Exploring Glasgow's Abandoned Schools

In this video we document some of the abandoned schools formed by the Glasgow School Board between 1872-1918. Rare architecture for these buildings that isn't available today is crumbling before residential areas of the city.
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• Exploring an Abandoned...
REMINDER: We do not force entry into any of these places. We only use access points available to us on the day and if there is none, we leave the site how it was to conserve it. If we get in, we do not vandalise anything.
abandoned urbandoned derelict urbex explore exploring uk scotland glasgow school board schools education golfhill st james sir john maxwell poolokshaws dennistoun walkthrough inside documentary video

[@alisonmc590]

Lived in Glasgow all my life and often wonder what these schools are like inside. Would definitely enjoy if you could make a series of these videos. Thank you for an intereting insight.

[@Urbandoned]

Glad you enjoyed it - we will look into a revisit soon to capture more of these schools.

[@divles11]

Fab! I worked in st James for 3yrs as a classroom assistant and left in 2003. I actually painted the murals around the whole gym hall. My gran also attended st james in 1926.❤

[@jimwilliammcmillan5034]

Was it St. James’s in the Calton myself and my youngest son went to the school

[@thescotlandeffect3454]

Yes please more from Glasgow schools and other Glasgow buildings, excellent film guys.

[@Urbandoned]

No worries, glad you liked the documentary :)

[@ScottishPhoenix]

I would suggest one but it's now being took down apart from the centre building.

[@leeralston4143]

Urbandoned hi did you pick up any paranormal activity?. Cause I went to this school from a young age it is haunted I experienced it.

[@hazylbommer9078]

Depressing seeing the state St James' has gotten into. I have a lot of memories from attending the school all throughout my primary years. Ground floor was used for the younger classes, middle floor was for P3 through P5 and the top floor was for P6 and P7 with the room just off the landing for any visiting guests and drama classes. The main hall was for P.E., assemblies and any big school events. The toilets creeped everyone out and were always freezing. There was construction work going on in the place after it was closed as a school, but it got stopped not long after it started and there was never any mention of why or what happened.

[@scarletspeedster8764]

who would read all this not me

[@JFrizey]

Always the same with listed buildings, let it sit and fall down/ mysteriously catch fire, have it declared unsafe, demolish then cash in to a private investor, been the end of many a beautiful buildings. love the videos guys , glad you enjoyed being up my neck of the woods

[@robertwillis4061]

Yes, the mysterious fires that start in abandoned buildings in Glasgow. Happens a bit to often.

[@I78885]

@@robertwillis4061 yes holy shit

[@nickayla-janebaillie1004]

This was really fascinating, thank you! I attended St James 1993-2000 and this just brought me straight back to those days! It's sad to see the decay but also nice to see inside after 20 years.

[@dan5020]

Simpler, fun-filled times back then :) Loved spending time in Glasgow as a kid, I miss it now due to lockdown and I can't visit my granny!

[@martinlaycock6095]

St James is being renovated right now!

[@Marikioable]

I went to Greenfield primary School. I remember it vividly, every teacher, (nearly) every pupil, every dinner lady, the janitor, the janitor's son, the headmaster, assistant headmistress, the swimming pool. I visited Govan recently (Before the pandemic)) and even though I remember not really enjoying my school days, it was sad to see my old school in such a state... It's literally been left to rot.

[@nn6380]

I went to Greenfield Primary School too! Sadly it has just been left to rot, but hope that some business will be able to use it in the future or it could be turned into flats.

[@laurenmackinnon1019]

When were you there?

[@lynseymorgan5821]

I briefly attended another primary in Govan and we used to use the pool at Greenfield primary every week.

[@Marikioable]

@@lynseymorgan5821 Hello Lynsey.I thought for a moment I saw you somwhere. By the look of your profile picture, you are younger (and prettier) than I am. If you don't mind me asking...What year?

