Burnside, South Lanarkshire

Burnside grew as an affluent commuter suburb in the early 20th century following the establishment of the railway station,[https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1452115 General view, Burnside, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland, 1937. Oblique aerial photograph, taken facing south], Canmore and although within the boundaries of Rutherglen it became established separately from the older burgh and has thus retained a distinct identity.[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/rutherglen-one-25-most-sought-5393669.amp Rutherglen named as one of the top 25 suburbs in the UK for first-time buyers by national newspaper], Daily Record, 27 March 2015 The post-World War II housing estates which subsequently surrounded Burnside to the south and west were built to alleviate housing problems in central Rutherglen and in Cambuslang, so although physically adjacent were never seen as parts of Burnside as such; in the same vein, the nearby Castlemilk housing scheme is situated close to Rutherglen and Burnside and shared the same administration in times past when it was a rural estate, but was constructed by Glasgow Corporation for residents being rehoused from the inner city and has never had a formal connection to the neighbouring town.

File:A 'Coronation' car at Burnside - geograph.org.uk - 1344405.jpg

The local park, Stonelaw Woods,[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/sewage-work-project-rutherglen-could-10298094.amp Sewage work project in Rutherglen could see 11 months of disruption for residents], Daily Record, 2 May 2017[https://rutherglenheritage.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/stonelaw-woods-5.jpg?w=1576 Stonelaw Woods 5], Rutherglen Heritage Project was landscaped from a disused quarry and named after the most prominent historic landmark in the area, the castellated Stonelaw Tower,[https://rutherglenheritage.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/stonelaw-tower-2.jpg Stonelaw Tower], Rutherglen Heritage Society a converted 18th-century coal mine winding engine house which fell into disrepair – after subsidence in the vicinity caused by the mining – and was demolished in the 1960s to be replaced by apartments and a petrol station (also since demolished),[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/rutherglen-news-burnside-filling-station-8779459 Rutherglen news: Burnside filling station site subject to planning application], Daily Record, 9 September 2016 with only a boundary wall remaining.[https://www.scottishcastlesassociation.com/news/past-present/stonelaw-tower.htm Stonelaw Tower], Scottish Castles Association, 8 December 2014[https://www.scottishcastlesassociation.com/news/news-features/engine-house.htm Tower House or Engine House? Inside Rais and Stonelaw Towers...], Scottish Castles Association, 10 April 2018

The origin of the name, Burnside Farm, is located some distance south of the centre of the modern settlement, being uphill closer to Fernhill and Cathkin – the farmhouse still exists, located off Beech Drive, while the burn in question runs north-west past the Blairbeth and Spittal neighbourhoods, concealed in parts, before merging with another originating near Castlemilk and flowing through Rutherglen, entering the River Clyde at Richmond Park (Oatlands).[https://canmore.org.uk/site/44894/glasgow-Castlemilk-House Glasgow, Castlemilk House], Greater Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide, Sam Small, 2008 (quoted at Canmore) The farm also gave its name to Burnside Loch, used for boating and curling[https://sites.google.com/a/curlingplaces.info/cp/places/1689-burnside 1689 Burnside], Curling Places Vol 1 but drained in the 1920s and now the playing fields for two primary schools located in the Springhall housing estate (including Loch Primary, which today has no visual indication as to why it was so named).[http://www.loch-pri.s-lanark.sch.uk/lps_aboutus.htm About Us], Loch Primary School Other local farms included High Crosshill at the entrance of Glenlui Avenue at Burnside Primary School, no trace remaining; Stonelaw, adjacent to the tower, no trace remaining; and Fishescoats off East Kilbride Road, the buildings for which were retained by a funeral director's business.

