An advert appeared in the Glasgow Herald in April 1861, selling off timber from felled woodland at Caldergrove. A sale was organised for Wednesday 10th April 1861 from a position near the former house at Priory Bridge.

Timber consisting of oak, ash and alder was to be sold in one lot, shown by the gardener. Perhaps obtained from further clearance of the estate, we know there were greenhouses and a garden at Caldergrove and certainly some of Blantyre’s grand homes upgraded their estates in mid 19th Century. Caldergrove, actually over the border into Cambuslang Parish would have benefited directly from the sale of their timber.

It got me thinking of several areas in Blantyre around that time that may have made use of that wood. The birth of Springwell, the expansion of Stonefield, extensive redevelopment of Main Street and Kirkton. Local timber would have been greatly sought after in that decade and that would may very well have ended up in many of Blantyre’s tenements.