[@afiakazmi3201]

Always wondered what Golfhill looked like all my life. I’ve been living right in front of it since I was born. So thankful this video exists

[@elgoodo1981]

I went to Golfhill in the 80s, funny seeing the old gym at bottom floor, and my P1 class next to it. When I first started pretty sure it was toilets in separate outdoor building 🤔 I feel ancient now 😂 And we had a resident artist, Julie Brooks who collaborated on big murals with us all! Happy days!

[@UXXV]

Yup the outdoor bogs we all used to climb on top of 😂

[@lizzieburton5276]

What an amazing explore i really enjoyed it. I love these old Victorian style structures. Love the documentary style videos. Your narrative is spot on! Those ceiling & colours are awesome too, would love to see more like these xx

[@Urbandoned]

We really are grateful for the nice feedback, thank you! More on the way...

[@poppydaisy2]

Been waiting for this... your videos are soooo fascinating. Well done guys x

[@Urbandoned]

Hopefully it was worth the wait :)

[@blueshield11754]

Guys, thanks so much for putting this together... my dad, who passed away not so long ago, attended Golf Hill from about 1940 to 1952 or so... He'd have loved to have seen this... SC

[@weezathon89]

I went to St James in the 90s. Left in 2000. It wasn’t a boarding school. That was the nurses room.

[@stevenhaddow6390]

Me and my brother went to St James..sad to see the state of it now

[@lesleydevlin3656]

My girl went to after school care in the back classroom

[@loganavich17]

2 of my sons went there too.😎.

[@johnthompson9833]

I went to St James school too in the 90s

[@williamwilliam5242]

WHAT AN AMAZING EXPLORE. I LOVED THIS ONE AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF YOUR GLASGOW ADVENTURES. THANKYOU SO MICH FOR SHOWING US XXX

[@Urbandoned]

Happy that you enjoyed it - no problem :)

[@kpurban1310]

Been waiting to see this one for a while lad. Nice one!

[@Urbandoned]

Appreciate it mate

[@Theweekidvr]

Wow what a fascinating video! Can't wait for more!

[@alexblue6991]

I work a joiner with the council for years repairing some schools in Glasgow and Lanarkshire my age 68 yr

[@caseydykes117]

You guys do such an incredible job. Not overdramatic but factual and interesting! Thank you so much X

[@Urbandoned]

Really appreciate the kind words, thanks :)

[@martinmaryhillglasgow7139]

Brilliant guys. You show great respect to these buildings and do your homework and share their history. One day they will be gone and young generations will be able to see the history of their fore fathers with these great videos. Your enthusiasm is great to watch. Well done. I love these.

[@Urbandoned]

Thank you so much - we really work hard on perfecting the background details of our videos so it makes it worthwhile when it's noticed. Respect is the most important thing whilst making them for us!

[@sophiesinclair2990]

I spent 7 years of my life involved with Sir John Maxwells, it was my preschool/after school building. It was always a beautiful and well kept building inside with a full round playground that I spent many many years playing in. This video was so interesting to see thank you.

[@veggi23]

Came across this by accident, really interesting and would be interested in a series about abandoned Glasgow schools

[@rickydub6950]

Thanks for posting 👍🙂

[@omcc1719]

Amazing video I attended St Convals which is only a 5 minute walk from John Maxwell and I remember when they eventually closed it and the pupils were sent to the schools nearby. If you ever come back to Glasgow I would recommend taking a visit to St Convals it was the same Victorian architecture you explored today. I feel really lucky to have been able to attend it 👍🏼

[@DonovanChilders]

Excellent video! I enjoy the documentary style so I'd be fine with more of these. :)

[@Urbandoned]

Thank you very much :)

[@stevenmunro2623]

I attended Greenfield Primary School in my childhood and have ALWAYS wanted to see what it looks like inside the building, but unfortunately with it being sealed shut, it’s proven difficult. Fantastic video and would love to see a series on abandoned Glasgow as it’s my home city. :)

[@Scoopdoggydogg]

Dude you gotta come and do more of these videos! There's loads of buildings like these in Glasgow

[@Urbandoned]

We will look into it and more than likely will!