There were various stages of housebuilding, with the earliest properties among the largest at High Burnside in the vicinity of Lower Bourtree Drive and Lochbrae Drive in the late 19th century, followed by the grid of streets at High Crosshill and the similar sandstone villas at Buchanan Drive, plus the tenements on the main road in the 1900s, then more at High Burnside (Thorn Drive / Tynwald Avenue / St Stephen's Avenue) and on the old golf course around Crawfurd Road post-World War I. Land to the east of Stonelaw Road was also occupied in the 1920s,[https://www.mackintosh-architecture.gla.ac.uk/catalogue/name/?nid=MacdJohn#MacdJohn.19-back John McDonald], Mackintosh Architecture (The Hunterian, University of Glasgow)[http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=205318 (Sir) John McDonald], Dictionary of Scottish Architects with a development of quartered villas and bungalows at Southhill Avenue towards the yet unbuilt Eastfield, thereafter mainly semi-detached homes in the triangular plot of land at Dukes Road / Brownside Road, and another set of quartered villas and bungalows on the inclines around Bradda Avenue / Blairbeth Road; these latter areas (including Burnside Church and bowling club) were historically within the civil parish of Cambuslang[https://www.scottish-places.info/parishes/parmap817.html Map of the Parish of Cambuslang in the Historical County of Lanark], Gazetteer for Scotland but were always more closely associated with the amenities of central Burnside, located within the boundaries of Rutherglen along with Springhall and Blairbeth[https://www.scottish-places.info/parishes/parmap810.html Map of the Parish of Rutherglen in the Historical County of Lanark], Gazetteer for Scotland (but unlike Spittal, Cathkin and Fernhill which were in Carmunnock parish).[https://www.scottish-places.info/parishes/parmap826.html Map of the Parish of Carmunnock in the Historical County of Lanark], Gazetteer for Scotland The last major residential project at Upper Bourtree Drive / Larchfield Drive in the 1970s 'joined' the existing parts of High Burnside and meant the vast majority of the territory was now built upon, with all subsequent modern developments being on a far smaller scale.

File:Old road sign by Crawfurd Avenue - geograph.org.uk - 1230087.jpg

Previously, Burnside had its own cinema on Stonelaw Road, the Rhul Cinema. Built in 1932 by the Burnside Picture House Company, the cinema was sold to ABC in 1936 and later demolished in 1960.{{cite web | url=http://www.codexgeo.co.uk/dsa/building_full.php?id=M003488 | title=Rhul Cinema | work=Dictionary of Scottish Architects | year=2006 | accessdate=31 October 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928013117/http://www.codexgeo.co.uk/dsa/building_full.php?id=M003488 | archive-date=28 September 2007 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.survivingcinemas.org.uk/glasgow/demolished.php | title=Glasgow Demolished Cinemas | work=Cinema City and Beyond | accessdate=31 October 2006}}{{cite web |url=https://jellyinboll.co.uk/2017/12/10/rhul-glasgow/|title=Rhul, Glasgow|website=The Scottish Cinema Project|accessdate=9 September 2018}} The space is now occupied by a supermarket, which was previously run by Safeway, Morrisons and Somerfield,[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/rutherglens-movie-hall-past-2604252 Rutherglen's movie hall past], Daily Record, 2 September 2009 but is presently a Tesco, who purchased the store in 2010 and completed a comprehensive redevelopment.

On the western side of Burnside, overlooking Rutherglen Cemetery and immediately north of the railway tracks, is Blairtum House, built in 1878 for the owner of a rope works at Farme Cross and adorned with rope-related features in its stonework. It was owned in the 1900s by George Gray, Town Clerk of Rutherglen,[https://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSA00209 George Gray (Mitchell Library, The Bailie)], The Glasgow Story and later was a care home for the elderly and YMCA-run accommodation for homeless teenagers[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/rutherglen-pals-recall-life-blairtum-7990886.amp Rutherglen pals recall their life at Blairtum House following horror fire which ripped through the building], Daily Record, 20 May 2016 before being converted as the centrepiece of an upmarket residential development,[https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Conversion_of_Blairtum_House,_Scotland Conversion of Blairtum House, Scotland], Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, 20 September 2019[https://www.grossarts.co.uk/case-studies-blog/23-cs09-blairtum-new-build-refurbishment CS09; Blairtum Park New Build & Refurbishment], Grossart Associates surviving a major fire during the process in 2016.[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/iconic-rutherglen-building-blairtum-house-8195466.amp Iconic Rutherglen building Blairtum House will not be bulldozed], Daily Record, 17 June 2016 The high ground immediately north of Blairtum is presumed by W. R. Shearer in Rutherglen Lore (1922) to have been the location of a large mediaeval stone cross placed in a prominent position and from which the Crosshill name is derived, although other sources suggest the cross may have been further west at Bankhead,[https://canmore.org.uk/site/45081/Rutherglen-Crosshill Rutherglen, Crosshill], Canmore where there is a Crosshill Farm.

