31/07/2023
History of Provan Hall
Who Built Provan Hall and When?
By John Dempsey, Friends of Provan Hall
Two of the most common questions asked about this curious old house is when it was built and who built it.
Cards on the table, we canât say for certain. Various construction dates have been proposed. Claims are either broad e.g., 17th century or 1540s, or they are firm and precise e.g. 1450, 1460 or 1461. Some claim it was built before the Reformation in Scotland, some after. Some label the house Medieval, Late Medieval or Post-Medieval. Others make statements like "Glasgow's Oldest Building", clearly forgetting Glasgowâs Cathedral. Thereâs also the long running debate about whether Provan Hall or the Provandâs Lordship is the oldest. Proposed builders include the Bishops of Glasgow, James II, James IV, Bishop William Turnbull, and William Baillie.
So, with all this uncertainty and conflicting accounts, how can we go about answering the questions? One approach is to look at what archaeological and written evidence we are aware of and try to generate some ideas about how this amazing wee house came to be.
1. Plaque erected by NTS (now lost) and attached to the building following restoration in the 1930s (Sinclair 2016, 68)
2. Quote from Heritage Trail Leaflet (L&ES n.d.)
Archaeology
Letâs look first at the archaeological evidence. At present the consensus is the mid- 16th century, based primarily on architectural features and their similarity to other buildings of known age. In 2009 a building survey concluded that the North Range (the building with the turret) was constructed no earlier than this period. On Historic Environment Scotlandâs website Canmore, there is likewise a broad agreement among archaeologists that the North Range is mid- 16th century. Even more recently, the restoration of the house was undertaken under the watchful eye of archaeologists, allowing them to observe, record and form new interpretations on an ongoing basis. So far, the middle of the 1500s again seems the most likely. These are of course interpretations (albeit by experienced archaeologists), and always open to debate and subject to change.
Is there any evidence for an earlier structure? Many donât rule out the possibility of an earlier structure, but there just isnât any evidence for one. There is, however, some tantalising evidence worthy of a thought. For one, there was the oak timber beam discovered above the 1st floor doorway during restoration. A method known as dendrochronology was performed using samples from the timber and the archaeologist concluded it was likely felled between 1259CE and 1295CE. It may also have an association with similar timber used at Glasgow Cathedral. This timber is thought to have been reused, meaning it functioned in some other way in another place or part of the house. Is this evidence of an earlier building? Or could it be a deliberate act motivated by superstition, warding off evil spirits at the threshold? More work is needed.
Some objects that have been found are also interesting. Several fragments of medieval pottery were recovered during archaeological investigations and watching briefs over the years. Do these show people living at Provan Hall earlier than we think?
What about the who? Does the archaeology supply any clues as to who built it? Well, what we donât see archaeologically is any evidence for a royal âhunting lodgeâ or anything characteristically ecclesiastical in nature that would tie these buildings to earlier centuries as they have been in the popular histories. This would have been a substantial structure of the time and needed lots of money and resources to build â even more so if a recent theory about there being a âlost towerâ is considered. Buildings such as these would have been a real projection of power and status, not just for posh living with some fashionable defensive features. It probably played a key role within the local society and economy. This points more towards private individual ownership.
3. Glasgow Herald 6th Jan 1984.
4. Core Sampling in the North Range (Addyman and Mills 2022). 5. Reused oak timber above door lintel (Mills 2021, 19).
Written Sources
What about written sources then? Before the effects of the Reformation in Scotland, the lands on which Provan Hall were built were granted to the Dean and Chapter of Glasgow Cathedral with records covering this period from the 12th to the 16th century. These supply written evidence useful for exploring many topics â what they do not include is any reference to Provan Hall or other settlement anywhere on the land. Church records discuss other houses, so that rules out a bias in the records as far as ecclesiastical mansions are concerned.
The first possible glimpse of a building comes in 1562 when William Baillie, Lord Provand, fues the lands of Provan to Thomas Baillie of Ravenscraig. This document contains the phrase âMains of Provanâ and is a possible hint towards one or more farm buildings locally. However, by 1575 we have something more substantial. A charter signed by Lord Provand and his wife Elizabeth Durham at the "Hall of Provand" (p.6) provides the first substantial evidence for buildings on the site. It is from this period that references to the house then become more common, but we should also consider that written evidence is more abundant from this time.
6 Stained glass window in Parliament Hall Edinburgh commemorating the founding of the College of Justice. William Baillie's arms are shown in the top left of centre. (Wiki commons)
Some final thoughts...
So then, what is our current state of knowledge? And why does it matter when Provan Hall was built? To date, all the archaeological and written evidence we have suggests the house was built around the mid-1500s. Knowing this gives us some context for why it was built. The family most associated with the estate in this period is the Baillie family, who first drew income from the lands as canons of the Cathedral from c.1505 and latterly as a hereditary landowners from the crown. William Baillie, Lord Provand, was clearly making a name for himself as he climbed the legal ladder from notary public to Lord President of the Court of Justice in the 1560s, and took advantage of the changes Reformation afforded. At one point, he was a Baillie of Lamington and all indications are that he sought to establish a distinct Baillie of Provan Line â he retained the hereditary property rights in his feus, began legitimising his offspring and what better way to seal the deal than build for himself a handsome residence in the form of Provan Hall. I hope the debate continues, because speculation generates new ideas, new understandings, raises new questions and at the end of the day, makes it fun!!
Sources
* Addyman, T., and Mills, C. 2022. Provan Hall, Historic building recording and watching brief. In: Jennifer Thoms (ed), Discovery Excavation Scot, New, vol. 22, 2021. England, Cathedral Communications Limited. 83-84.
* Canmore. n.d. Glasgow, Auchinlea Road, Provan Hall (https://canmore.org.uk/site/44985/glasgow-auchinlea-road-provan-hall). Last viewed 19/4/23.
* Harrison, J. G. 2009. Provan Hall, Historical Documentary Evidence. Stirling, John G Harrison Historical Services.
* Land and Environmental Services. nd. Provan Hall Heritage Trail. Glasgow, Glasgow City Council.
* Mills, C.M. 2021. Provan Hall, Easterhouse, Glasgow: Dendrochronology Assessment Report. Edinburgh, Dendrochronicle.
* Sinclair, F. 2016. Provan Hall, Auchinlea Park, Glasgow Conservation Narrative. Glasgow, Fiona Sinclair Architect.
* Cook, M., Mills, C., and Thoms, J. 2020. Dendrochronology: Explore the science of tree ring dating. Forestry and Land Scotland. Forestry and Land Scotland.
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