Announcement - 9th June 2022
Archaeologists from Archaeology Scotland are set to kick off an exciting new project to excavate the remains of Cathkin Park, one of Scotland’s most iconic football grounds, located in the South Side of Glasgow.
Cathkin Park was home to Third Lanark from 1904 until their untimely and infamous demise in 1967. Their ground was abandoned with the grandstand and pavilion being demolished in the 1970’s. Amazingly, the terracing that surrounds three parts of the ground still survive, and the remains stand in memory of the teams, players and fans that once graced this iconic footballing location.
Cathkin Park is the second football ground to have stood on the site. The site was first used by Queen's Park when they built the Second Hampden Park there in 1884. Last year, Archaeologists from Archaeology Scotland excavated the First Hampden Park, the worlds first purposefully built, international football stadium, which was located just a few yards away from Cathkin Park, below the Hampden Bowling Club Green and Kingsley Rose Gardens.
This new project aims to uncover the remains of Third Lanark’s former pavilion, grandstand and turnstiles. Excitingly the archaeologists also want to reveal the original goals posts of the Second Hampden, goals that Scotland’s men’s team recorded famous historical wins, and where the early Scottish Cup finals were played.
“This is an amazing opportunity for Archaeology Scotland to uncover one of the most important sporting sites in the country. This is the site where many of Scotland’s earliest victories came, when it was the site of the Second Hampden Park, but it’s also an important place for fans of Third Lanark. The ground now stands as a monument to their team, and as such it’s a real privilege to be able to explore, investigate and celebrate this important site” says Dr Paul Murtagh of Archaeology Scotland, who is leading the dig.
He continues “This project forms two strands of work for us, part of it is formed by our New Audience Project, which is funded by Historic Environment Scotland. This programme is focused on working with New Scots, refugees and asylum seekers, and we feel that both sport and archaeology are ways in which we can engage with people from all over the world, help them learn about the history of Scotland and Glasgow, and help them settle into their new homes, make friends and have positive experiences. The other part of the project is our field school, where archaeology students and interested members of the public can participate in the excavation by signing up to learn more about community archaeology and get their hands dirty.”
Eila MacQueen, Director of Archaeology Scotland comments that “The universal appeal of football makes this site an ideal candidate for our New Audience Project, which is funded by Historic Environment Scotland. The project is designed to engage audiences that would not normally have access to heritage or archaeology. In this instance, working in the south side of Glasgow, our aim is to work with people from lots of different backgrounds, whether they have been born and brought up in the area, or have just arrived, and especially those that may be asylum seekers or recent immigrants. Football and archaeology are great ways to bring people together.”
Graeme Brown, Founder of the Hampden Collection, explains, “The 2nd Hampden and New Cathkin Park are a central part of Football’s Square Mile, the world’s biggest open-air football museum. This project provides another brilliant opportunity for everyone to engage in the football history within Glasgow’s South Side and dig to uncover more heritage and cultural treasures.”
He continues “This is another important step in our mission is to gain UNESCO World Heritage Status for Football’s Square Mile, cementing its status as the world’s most important football heritage site. The modern passing and running game was developed on these sites, and exported to the world, which is now played or watched by 3.5 billion people. This Archaeology Scotland Project is another fascinating step in the journey of gaining international recognition, and we encourage everyone to get involved and learn this story. The public’s support of these projects is critical to ensure we find out what lies beneath our feet and cataloguing for future generations to enjoy.”
The project will take place from the 15th of June until the 26th of June, and members of the public are invited to come along with their brushes and garden rakes on the morning of Saturday the 25th of June between 1pm and 3pm to help clean up the terracing around the pitch, share stories and memories of the ground, and celebrate the life of Cathkin Park and all the football that took place there.
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