File:AM Burnside Church.jpg

The Burnside church was established in 1928 and initially operated out of temporary buildings.[https://catalogue.nrscotland.gov.uk/nrsonlinecatalogue/browseDetails.aspx?reference=CH2/1386 Records of Glasgow, Burnside Kirk Session], Glasgow City Archives (via National Records of Scotland)[https://canmore.org.uk/collection/1452107 General view, Burnside, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland, 1937. Oblique aerial photograph, taken facing south-west], Canmore Plans for a permanent structure were postponed by World War II, but by the time the conflict ended, a merger had taken place between two congregations based within a few blocks of one another in the Pollokshields area of Glasgow, who chose to use the Sherbrooke Church going forward, leaving the St Gilbert's Church buildings (completed in 1911) unoccupied. They were dismantled brick-by-brick and transported to a new home at Burnside, {{convert|5|miles}} away, the process completed in 1954.[https://canmore.org.uk/site/165260/glasgow-church-avenue-burnside-parish-church-halls-and-session-house Glasgow, Church Avenue, Burnside Parish Church, Halls And Session House], Canmore

The premises are Category B listed[http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB33788 Burnside Road, Church Avenue, Burnside Parish Church including halls, session house, boundary walls and railings], Historic Environment Scotland and feature stained glass windows designed by the noted craftsman Oscar Paterson.[http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/warmemscot-post-39914.html Burnside Blairbeth Parish Church], The Scottish Military History Research Group, 17 October 2010 The sanctuary was completely refurbished in 2002, around the same time as a merger took place between the congregations of Burnside and the Blairbeth Parish Church, with the 1950s building of the latter on Drumliaw Road still used as a secondary site for services and clubs.

In 2005, the Rev. David Easton retired after serving as minister there for 28 years.[http://www.parkchurch.co.uk/mag/Park%2520Pages%2520Summer%25202016.pdf Letter from the Minister], Park Pages (Uddingston Park UF Church), 2016 In September 2006, William Wilson was inducted to the vacant charge.[https://www.burnsideblairbeth.church/about-us/ About Us], Burnside Blairbeth Church[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/rutherglen-reverend-one-finest-9029294.amp Rutherglen reverend one of the finest], Daily Record, 16 October 2016 Aside from two Sunday Services, there are Sunday Clubs for children and The Way, a club for secondary school students. The Blairbeth building, Roger Memorial, has Storykeepers club for P1s to P3s and Megaquest for P4s to P7s.

Stonelaw Road (part of the A749) is the heart of Burnside and home to a supermarket and a range of other local businesses and cafés (as well as several estate agents, having become the main concentration of the industry's branches for the south-east of Glasgow).[https://www.pacittijones.co.uk/about-us/branches/burnside/ Burnside], Pacitti Jones Estate Agents[https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/19049483.amp/ South Lanarkshire Council planners knock back estate agent plan in Burnside], Glasgow Times, 31 January 2021 It is also on several bus routes (First Glasgow services 18 to Buchanan Bus Station / East Kilbride and 7A to the St Enoch Centre / Cambuslang, and the 14 McGill 'Ruglen Rambler' service to Rutherglen town centre / Fernhill).{{cite web |url=https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/First%20Glasgow%20Frequency.pdf |title=Frequency Guide |publisher=First Glasgow |date=1 January 2018 |accessdate=17 January 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web |url=https://www.firstgroup.com/uploads/maps/first-glasgow-map-2018.pdf |title=Glasgow Network Map |publisher=First Glasgow |date=1 January 2018 |accessdate=17 January 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Burnside railway station, as part of the Cathcart Circle Lines, is served by half-hourly, seven-day services between Newton and Glasgow Central via Mount Florida or Langside.

