Glasgow West End: Pat's Guide to the Fossil Grove
If I had been around a few Hundreds or so million years ago I would be telling you about the delights of living in a vast tropical forest. No doubt I would also be warning you to keep your eyes peeled in case you stumble across the 2-metre long centipede-like animals that roamed around the area at the time ( called Arthropleura). (The weather forecast might have been a bit different then - Scotland was situated on the Equator at the time - so the rain was probably a bit warmer!)
Today you can still see the fossilized remains of those ancient forests by visiting the Fossil Grove which is located within Glasgow's Victoria Park. (Victoria Park is in the the Whiteinch area of the city - just a bit more West of the traditional West End.)
In 1887 while workmen where landscaping an old quarry within the grounds of the then new Victoria Park they discovered the beautifully preserved fossil tree trunks lurking within the sand and shale . Subsequent excavation revealed eleven tree trunks complete with expansive root systems covering an area of about 23 metres by 10 metres.
The tree trunks still lie where they where found, and ancient grove of trees protected from the elements by a specially constructed building. This building also acts as a visitor centre allowing viewing of the fossils. I remember as a kid being taken to visit the Fossil grove to marvel at these unfathomably ancient monuments. I am sure I must have been amazed at the idea of them being so old - I still am if I think about it.
It is of interest to note that the fossil grove is not the only place that fossil tree trunks have been discovered - althought no others have been quite so impressive or left 'in-situ'. In 1868 a small group of fossilised trees was uncovered at Gilmorehill - just a few hundred yards away from where I am sitting now writing this - in the heart of the West End. They where discovered during the quarrying for the Glasgow University building but sebsequent quarrying unfortunately destroyed the fossils.
Information for this page was obtained from Alastair Gunnings great little book 'The Fossil Grove' published by Glasgow Museums.
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I have recently returned from USA where I visited the PETRIFIED FOREST which is a larger version of our Fossil Grove. I spent $30 getting in to the place, a fortune getting there and a fortune inside. It was teeming with people.
Why when I mention the Fossil Grove in Glasgow people don't know what I am talking about, even Glaswegians?
This should be an enormous tourist magnate earning megabucks for the Glasgow community as its counterpart does in USA.
I am a printer and would welcome the opportunity to subsidise the printing of a major tourist information brochure on the Fossil Grove if properly directed at bringing revenue into the area.
--James C Stewart ( jim-s at print2000 dot co dot uk ) from Scotland on 26.9.2002; 14:26:36 Uhr
When the grove was uncovered, it was realised that a permanent building would have to be constructed to protect the discovery.
The International Exhibition, Glasgow 1888, was being demolished at Kelvingrove at the time and brickwork was moved to Whiteinch.
--Stanley K Hunter ( StanleyKHunter at compuserve dot com ) from Scotland on 10.11.2000; 0:00:00 Uhr
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Comments
Elwyn Berry 12, Harris Road, | Tue May 24 2005
Stephen Hurrell | Sun Jul 27 2008