Shandon, Argyll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shandon |
|
|---|---|
 The former St Andrew's School, Shandon House |
|
 Shandon
|
|
| OS grid reference | NS267840 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HELENSBURGH |
| Postcode district | G84 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament |
|
| Scottish Parliament | |
Shandon is a small village in Scotland, located in Argyll and Bute. It sits right by the Gare Loch, which is a long, narrow arm of the sea, like a fjord. From Shandon, you can look across the water to the Rosneath Peninsula. To the east, the village is next to a valley called Glen Fruin.
Glen Fruin is famous for a big battle that happened there a long time ago. On February 7, 1603, the Clan Gregor (MacGregors) fought against the Clan Colquhoun. The MacGregors, who were about 300 warriors on foot, won the battle against the Colquhouns, who had between 600 and 800 men, some on horseback. This was one of the last big clan battles in Scotland.
Shandon is about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) northwest of Helensburgh. It's also about 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) west of Loch Lomond and 33 kilometres (20.5 miles) northwest of Glasgow city centre. In the 1800s, Shandon grew from a tiny group of houses into a popular place for rich merchants from Glasgow to live. Many large, fancy houses from that time are still there today.
Contents
Shandon's Rich History
Shandon has a long and interesting past. In medieval times, two castles, Shandon Castle and Faslane Castle, stood proudly in the area. These castles were important landmarks back then.
West Shandon House: A Grand Mansion
One very important building was West Shandon House. It was built in the 1840s for a man named Robert Napier. He was known as 'the father of Clyde shipbuilding' because he built so many ships on the River Clyde. The house was designed by John Thomas Rochead. West Shandon House was famous for holding Napier's huge collection of art. Later, it became a "hydropathic institution," which was like a health spa where people used water treatments.
Shandon House: From School to Military Use
Another important building is Shandon House, designed by Charles Wilson. For many years, from 1965 to 1986, this house was a special school called St Andrew's. Today, the Ministry of Defence owns Shandon House. They once planned to use it as a place for Royal Marines to live, as it's close to the naval base. However, it is currently empty and boarded up.
Since the 1960s, a very important place has been located near Shandon: HMNB Clyde. This is a large naval base for the British Royal Navy, found between Shandon and the village of Garelochhead at a place called Faslane. This base now covers the land where West Shandon House used to be.
