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Gowkthrapple | |
---|---|
Gowkthrapple tower block and distinctive street sign | |
Location within North Lanarkshire | |
Area | 0.326 km2 (0.126 sq mi) |
Population | 1,040 (mid-2020 est.) [1] |
• Density | 3,190/km2 (8,300/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | NS790536 |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | WISHAW |
Postcode district | ML2 |
Dialling code | 01698 |
Police | Scotland |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
Gowkthrapple is a small neighbourhood of Wishaw, Scotland, situated around 3⁄4 miles (1.2 km) from the town centre. The name "Gowkthrapple" is a Scots compound word made up of "gowk", meaning "idiot" or "cuckoo" and "thrapple", meaning "throat" or "strangle". One theory of how the community gained its name is that there was a woodland here which was notable for cuckoos. Gowkthrapple can be entered off of Castlehill Road which runs the length of the estate. Formerly an industrial area, associated with the Pather Iron and Steel Works and then Smith's clock factory, which opened in 1951. This closed in the 1970s, although the premises remain standing on Smith Avenue and have been reused as Garrion Business Park. In mid 2020, Gowkthrapple had an estimated population of 1,040. [2]
Gowkthrapple's housing predominantly consisted of tower blocks and smaller tenements in a similar design. The largest of these towers were built in the 1970s and were up to 13 floors high, whereas several smaller blocks had four floors. [3] In the first decade of the 21st century, some of the larger buildings were demolished as part of a re-development of the area. There are only two remaining tower blocks in the neighbourhood: Allershaw and Birkshaw Towers, each 12 floors high and refurbished (Allershaw Tower is home to the (housing association).
The decline of industry in the region and its physical isolation from the rest of Wishaw led to economic and social problems in the area, with the estate gaining a reputation locally for a high crime rate. [4] Falling rates of occupancy among natives led to a wave of migrants from Eastern Europe, mainly Poland, moving to Gowkthrapple in the 21st century. Projects have been undertaken to encourage integration between the different groups in the community and improve security and safety for residents. [5]
Within the estate there was a small convenience store (which is now closed) and also a community centre. There are also several children's play areas within the scheme.
In 2017, it was reported that North Lanarkshire Council planned to demolish all the towers in its control over the next 20 years (as well as the low-rise apartments in Gowkthrapple) and replace them with modern housing, due to the rising costs of maintenance as the buildings aged, as well as some of the flats being unpopular and underoccupied. [6] [7] [8] [9] By the end of 2022, all but one of the residents (and one of only three owner-occupiers across 400 properties) from the tenements and towers had moved elsewhere in preparation for demolition. [10]
Castlehill Primary School was formerly located in Birkshaw Brae and has since demolished and moved to a new campus in the nearby village of Overtown. The area is serviced by the non-denominational secondary school Clyde Valley High School, based in Overtown a quarter-mile (0.5 km) to the southeast, and St Aidan's High School, a catholic secondary school based in the main part of Wishaw.
Rutherglen is a town in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, immediately south-east of the city of Glasgow, three miles from its centre and directly south of the River Clyde. Having previously existed as a separate Lanarkshire burgh, in 1975 Rutherglen lost its own local council and administratively became a component of the City of Glasgow District within the Strathclyde region. In 1996 the towns were reallocated to the South Lanarkshire council area.
Scotstoun is an area of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Garscadden and Yoker to the west, Victoria Park, Jordanhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde to the south. At the heart of Scotstoun lies Scotstounhill, an enclave of late Victorian and post-war housing centred on Scotstounhill railway station. Scotstoun is home to BAE Systems Surface Ships, and to the Glasgow Warriors rugby team.
Castlemilk is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. It lies to the far south of the city centre, adjacent to the Croftfoot and Simshill residential areas within the city to the north-west, the town of Rutherglen - neighbourhoods of Spittal to the north-east and Fernhill to the east, Linn Park and its golf course to the west, and the separate village of Carmunnock further south across countryside.
Wishaw is a large town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the edge of the Clyde Valley, 15 miles (24 km) south-east of Glasgow city centre. The Burgh of Wishaw was formed in 1855 within Lanarkshire. It formed a joint large burgh with its neighbour Motherwell from 1920 until its dissolution when Scottish local authorities were restructured in 1975, and was then in Motherwell district within the Strathclyde region until 1996. The town is part of the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency. It has the postal code of ML2 and the dialling code 01698.