[@oliverrobertson9120]

Great video. I was in my last year of Golfhill and had to leave half way through the year as it was 'subsiding' I have a video somewhere showing the school over the years, going to dig it out!

[@marcdelaunay1]

Ah man please do!

[@Urbandoned]

Would love to see the footage. Let us know if you find it and we would love to feature it in the next episode...

[@oliverrobertson9120]

@@Urbandoned can't find it :( but will keep looking

[@eringreen3200]

I not from Scotland. But some of these schools featured in a program called The nuture room & another one called Britain’s challenging children. Think the program were film in 2011 as I see people comment that some of these school close in 2013. I didn’t know they closed down so sad until I saw this. Hopefully the school’s wherever they have gone that the children have a even more safer environment.

[@eunicecraig7601]

Fabulous video, I attended Golfhill School in the late 60s - there used to be an amazing train set in one of the top floor rooms - thanks so much for sharing

[@joorogumo]

I used to go to Golfhill, it's so nostalgic to see my own classrooms. It was such a beautiful building.

[@redned7186]

Loved this video. Just subscribed

[@fuzzwack1]

Watching from Canada..Very Cool! I need to see more!

[@Urbandoned]

Hello! There's many more on our channel to see.

[@jackielong9927]

Very beautiful, thanks for sharing ❤️

[@Mouse2113]

Fantastic video

[@briannelson1784]

Hi me again,I had a really happy time at golfhill and received a great education a teacher miss lapsley made a great impression on me her mantras were. “Better late than never but better never late “ “bad timekeeping is only a bad habit “ the person who never made a mistake never made anything. To this day I detest poor timekeeping all my friends and family laugh about it if I say I will meet someone I arrive spot on the time or before it but never late. I am now 72 years young have made made lots of mistakes but never twice

[@urbandeprivation2849]

Such a great example of natural decay, Just amazing. Great video

[@Urbandoned]

Glad you enjoyed it = thank you

[@calumanderson571]

would love to see more videos about these, theres an abundance of abandoned schools in glasgow. theres many many abadoned merchant buildings around the outskirts of the city centre too

[@golden86delicious]

I went to Golfhill 1990-1995 before moving away. Have so many memories of this place and loved this video. Thank you so much for this! I remember the rough concrete playground which would give a good knee scrape. The stairs up to the entrance. The entrance corridor had primary two and the head teacher's office. This then led into the open atrium area where gym was held. This also had the primary one classroom off it and the dinner hall shown in your video. The library was on the second floor... which was always boiling in summer. The third floor was out of bounds! Apart from for a toddler group I attended when wee which was held in the gym-looking hall you showed with the desks in it.

[@Urbandoned]

Thanks for sharing your memories, it's interesting to read.

[@davidvickers6028]

I also went to golfhill around the same time frame brought back so meany memories so sad to see it this way hope it gets saved

[@jeanivancic7323]

I loved watching this, thank you. I taught in Glasgow in a very similar building, now also closed and dilapidated. I also taught briefly in both of the schools you visited. What a shame to see them in this state, they were both wonderful and vibrant when filled with Glasgow kids. I would love to see more.

[@frostedbiscuit2013]

Me, my sisters and my mum attended Sir John Max Well Primary. I was the last set of pupils to reach P7 (the last year of the school before secondary) before the school finally shut down in 2011. From what I heard leading up to the days of when it shut was that the place was going to be converted into a library, then a police station. Evidently that never happened. Sad to see how the place lays wasted. The large grass field adjacent to the school used to be where we'd have cross country and activities like 'sports day', it used to be a large gravel based pitch, but now nature has reclaimed it. If you possibly could I'd love it if you can explore inside Sir Johns.

[@Angmars_Blues]

Thank you for this. As a former Golfhill pupil, this was a trip back in time.

[@TheMarcushowell]

Showers in schools are often provided for children to use after PE or for staff again after providing PE or for those who might cycle to work and want to freshen up before teaching for the rest of the day. Great video!!

