PARKHEAD SCHOOL
Parkhead School is a significant Victorian landmark and a rare survivor of the Glasgow School Board Building Programme (1873–1919), reflecting the rich architectural history of Glasgow’s east end. Once central to a thriving industrial community, the building fell into disrepair amid decades of economic decline in Parkhead. In 2013, Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, in partnership with the Parkhead Cross Townscape Initiative, began restoring the site as a flexible community hub for local businesses, charities, and organisations.
- Completion Date: 2018
- Project Cost: £4.1 million
- Building End User: Parkhead Housing Association
History
Parkhead School was designed by architect Hugh Maclure and was built in two phases: the original eastern block with its striking belfry tower in 1878, and a western extension with distinctive gambrel roofs in 1888. These wings housed separate boys’ and girls’ sections, connected by a central covered walkway.
The school was part of the Glasgow School Board Building Programme, initiated after the 1872 Education (Scotland) Act, which introduced compulsory, free elementary education for children aged 5 – 13. To meet the rising demand over 75 new schools were built across the city, creating places for 35,000 new pupils.
After closing in 1963, the building served as a careers office and storage site before falling vacant in 1990. Listed on the Buildings at Risk Register for over 15 years, a GBPT-led investigation revealed major issues including water ingress, dry rot, structural failure, and a partially collapsed roof—requiring extensive restoration efforts.
The Project
In 2013, GBPT was invited by the Parkhead Townscape Heritage Initiative to assess the condition of the vacant school buildings and explore their potential for community and commercial use. Following a feasibility study and designs by Purcell in 2015, GBPT secured £4.12 million in funding from public and private sources. Restoration work began in 2016, with completion initially expected in autumn 2017.
Early works included site clearance, structural downtakings, scaffolding, and stone cleaning. However, the poor condition of the building led to significant delays, making it one of the most challenging projects GBPT had undertaken.
Restoration was completed in summer 2018, featuring a rebuilt bell tower, modern interior upgrades, and a new glazed extension linking the two blocks. This central addition includes a reception area and a passenger lift, providing upper-level access for the first time via a bridge spanning former window openings.
Upon completion, the building was handed over to Parkhead Housing Association to operate as a vibrant, mixed-use community hub.
With the project’s end in 2018, GBPT was nominated and highly commended at the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards for their “sheer doggedness in delivering a project that many felt was an impossible dream”. By working in partnership across other agencies, the Trust has been able to deliver an outstanding legacy for the community of Parkhead.
Project Team
- Purcell (Architect)
- JRS Associates (Principal Designer)
- Will Rudd Davidson (Structural Engineer)
- Davie McCulloch (Services Engineer)
- Gardiner & Theobald (Quantity Surveyor Consultants)
- Building Learning (Community Engagement).
Funders
- Glasgow City Council
- Historic Environment Scotland
- Parkhead Cross Townscape Heritage Initiative
- Scottish Government: Regeneration Capital Grant Fund
- Hugh Fraser Foundation
- Heritage Lottery Fund
- William Grant Foundation
Awards
Additional Information
Visit Parkhead History for local accounts about the school, and extracts from Barony Parish Educational Committee and ‘Recollections of Former Schoolmasters’.
Visit Parkhead Housing Association for an overview of the building’s current tenants and regular updates on the building’s usage.
Bibliography