Toryglen is a district in southern Glasgow, Scotland, falling within the Langside ward under Glasgow City Council. It is approximately two miles south of the city centre, bounded to the west by Mount Florida, the north-west by Polmadie, to the north-east by the West Coast Main Line railway and the M74 motorway the south by King's Park, and immediately to the east by the town of Rutherglen.
Cranhill is an inner city district and housing scheme in the north east of Glasgow, Scotland. Cranhill was developed from public funding in the early 1950s and was originally, chiefly composed of four-storey tenement blocks surrounding a patch of grassland, which became Cranhill Park. Later development saw the building of three tower blocks, surrounded by rows of terraced maisonettes. In more recent years, a number of semi-detached and detached homes have been built. The area also hosts some shops, two primary schools and nurseries, a community centre and the Cranhill water tower.
Queenslie is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow.
Sandyhills is an area of the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde and has fallen within the Shettleston ward of Glasgow City Council since 2007.
Sighthill is a neighbourhood in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde and is part of the wider Springburn district in the north of the city. It is bordered to the north by Cowlairs, to the east by the Springburn Bypass road and the Royston neighbourhood, to the west by the Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk Line and to the south by the Townhead interchange of the M8 Motorway.
Fernhill is a residential neighbourhood in the Scottish town of Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire; it is situated south of the River Clyde and borders the Rutherglen neighbourhoods of High Burnside to the north and Cathkin to the east, the Glasgow district of Castlemilk to the west, and the open lands of Fernbrae Meadows to the south. Its location on a steep incline which is part of the Cathkin Braes range of hills offers panoramic views over the south and eastern parts of Greater Glasgow.
Cambusnethan is a large village and suburb on the eastern edge of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire in Scotland. It is approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, straddling both sides of the A722 on a hill overlooking Wishaw.
Coltness is the largest suburb of the town of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The 2001 census indicated a population of almost 4,500.
Burnside is a mostly residential area in the town of Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Including the neighbourhoods of High Burnside and High Crosshill, respectively south and north-west of its main street, it borders Overtoun Park in Rutherglen plus several other residential areas of the town, as well as western parts of neighbouring Cambuslang.
Pather is a suburb of Wishaw, Scotland and was initially built as a council estate. It is situated around ½ miles (0.8 km) from the town centre.
Craigneuk is a suburb of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The original village of Craigneuk was located in the area where Meadowhead Road meets the A721 at Craigneuk Street. It was originally part of Dalziel parish, along with the other rural weaving villages of Flemington, Motherwell and Windmillhill. Craigneuk village was located close to the boundary with Cambusnethan parish.
Airbles is a small suburb to the south-east of Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is mainly a residential area, consisting mostly of a mixture of high-rise and low-rise flats. The dual carriageway B754, known as Airbles Road, passes through the suburb, connecting eastern parts of Motherwell and nearby places such as Wishaw to the M74 motorway. In future, the dual carriageway may become a link road between the M74 and the M8. A section of the town park and Airbles Cemetery are also located in Airbles.
Muirhouse is a residential suburb in the south-east of Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, coming under the Motherwell South East & Ravenscraig council ward and bordering the Flemington neighbourhood in the town, plus the Craigneuk and Netherton areas of Wishaw. It consists of thirteen tower blocks, amidst low rise flats and numerous houses.
Public housing in the United Kingdom, also known as council housing or social housing, provided the majority of rented accommodation until 2011 when the number of households in private rental housing surpassed the number in social housing. Dwellings built for public or social housing use are built by or for local authorities and known as council houses. Since the 1980s non-profit housing associations became more important and subsequently the term "social housing" became widely used, as technically council housing only refers to housing owned by a local authority, though the terms are largely used interchangeably.
Whitlawburn is a residential area in the town of Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located south of the town centre on high ground overlooking the Greater Glasgow urban area.
Wishaw is one of the twenty-one wards used to elect members of the North Lanarkshire Council. It elects four councillors and covers the town centre of Wishaw plus the neighbourhoods to its south and east including Gowkthrapple, Netherton, Overtown, Pather and Waterloo, with a population of 17,974 in 2019; created in 2007, its territory remained almost unchanged in a 2017 national review, other than the loss of a few streets by moving a section of the boundary south from the Temple Gill burn to the edge of Belhaven Park.