The First Edition Ordnance Survey map shows the area we now know as Mansewood around 1863, shortly before any of the development took place.
The map shows the triangular area that we are familiar with now. All of the land within the triangle was "glebe land" i.e. it belonged to the church. The Manse was the home of the minister of the church, and both buildings stand to this day.
It is interesting to note that the map shows a small building just below the church, and none on the other side. There is no building there now, although there is a house on the other side.
The area marked "Auldhouse" is now the estate on the other side of Thornliebank Road, though one building from this map still stands - the tall, step-gabled building, now flats, which is the second oldest building in Glasgow.
Auldhouse Bridge still takes Thornliebank Road over the Auldhouse Burn.
The writing to the left of Auldhouse Bridge - "Auldhouse Bleachfields" - refers to an industry related to the weaving that went on in nearby Pollokshaws at that time. As other pages on this site show, some of the residents of Mansewood were involved in this industry.
The initiation for the development of housing at Mansewood was an application by Rev. George Campbell, Minister of Eastwood Parish to feu the glebe land - land belonging to the church. This application, and the resulting decree is described in one of the subsequent legal documents as follows.
"An order or decree of the Right Honourable the Lords of Council and Session as Commissioners for the Plantation of Kirks and Valuation of Seinds (?) dated 17 July 1871 pronounced in an application presented by
me [Rev. Geo Campbell] on 30 May 1871 for authority to feu the Glebe of the said Parish under and in terms of the Act 29th and 30th Victoria chapter 71st."
The first four plots of land were sold individually to William King (the plot adjacent to plot 19 on the map), David Reid, grocer and spirits dealer of Pollokshaws (adjacent to plot 20) and to Matthew Connell (two plots adjacent to plot 24).
The remaining 24 plots of glebe land were sold by Rev. George Campbell to "Thomas Colledge, Writer [solicitor], and John Guy, Writer".in 1877.
The accompanying map shows the 24 plots along with the 4 plots already sold to William King, David Reid, and Matthew Connell.
In legal documents related to the sale, Hillside Road is referred to by that name, but what we now know as Thornliebank Road is described as "Turnpike Road, leading from Glasgow by Pollokshaws to Stewarton". What we now call Mansewood Road is "Statute Labour Road leading from the Eastwood Parish Church to Henryscroft".
Note that the small building next to the church is still shown, and also another building at the entrance to a track which leads from Mansewood Road at the point where it bends. This is now in the gap between the houses occupied by the school and the path to the flats. This building is mentioned in the 1914-1915 Valuation Rolls.
The area to the south is shown as belonging to Sir William Stirling Maxwell Bart, of Pollok.
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