[@ariescustom]

Great stuff. I live near two of these sadly dilapidated edifices in Dennistoun. At least one of them is being saved and turned into flats.

[@Urbandoned]

That's good to hear - the more saved the better.

[@owenmullen9860]

@@Urbandoned Haghill?

[@jemmablanchflower3100]

Born and brought up in Glasgow and would love to see more of these. Have often wondered what these buildings look like inside!!! There used to be one on my street but they have made it into flats but have maintained some original features of the buildings., looks really good!

[@bobbyjamieson7878]

Fantastic. My first school. I started in 1959 aged 4! Thanks for the memories.

[@camelia9802]

Very interesting indeed. More videos please 👍

[@nataliesmith303]

Great vid guys. Any videos of old buildings are fine by me regardless of what they were used for and where the are 😀

[@Urbandoned]

Thanks for the feedback :)

[@kennethfalconer2513]

That was a really cool video. There was one almost exactly the same in Hollybrook Street in Glasgow, but it was sadly demolished to me room for some flats a couple of years ago.

[@caltonbhoyify]

Grew up in the Calton in the 80s & 90s, had mates who went to St James school, played football every night in the concrete pitch, which on my last visit to Scotland a few years ago was saddend to see it gone to waste, 2nd school in video 'Tureen St' was turned into a youth club for us in the 80s by a great lady called Betty McAllister RIP Betty. This was a free club run by local parents for all kids. Such a shame to have seen it abandoned and left to decay. Cheers fot the video.

[@carolbarnes7967]

So sad to see st James's like this, best primary school, in the winter there was always an ice slide in the back playground, the toilets used to creep me out😅

[@Urbandoned]

Thanks for sharing your memory of it - the toilets were slightly creepy away from everything else.

[@alistaireagle9545]

Living near here i would love to see more of this and join you exploring

[@FlickeringEmber]

Same on both counts!

[@paulharvey9149]

A series on Glasgow schools would be incredible - or in fact, a series on Glasgow, which has so many derelict places - from tunnels and railway stations to hospitals and much else besides.

[@annettecuthbertson9514]

Im from Glasgow this video is fantastic thanks guys

[@hunterchristianjessen]

This is so interesting please do more in Glasgow.

[@ewankerr3011]

Fascinating and enjoyable video. Well done. It should be noted that quite a number of these schools built in the School Board Era are still in use. I attended one in the 1960s and it is still going strong. Also, many built by the Govan Parish School Board are now found within th4 city of Glasgow and still in use.

[@scottanderson2289]

Any chance of video from Edinburgh? Love the video guys brilliant in depth awesome keep it up 💯

[@jordonmacpherson4286]

Went to st james between 1998 and 2005 and stayed along the street a beautiful building sadly gone to waste .

[@johnthompson9833]

I think I was in your class

[@hollybrannagan2922]

I attended St James primary from 2000 - 2003 such a brilliant school and building so sad to see how the building ended up, have such good memories of my time there my auntie was also the lollipop lady :)

[@angelaclark8283]

This is amazing, so insightful, thank you, would love to see more of these videos. I live in Glasgow and have often wondered why they have been abandoned. Glasgow City Council should sell to investors to restore and retain the history, they need the monetary value.

[@ashleydonald9874]

We had a site office within the school in townhead during the construction of City of Glasgow college. It is an incredible building.

[@TopAbandonedPlacesURBEX]

Awesome explore man, Glasgow has some fantastic places, gonna have to get myself up there at some point

[@Urbandoned]

For sure man, Glasgow is brilliant for exploring.

[@TopAbandonedPlacesURBEX]

Urbandoned yeah man looks it, definitely gonna have to plan a trip there in the future

[@aileenboyce1223]

I attended Golfhill Primary in the 70's, great surrounding area then & a fantastic school, good memories. Enjoyed.

[@Urbandoned]

Thanks for sharing and we're glad you enjoyed the video.

