Craigton, Glasgow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Craigton
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 Shops and homes in Craigton on Paisley Road West |
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 Craigton
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| OS grid reference | NS543643 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GLASGOW |
| Postcode district | G52 |
| Dialling code | 0141 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Craigton (which is Baile Chreig in Gaelic) is a lively neighbourhood in the southwest of Glasgow, Scotland. It's about 3 miles (5 km) from the heart of Glasgow city. Craigton is next to Bellahouston Park on its south side. To the west, you'll find Halfway, and then Cardonald a bit further.
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A Look at Craigton's History
Long ago, the land where Craigton now stands was mostly farms. These farms were part of the larger area of Govan, which is just north of Craigton. The M8 motorway and railway tracks now separate Craigton from Govan.
There's a special walkway under the motorway that connects Craigton to the Drumoyne neighbourhood. This path used to be a road where trams and buses travelled. The Craigton area itself was built with homes between the two World Wars. Other nearby areas like Drumoyne and Mosspark were also developed around this time.
What's in Craigton Today?
Craigton has its own primary school, which first opened in 1910. A famous artist named George Wyllie even went to school there! You can also find a small area with businesses and many shops along Paisley Road West.
Just west of Craigton is Craigton Cemetery, a large burial ground that opened in 1873. Inside the cemetery, there's a crematorium, which started operating in 1957. To the east, you'll see Helen Street police station. This modern police station was built where the White City Stadium used to be. The stadium was famous for greyhound racing and motorcycle speedway until it closed.
Not far from Craigton, Ibrox railway station used to be open. It was within walking distance for people in Craigton until it closed in the late 1960s. This was around the same time the White City Stadium also closed.
How Craigton Got Its Name
The area between Paisley Road West, Mosspark Boulevard, and Bellahouston Park has had houses since the 1920s. This land was originally fields belonging to a farm called Wearieston. So, for a while after the houses were built, some people called the area Wearieston. However, that name is not used anymore.
Craigton and Local Government
Since 2017, Craigton has been part of the Pollokshields ward for the Glasgow City Council. Before that, for about ten years, it was part of the Govan ward. There was also a ward named Craigton, but interestingly, the actual neighbourhood of Craigton was never part of it! In 2017, that ward was renamed Cardonald to be more accurate.
