02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Stunning Scottish park home to historic landmark that once stood in Glasgow
A historic bandstand that once stood in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park has been restored to glory in a scenic South Lanarkshire park
A once-forgotten piece of Glasgow's heritage has been brought back to life in the rolling countryside of South Lanarkshire.
Overlooking the lush Avon Water valley and framed by the towering remains of an old railway viaduct, the bandstand at Alexander Hamilton Memorial Park in Stonehouse has been fully restored after a £250,000 community-led campaign.
Nestled in a dramatic natural amphitheatre, the ornate structure is now a proud centrepiece once again, and few know it once stood in the heart of Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow Live reports.
The intricately detailed bandstand was originally built for the 1911 Scottish Exhibition of Natural History, Art and Industry, which drew nearly ten million visitors to Kelvingrove Park.
The exhibition included everything from boat trips on the River Kelvin to an aerial railway, a scale Highland village and now-controversial displays of people from Lapland and West Africa.
Following the exhibition, the bandstand was purchased by the Fourth District Council and relocated to Stonehouse, where it was officially opened in 1924. The park went on to become famous for another reason too, its enormous chute, said to have been the longest in Scotland.
Local historian and Friends of Stonehouse Park committee member John Young, 58, has spent years researching the bandstand's remarkable story and leading the restoration efforts. 'It's one of the iconic features of the village,' said John. 'It stands out. It's set in the Avon valley, overlooking the River Avon and the old viaduct.'
He added: 'Folks would come from all over Lanarkshire to come to the park, because not only did it have the bandstand, it had the longest chute in Scotland. Through the thirties, there were always four figures there at weekends during the summers. It must have been quite the sight in those days.'
The restoration, which uncovered intricate ironwork long hidden beneath layers of old paint, has sparked a revival in the park's fortunes.
'It was only when it was restored that we realised the detail in the metalwork,' said John. 'There are cherubs and a lion's head and all these other things we hadn't seen because they were buried under 100 coats of paint over 100 years. It looks outstanding.'
Much of the funding came from windfarm-linked community benefit funds, and the bandstand finally reopened in May 2023. Although some work is still ongoing, including rendering at the base, the site has already begun hosting live music and events once more, often with large and enthusiastic crowds.
'There has been a revival in the park over the last ten years,' said John. 'Like so many parks across Scotland, it was getting run down. There wasn't the money there from the council.'
Now, Friends of Stonehouse Park runs all events in the park, with live performances returning to the bandstand — from gigs to community celebrations.
'There were a good few hundred at an event last week, and folk are already saying that it's amazing and that we should be doing more for it,' John added. 'Where it is at Stonehouse, it's in a natural amphitheatre. It's a great place to play music and to see music.'
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He believes few people know there was another bandstand in Kelvingrove Park before the one currently hosting big-name acts such as Elbow, Public Image Ltd, Billy Ocean and Teenage Fanclub this summer.
'You can see what an impetus live music has given the current bandstand at Kelvingrove Park in Glasgow, and we're trying to do the same in a rural setting,' he said. 'It looks magnificent, and there's no finer setting to see music.'
Recent performers have included Glasgow-based Spanish rock band Clay Rings and Ewan McFarlane, former frontman of Grim Northern Social, with all gigs free to attend.
The Friends have also launched a food tent to raise further funds and secured an additional £300,000 to restore the park's old pavilion into a café. Meanwhile, the bandstand is being woven into the life of the village, from gigs to craft sessions during the Stonehouse Art Trail.