[@DeclanD98]

Golfhill might have been good in the 70's but not in the mid 00's when I went there😀

[@michaelmcdonald180]

Have to say am enjoying the proper documentary style to your work, and the respect with which you approach it all. And yes please more from glasgow when possible of course. Being from Edinburgh originally there are very similar schools there that I've seen through work which are properly maintained and nothing really compares to them, even if the modern schools are more purpose built for todays world. Very sad to see so many in disrepair :/

[@rodrigo4379]

great video

[@xlilxrainbowx]

I attended Sir John Maxwells in the early 90s it was very similar to the schools shown in the video. The third floor did not have a balcony and was used for P. E. Seen of pictures of the inside of it which shows really bad decay and water damage. Would be good to see a series on these schools. Keep up the good work I enjoy your videos

[@LegoRocker1984]

I went to Sir John's.

[@xlilxrainbowx]

@@LegoRocker1984 it was a great school, what years did yoh attend?

[@LegoRocker1984]

@@xlilxrainbowx we'll agree to disagree on it being a great school. Lol. I started in 89, left 96

[@georgethomson8493]

Where you guys in the English speaking or gaelic speaking class?

[@pacman9649]

Went there in the 80s - 90s

[@michellehaswell2227]

I would love to see more videos of Glasgow schools. The architecture and designs are beautiful. I hope more of them can be renovated into homes. I know Lenzie Primary in East Dumbarton has recently been converted into luxury apartments. It would be great to see more of this. Look forward to seeing more videos. The old school buildings are fascinating! Have you visited the Scotland Street school museum?

[@HipHopLives95]

You should see if you could visit and film some abandoned train stations in Glasgow there are a lot of disused overground train lines and tunnels and I've always wondered how they looked like

[@briannelson1784]

Was a pupil at golfhill primary 1953-1960. Have been up a few times looking about ,it saddens me to see the state of disrepair of the building and football pitch

[@angelamacakelly7706]

I attended Our Lady and St Margaret's in Kinning Park. Stunning building, I remember every inch of the school and think of it often.

[@dead.format]

Worth a look at the huge electric clock on the landing in school 1 - rare to see them still in situ

[@Urbandoned]

That was one of the only bits remaining in that school and it was great to see!

[@lyndsaygallacher1433]

Oh wow I remember st James so well. I attended between 1996 and 2003, and went back for work experience 08 and 09 before it shut down. It’s wild to see now, I remember it so clearly!

[@Urbandoned]

You must have seen it change quite a lot!

[@xmegbox]

I started st James in 1996 too. I think I remember your name, we must have been the same class. I’m Megan Scott (changed to Innes before I left) and moved to Perth mid p3. I have very faint memories from st James. Remember a class downstairs for p1 and one upstairs, not sure which primary. Milk cartons and the tuck shop at playtime. A long corridor to toilets I think. That’s about it from my foggy memory

[@chopperballs85]

Loved this video! I attended a primary school much like St James - Holycross Primary in Govanhill, and it is still in use as a school today. It is beautiful. You could maybe visit there (just the outside, you won't be allowed in due to the children) to see an old Glasgow shool in excellent condition. Many are used as offices/work places, too. There is another in the Southside of Glasgow that is currently being converted into flats (Holmlee Primary, I think). I'd love to see this as a series, along with many other Glasgow buildings. These are beautiful and historic, I hate seeing modern buildings 😔

[@paddyola1]

enjoyable, I've been thinking of doing some abandonography :0 would love access inside some of them too best wishes from cumbernauld

[@upnorthmate3461]

both my primary school and high school had showers... mainly for students who engaged in after school sports clubs but in winter we would use them after field sports as part of p.e

[@Urbandoned]

Ah that explains it. My school had showers for P.E. too so to be honest, I don't know why I was surprised.

[@coreybudden9694]

Yes please make a series about them. I'm from Australia but I actually a lot of the history of ancient building in all around the world.

