Craigends of the 20th Century a Renfrewshire estate remembered

On the banks of the Gryfe stands this mysterious stone built structure. There have been many theories as to the function of the old building from "boat house" and "ice house" to "otter house" (!?). In reality it was a "pump house": an eperimental way of generating electricity for the estate. It has been said that it was conceived by a Prisoner of War during WW2 but that it never actually worked.

"Home Farm" is the only inhabited building that remains from the country estate. It was the factor's house and stood adjacent to a now demolished courtyard complex.

This stone arch is a relic from the old country estate, predating the "modern" mansion house built in 1857. Sited on a disused path through the woods it stood as a romantic reminder of Craigends long after both mansions had been destroyed. In 1998 it was dismantled and reconstructed at a new site to make way for the new private houses that were built at Cunningham Gardens.

This stonework was once part of the entrance gable of Craigends House. Salvaged by Renfrew District Council during the house's demolition in the 1970s it was returned to Craigends in 1998, at a prominant position in Cunningham Gardens.

This six-foot-high stone wall encircled most of the estate. Sections of it can still be found stretching all the way from Gryffebank Avenue to Berl Avenue (via Woodburn Place), and from Leeburn Avenue to Neuk Crescent.

Only one wall remains of the once grand walled gardens. The remainder were demolished when O'Brien Homes built Crawford Road on the site in the 1990s. It had previously been proposed as the site for a new Primary School to serve the local community.

Built in 1794 this stone bridge is still in use today, but those that walk across it today have little to remind them of its ancient heritage. In the 1970s the stone parapet was removed and replaced by ugly metal barriers that remain to this day. A better view is granted when seen from below.

Built in 1762 by William Cuninghame, the 10th Laird of Craigends, this small bridge spans the Locher Water. Adjacent to this was site of the now demolished South Lodge: the main entrance to the estate.

The Icehouse is found in the woods not far from the Gryffe Bridge. An ancient way of storing ice it was a large hole in the ground, accessed from a hatch. While it is likely that the internal structure remains no discernable features remain above ground.

This well was sited on the terraced lawns in front of Craigends House. It is now heavily overgrown.

Of the steps that once bordered the lawn terraces only the well of one remains (the steps themselves have been removed). The three others were demolished by Taylor Woodrow when building Cunningham Gardens in 1998.

This stone lined hole, found in the woods near the site of Craigends House, could be an entrance to a now infilled underground tunnell. Such tunnells are well remembered by children who played in the estate during the 1960s and 1970s.

Small sections of Iron fencing like that pictured can still be found throughout Craigends estate. They were used most often to delimit the parkland from wooded areas. Sections - often buckled and deformed - can be found at Neuk Crescent, Ardgryffe Park, Beatrice Gardens and Thistle Lane.

Low lying walls such as this one remain dotted around the woods of the estate, and are a clue to the old estate management.

Perhaps the best testament to Craigends' past is its ancient woodlands, and ornamental trees. Although many were destroyed - despite their protected status - by O'Brien Homes and Taylor Woodrow in the 1990s many splendid specimens remain including Cedar of Lebanon, Douglas Fir, Wellingtonia and others. Most of these were planted around 1857, but many are much older. The Craigends Yew, on the banks of the River Gryfe, is thought to be over 600 years old.

Some of the old avenues that once criss-crossed the estate are still discernable, and used by locals today. The path that leads from Cunningham Gardens to the Gryfe Bridge is perhaps the best example. When looking closely remains of the red blaze that covered this once well-maintained road can still be seen.

Scattered around the remaining woodland on the estate can be found many small pieces of archaeological evidence. Amongst these are exposed Victorian water pipes, pottery, glass, and variously shaped stones.