The Bishop's Castle shown here was reconstructed, temporarily, on the north bank of the River Kelvin in Kelvingrove Park for the International Exhibition of 1888. The reconstruction was impressively realistic, and it came as a suprise to visitors to discover that it was made of painted canvas on a wooden frame.
The original Bishop's Castle, also known as Bishop's Palace, was situated south-west of Glasgow Cathedral. Thought to be have been built in the 12th century it was a fortified place of sanctuary for numerous bishops and archbishops, with various extensions being made to it over the centuries. After the Reformation in 1560 it fell into disrepair and gradually shrank in size as its stones were plundered for other buildings. In 1792 the first Glasgow Royal Infirmary was built on the site.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC f606.4 (1888)
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
Bishop's Castle, Bishop's Palace, castles, exhibitions, Glasgow Cathedral, International Exhibition, 1888, Kelvingrove Park, Reformation, River Kelvin