm

Interesting question indeed... wish I'd noticed it earlier!

Just to expand a little on what Ronnie said, the Royal Bank of Scotland sold it's premises at the Cunningham Mansion to the New Exchange Committee in 1827 who then proceeded, with the able assistance of Hamilton, to make extensions to the rear, the roof and the facade resulting in what see at GOMA today. This was actually the Royal Banks second home in Glasgow, the first being on the east side of St Andrews Sq.

So, the bank sold the Cunningham Mansion to the New Exchange Committee and sold the feus of the mansion's gardens to private developers to build the tenements bounding it and used the proceeds to build thier new home at the west side of the square along Archibald Elliot II lines.

Regarding the ceremonial arches on George Sq for the laying of the Chambers foundation stone, they could quite possibly be on the road, although it's difficult to tell. The second photo posted by Schiehallion shows lamp posts lining up with the outside edge of the arch (which is just out of shot), but it's not clear which side of the road they are on. But it certainly does look that the terraces cover the whole area of George Sq including the pavement.

Image from http://www.mitchelllibrary.org
Image

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Postby dazed_and_confused » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:25 pm

Just noticed there are 4 arches in total - one at each corner of George Square. I think my eyes need tested! 8O
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Postby Schiehallion » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:57 pm

Ronnie wrote:Does anyone else think that the arches in the various photos look as if they are astride the roadways (George Street and Cochrane Street) rather than within the City Chambers site?


I would say you're right Ronnie. In this shot of the arch (looking towards North Frederick St) there are viewing carts (you can make out part of the word 'bakeries'). I would say they're in line with the arch.

Notice the building on the left has naval signal flags and what looks like a couple of ensigns flying. The building on the right (corner of North Frederick St and George St) is still actually being built. No much health and safety going on in that crane!!

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Postby viceroy » Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:57 pm

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what these archways might have been made of? If, as seems likely, they were temporary structures it would have been pretty expensive and time consuming to build all 4 of them in stone. I suspect something like wood and plasterwork although if it was, they did a good job because from the photographs it certainly looks like stonework.

I'm intrigued also by the number of spectators perched on the rooftops. Doubt whether that would be allowed in this day and age.

I would also agree that the archways are probably straddling the thoroughfare on either side of the square although it isn't very easy to see.
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Postby Fossil » Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:58 pm

Just a thought, they’re not the arches that link the two parts of the City Chambers building are they? Just relocated to John St?

Cumbos has posted a picture on HG of the arches, if anyone can find it


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Postby Ronnie » Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:17 pm

Modern Fossil wrote:Just a thought, they’re not the arches that link the two parts of the City Chambers building are they? Just relocated to John St?
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The two arches in John Street were built much later, to join the City Chambers to its eastern extension. So they would have to have been in storage for a few years! Also, the include passageways linking the two buildings, so they are much bigger and bulkier.

The flags on the two George Square ones were presumably celebrating recent victories - what was happening in 1883? (I don't do military history!).

Anybody got the book "Description of ceremonial on the occasion of laying the foundation stone of the municipal buildings in George Square, Glasgow, on 6th October, 1883"?
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Postby Socceroo » Tue Dec 27, 2005 7:34 pm

Maybe something to do with Queen Victoria? Previous visit to city?

On quite a lot of instances when she visited, we were prone to throw up lumps of sandstone, either temporarily or permanently.
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