In education,[https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/200189/our_primary_schools Our primary schools], South Lanarkshire Council the area is served by ACE Place Nursery and Out of School Care,[https://aceplacenursery.co.uk/ Where All Children Excel] ACE Place Nursery Oakwood House Nursery,[https://www.oakwoodnursery.com/background Background], Oakwood Nurseries Burnside Primary School, Loch Primary School, St Anthony's Primary School, (both Springhall), St Marks Primary School (Blairbeth), Calderwood Primary School, Stonelaw High School (both near Eastfield) and Fernhill School (Fernhill). The primary schools were rebuilt in the early 21st century.[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/rutherglen-primary-school-rebuilt-instead-2299933 Rutherglen primary school to be rebuilt instead of refurbished], Daily Record, 26 September 2013[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/take-look-burnside-primarys-new-10579763.amp We take a look at Burnside Primary's new building...], Daily Record, 8 June 2017 Some of the newest housing in the area, on Greystone Avenue, was previously the site of a special school.Old Rutherglen, Rhona Wilson (Stenlake Publishing, 1996) {{ISBN|9781872074726}}

Burnside is home to two Scout Groups: the 185th (Glasgow Rutherglen, established 1929){{cite web | url=http://www.185scoutgroup.co.uk | title=Home|publisher=185th Glasgow Scout Group}} are based in Burnside Church Halls on Church Avenue. The 113th (Glasgow Burnside, established 1909) are based in a dedicated Scout Hall on Crawfurd Road.{{cite web | url=http://www.113.org/history/hall.html | title=The Hall |publisher=113th Glasgow (Burnside) Scout Group}}

There is one tennis club in the area; for many years there had been two, but Burnside LTC – based adjacent to the parish church – closed down in the 2010s after nearly a century of operation and its courts fell into disuse, being taken over and refurbished by their former rival, Rutherglen LTC, based on Viewpark Drive.{{cite news | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/burnside-tennis-courts-could-saved-6716610| title=Burnside tennis courts could be saved after Rutherglen Club launch community campaign | work=Daily Record / Rutherglen Reformer|date=28 October 2015| accessdate=19 March 2017}}[https://www.rutherglenltc.com/about-us/facilities/ Facilities], Rutherglen Lawn Tennis Club Founded in 1922, Rutherglen was awarded as the best club in the country by Tennis Scotland for both 2016{{cite news | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/kings-court-rutherglen-lawn-tennis-9982859| title=Kings of the court: Rutherglen Lawn Tennis Club given top honour after superb year | work=Daily Record / Rutherglen Reformer|date=9 March 2017| accessdate=19 March 2017}} and 2017, the latter success attributed to the work on the Burnside courts.[https://www.rutherglenltc.com/club-of-the-year-again/ Club Of The Year – Again], Rutherglen Lawn Tennis Club, 16 April 2018 In 2020, they announced plans to rebuild the clubhouse at their Viewpark site and to restore the derelict courts at nearby Overtoun Park;[https://www.rutherglenltc.com/overtoun/ Overtoun Covered Courts], Rutherglen Lawn Tennis Club, 30 January 2020 the latter proposal stalled in 2022 due to a funding issue.[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/lanarkshire-tennis-clubs-ambitious-plans-26604919.amp Lanarkshire tennis club's ambitious plans fall through after funding setback], Jonathan Geddes, Daily Record, 1 April 2022

File:Stonelaw playing fields.jpg playing fields]]

