Glasgow, The Necropolis 1890

Photo ref: G11001X

More about this scene

By the beginning of the 17th century the centre of Glasgow had shifted south, to the foot of the High Street where it joined the Saltmarket. Glasgow was never a walled town, but it had four gates at the points of the compass to control traffic. These gates were known as ports and were called the Stable Green Port (north), the Gallowgate Port (east), Brig Port (south) and Trongate Port (west). Rather confusingly, the streets were called gates (often spelled gait or yet). East and west of the Cross were the Trongate and the Gallowgate, still the principal thoroughfares leading to Argyle Street and the Edinburgh Road respectively. The Briggait or Bridgegate linked the north end of the bridge to the Saltmarket (originally called the Waulcergait (street of the wool- scourers), while the Drygate ran east from the cathedral and terminated on the west bank of the Molendinar.