| Description | Lower Price |
Upper Price |
|---|---|---|
| We only let Larger Properties in The Helensburgh Area Quality Homes |
£750 | £2,000 |
A Brief History of Helensburgh
In the early 1800's Sir James Colquhoun of Luss bought the southern slopes of the Luss Hills from Sir James Shaw of Greenock. The Luss estate wished to create a “Garden City” and named the town after Lady Helen Colquhoun and so Helensburgh was born. It is still refereed to today as the ‘Garden City of the Firth of Clyde’.
The town was to be feud in a grid formation along similar lines to the New Town of Edinburgh. In 1776 adverts appeared for feus within a rectangular grid plan with broad streets and spacious gardens. These were mainly bought by Glasgow Merchants who built stately summer homes. It was not until the opening of the railway in 1857 when Helensburgh became within an hours travel of Glasgow that the town rapidly expanded. Today as then residents appreciate the benefits of that the town has to offer and today’s 40 minute journey is a small price to pay for the pleasure of being on the banks of the firth during leisure hours.
It is clear why it remains popular as the area enjoys spectacular views over the Firth of Clyde, yachts and dinghy’s could moor at the foot of some of the gardens. To this day several mooring rings are still evident along the sea wall.
Jacob Dixon who resided at Rockbank pre 1831 (now renamed Tigh-na-Mara a property available for let through TACL). His father John Dixon was a coal merchant and originated from Northumberland who is believed to have had three wives, many mistresses and twenty one children. Jacob Dixon was Provost of Helensburgh between 1812 and 1828 and strangely also Provost of Dumbarton between 1822 and 1830 where he owned a large glassworks employing over 300 people. The skyline of many early pictures of Dumbarton is dominated by three giant cones from his factory. To appreciate the wealth that Dixon must have had consider that in 1825-26 over £120,000 Customs duty was reputedly paid, this was probably more than the payroll for the factory for that year. Jacob was a colourful character and bred fighting cocks in the grounds of Rockbank, which terrorised neighbours. He was reported to have won a thousand guinea wager, which in the early 1800 was a considerable sum. He died in 1831 and the glassworks went into sudden decline and were demolished in 1850. Joseph Dixon son of Jacob was an advocate and M.P. for a Glasgow burgh, tenanted the property between 1836-37 and died in 1844. Unlike his grandfather he had no offspring.
Dixon was not the only Provost to occupy Rockbank. When John Ure was provost of Helensburgh he instructed William Leiper to remodel the property between 1904 and 1905. The result being the present Tigh-na-Mara. Ure resided in the property between 1887 and 1911. His second son Alexander Ure became Lord Strathclyde Chief Law Office. The property was also the home of James Bridie playwright during his last years.
William Leiper is Famous for Dowanhill and Camphill Church, Partick Burugh Halls, the Templeton Carpet Factory, Glasgow Gas Light Building and the interior of Stirling Library both in Virginia St, the Banqueting Hall of the City Chambers and in other residential works the refurbishment of 996 Gt Western Road.
We have many fine homes in Helensburgh click TO LET for a list of the properties currently available within the area. If you would like to view any please contact us and we shall arrange to collect you at your workplace and take you to view at a mutually convenient time.
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