[@Urbandoned]

Wow - thanks a lot we will look into it :)

[@davidfarrell7318]

i would love to see more i hope you do come back to glasgow guys.

[@Urbandoned]

Definitely! We'll be back sooner than you think

[@jnexplorationuk315]

Good video it’s surprising how time and neglect changes the look of the building

[@Urbandoned]

Thank you, but it's such a shame it has to happen.

[@gaylehunter9984]

My dad was the janitor of the last school featured (Golfhill) between 1989-1997. So many memories. Beautiful looking school and house. Sad to hear from the last janitor about the roof of the house collapsing.

[@cheralthompson3193]

This brings back memories, i went to St James , its a shame it was left to go to ruin, but nice to see inside again and remember what it used to be like.

[@laurenmackinnon1019]

Greenfield primary in Govan, the second school I was at this school in 1995 for a few years before moving to Hillington. It is such a lovely building and just sits there looking a mess now :(

[@frae37]

Yes please more from Glasgow, my home city.

[@joannedenney5608]

One of the schools pictured was Golfhill Primary school in Dennistoun in the east end, they had to move everyone to premises nearby because pieces of the roof started caving in , it's laid empty for years but the council talked about keeping the facade and turning it into flats. It's a shame because it's a lovely building

[@davidboyd4137]

Nice respectful video, take care, 😊

[@tommym1966]

I remember Sir John Maxwell's. I went there in September 1971 temporarily whilst the new annexe was being built at St Convals school at the top of the hill.

[@thomascole8319]

Awesome vlog not far about 40 mins drive will be there one day 👌👌 😉😉

[@skeebatv]

Garnethill primary school is my old school and that is from the victorian era. And the fuel zone was something else 😀 good memories.. aged 33.. you should try and gain access too garnethill primary

[@NinfaCarpentergeorgia198]

Yes please show us more!!!! My husband and I love Victorian architecture !!!! These buildings should be saved all over the city. Not only are they history, they are so much more attractive than the modern style buildings that surround them!!!

[@ls6882]

Washington Street School aka Glasgow arts centre would be an amazing one to see.

[@coochiman4002]

most schools in glasgow have showers in their changing rooms, though through experience we never use them, some (like st. charles primary) have a WW2 bomb shelter inside

[@gregpage2783]

This was great! We live near haghill primary. Would love to know more about it if it's on your agenda!

[@andreamason4116]

Great video, would love to see more of Glasgow & Scotland! Once the motion sensor was triggered did you give yourselves a certain amount of time to explore or was it just luck that someone arrived after you had already departed?

[@Urbandoned]

We waited around 25 minutes before leaving, but really we were quite lucky. Whilst recording bonus external cinematics, a couple people turned up. Thank you :)

[@donnacumming3157]

st james street school was in the calton my da went there as well as my aunty we lived in alston lane behind the rag store thats no longer there my sister and brother also attended st james i was in the nursery at st james i remember getting my head trapped in the pailings when i was 4 yrs old in the playground

[@edinburghwalks9137]

very good upload.

[@KevvyBoyy]

I work in a recently refurbished Glasgow School that dates from 1899. Glasgow City Council's 4Rs programme has refurbished quite a lot of old Victorian Schools and restored them to their former glory.

[@christopherprice721]

Started watching your videos this week they are amazing its such a shame to see so many wonderful buildings going to waste and in the one video a train and train carriages keep up the good work do you visit the West Midlands very often ?.

[@Nita-ff3px]

Thank you for your explore .👍🇲🇨❤️

[@Urbandoned]

No problem :)

[@annmearns299]

I went to that school I am 74 and it is sad as i can remember teachers and kids from primary 7

[@artex1917]

Fantastic, as a native Glaswegian, thank you for highlighting these decaying buildings, its a shame they're in such a state.

[@jordans4597]

Golfhill ahh the memories. Bittersweet to have been one of the last class years the original building had. Still remember first day of P7 everyone was wondering why there was big green nets fixed underneath the staircases. This was 05' and it didn't last long after that. Such a shame.