On the eastern periphery of Burnside, Stonelaw High School has a 'Community Wing' with sports facilities and hall as well as an AstroTurf football pitch,{{cite web| url= http://www.stonelawsporthub.co.uk/|title= Stonelaw Community Sports Hub|accessdate=12 October 2019}}{{cite web| url= http://www.slleisureandculture.co.uk/info/172/stonelaw_community_sports_centre|title= Stonelaw Community Sports Centre|publisher=South Lanarkshire Leisure & Culture|accessdate=12 October 2019}} installed adjacent to the school's new buildings a year before the move was completed in 1998{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/stonelaw-head-looks-back-32-2553805|title=Stonelaw head looks back on 32 terrific years in Rutherglen|first=Douglas|last=Dickie|newspaper=Daily Record / Rutherglen Reformer|date=11 April 2012|accessdate=12 October 2019}} – this land was previously the recreation grounds for the James Templeton & Co textile company in Glasgow,{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y0_KAwAAQBAJ&q=templeton&pg=PT222|title=The Herald Years|last=Webster|first=Jack|publisher=Black & White Publishing|year=1996|isbn=9781845029241}} and the bowling club bearing the Templeton name at that location continues on its own.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/templeton-bowling-club-hold-summer-2589406|title=Templeton Bowling Club hold summer fett [sic]|newspaper=Daily Record / Rutherglen Reformer|date=16 June 2010|accessdate=12 October 2019}} Burnside Bowling Club (1909) is located next to the old Burnside tennis courts[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/reformer-club-week-burnside-bowling-8455568 Reformer Club of the Week: Burnside Bowling Club], Daily Record, 24 June 2016 and there are other bowling clubs on the border with central Rutherglen (on Stonelaw Road and in Overtoun Park).[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/local-sport/rutherglen-bowls-champion-determined-equal-11281580 Rutherglen bowls champion determined to equal club legend's record of nine championship wins], Daily Record, 4 October 2017[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/yobs-ruin-overtoun-park-bowling-2550773.amp Yobs ruin Overtoun Park Bowling Club's centenary], Daily Record, 6 June 2012

Burnside also borders Cambuslang Rugby Club's Coats Park ground, situated next to the railway lines off Brownside Road (and adjacent to a colliery which operated from 1928 to 1958).[https://www.nmrs.org.uk/resources/britains-nationalised-coal-mines-from-1947/ncb-collieries-scotland/ NCB Collieries, Scotland], Northern Mine Research Society

File:To Burnside from Fernhill Park (geograph 5093461).jpg

Cathkin Braes Golf Club (founded 1888)[https://cathkinbraesgolfclub.co.uk/history.php History], Cathkin Braes Golf Club and Kirkhill Golf Club (founded 1910)[http://www.kirkhillgolfclub.org.uk/Home.aspx Welcome], Kirkhill Golf Club are situated in the green belt a short distance to the south of Burnside. The area's other golf club, Blairbeth, closed in 2015[https://canmore.org.uk/site/308768/glasgow-rutherglen-fernhill-fernbrae-avenue-blairbeth-golf-course Glasgow, Rutherglen, Fernhill, Fernbrae Avenue, Blairbeth Golf Course], Canmore and was converted to a park, named Fernbrae Meadows.{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/plans-revealed-urban-park-site-10956226 |title=Plans revealed for urban park on site of old Blairbeth Golf Club |work=Daily Record/Rutherglen Reformer|date=14 August 2017 |accessdate=12 October 2019}} Blairbeth was the Burnside club by geography, having been founded in 1910 with the first course on the slopes to the south of the railway station, before relocating further south due housebuilding around Crawford Road (reflected in the street name of Golf Road in this area); the second course had its small clubhouse at today's Larchfield Drive and the course over the land of Bowhouse Farm which became the northern part of Fernhill housing scheme in the 1950s, as well as the open ground eventually used for the Cathkin Relief Road in the 2010s.[https://www.idverde.co.uk/portfolio/cathkin-relief-road/ Cathkin Relief Road] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320141638/https://www.idverde.co.uk/portfolio/cathkin-relief-road/ |date=20 March 2020 }}, idverde UK[https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/cathkin-relief-road-compensation-claims-20699276 Cathkin Relief Road compensation claims could cost South Lanarkshire Council £1million], Daily Record, 22 October 2019 Fernhill's construction caused the golf club to move south again, taking over the isolated former Mill Farm on the county boundary with Castlemilk as a clubhouse in 1956, where it remained until closure 60 years later.[https://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/scotland-63/central-west/lanarkshire/112-blairbeth-golf-club-south-lanarkshire Blairbeth Golf Club, Glasgow. (1910 - 2015)], Golf's Missing Links[https://www.forgottengreens.com/forgotten-greens/lanarkshire-abington/blairbeth/ Blairbeth], Forgotten Golfing Greens Of Scotland

{{reflist}}

{{Areas of Rutherglen and Cambuslang}}

Category:Neighbourhoods in South Lanarkshire

Category:Rutherglen