Around Gareloch and Rosneath Peninsula, by Keith Hall

Around Gareloch and Rosneath Peninsula, by Keith Hall

Published by Tempus in 2000, 128 pages. Paperback (N5410)

Brand New Book

This book is a fascinating pictorial history of the Rosneath Peninsula in Argyll and Bute in Scotland, and it is packed full with lots of wonderful black and white photographs showing the people, buildings and streets of the area in decades gone by.

From the rear side cover: It was the coming of the steamers in the 1830s which saw the beginnings of the villages along the Gareloch. With an easier route to Glasgow than the circuitous overland one, houses began to be built in a piecemeal fashion along the banks. Initially, these houses were used as summer residences for those wanting to escape from the pollution of Glasgow. Slowly, as the steamer services improved, they began to be used on a permanent basis and many residents would commute by water and train into Glasgow and the surrounding Clyde coast towns.

It is the many large villas in the area that give the Rosneath Peninsula its unique atmosphere. Famous architects such as Alexander 'Greek' Thomson and John Honeyman are responsible for the fantastic array of mansions built for the wealthy of Glasgow to live in.

It is not, however, just these buildings which make the area what it is today, but also the scenic splendour of the mountains that rise out of the sea as well as the local industry and rural crafts. The deep water anchorage has been used as a natural harbour for a long time and ships have been both built and dismantled here.

The Rosneath Peninsula encompasses an area of outstanding natural beauty and this book should help give a small insight into the varied nature of the area, its scenery, its industry and its people. For locals or tourists it is an invaluable guide to the way life once was in this tranquil part of Scotland.


The book will delight anyone who has lived or grown up in the Rosneath Peninsula, as well as people with a more general interest in the history of this part of Scotland in decades gone by....
Condition New