THE lands of Petershill are situated about one mile and a half north from the Cross of Glasgow, on the east side of the highway to Kirkintilloch, and near the picturesque Sighthill Cemetery. They march with the lands of Flemington on the north, and with Balgray and Germiston on the east. Anciently there was a loch on the south side of Petershill, but it was drained in the early part of last century.
It is an interesting circumstance that coins of the Romans have been found on Petershill. This is the more worthy of notice, because very few traces of that warlike people have ever been revealed in the district of what is now Glasgow. The discovery took place in November, 1842, while trenching a garden. The coins embrace several of the profligate Emperor Commodus, and one in Great Brass of the beautiful Crispina, his wife, whom he put to death. This last is in good preservation. On the obverse is her bust, with the legend CRISPINA AVGVSTA. Her Grecian features are well seen, and the peculiar style in which Roman ladies of rank wore the hair nearly 1700 years ago. On the reverse a female figure, draped, is presented sitting on a chair, holding in one hand a cornucopia with the mouth uppermost, and in the other a wreath, flanked by the letters S.C., indicating that the coin had been struck by authority of the Roman Senate.
The era of Commodus was from A.D. 180, when he ascended the throne on the death of his illustrious father, till A.D. 193, when he was cut off in a conspiracy. It was a very troubled reign, and insurrections took place in this country against Roman rule. Probably the coins found on Petershill were dropped in some skirmish there between Roman soldiers from the garrisons at Cawdor, or Kirkintilloch, on the Antonine Barrier only a few miles off, and the fierce natives whom history informs us, broke through that Rampart in this very reign.
But, leaving conjecture and approaching our own times, the lands of Petershill belonged in the early part of last century to the town of Glasgow. When or from whom the Magistrates acquired them are points of uncertainty. On a stone-lintel which formed part of an old summer-house on Petershill are incised "D.W. I.B. 1638." These are perhaps the initials of an owner and his wife, prior to the acquisition by the Corporation.
In 1722 the Magistrates leased the lands during nineteen years to James Miller, then Visitor of the Maltmen. His cautioner in the tack was the father of John Miller who opened Miller Street, named after him. But in 1729, the Town sold Petershill to William Stobo, merchant in Glasgow, under the burden of Miller's lease. It was Stobo who drained the loch. After being proprietor about seven years, he parted with the lands to William Graham of Clober, who in his turn sold them, in 1749, to Alexander Williamson, owner of considerable property in the vicinity, including Sighthill. Mr. Williamson's eldest son, a merchant, of the same Christian name, succeeded to Petershill in 1767, and he improved and ornamented the place very much. The mansion house represented in the photograph was built about 1760. (1)
In 1785 Petershill was judicially sold, and purchased by Mr. James Campbell, senior, afterwards of Bedlay. East Campbell Street, Gallowgate, formed through part of his town property of Dovehill - acquired from Sir John Moore's father - is named after this owner of Petershill. James Campbell of Bedlay and Petershill, Lanarkshire, and Shirva in Dumbartonshire, was a son of James Campbell, tanner in Thornhill, Perthshire, where he was born in 1740. He settled in Glasgow and established a tannery at Dovehill, and became a successful and wealthy trader. He was twice married. By his first wife, Agnes, daughter of David Grahame of the Easter Sugar-House, he had a numerous family whose descendants are now extinct. By his second wife, Miss Martin of East Florida, he left no issue. Mr. Campbell resided at Petershill about twenty years. His eldest son, and namesake, was an officer in the Scotch Brigade, now the 94th Regiment, and served in India under Wellesley, then commencing his great military career. Captain Campbell was in the memorable battle of Assaye in 1803, and in the war with Holkar. On his return to Scotland his father conveyed to him Petershill, the old gentleman occupying the fine antique chateau on his other estate of Bedlay, in which he was succeeded by his second son, Alexander Campbell of Bedlay. Captain Campbell, who married Catherine Cameron, daughter and heiress of John Craig of Auchinairn, resided at Petershill about forty years, and died at Slatefield in 1846. His only surviving daughter, Catherine Cameron, succeeded to Petershill and Bedlay, and espoused Thomas Craig Christie, now the proprietor of both estates.
The lands of Petershill have been laid off for feuing, and are intersected by the Caledonian, and the North British, and City of Glasgow Union Railways. A goods station of the North British is on Petershill; but it is worth noticing, so as to guard against confusion hereafter, that this has been erroneously called "The Sighthill Station," no portion of the Sighthill lands reaching to that point. "Coburg Place," on the west side of the Kirkintilloch Road, was feued by Captain Campbell in 1817; and the present proprietor began the feuing on the east side in 1866. There is now a great extent of buildings and a large population on the lands. The new station of the Caledonian Railway in Gordon Street is being erected with stone, principally from Petershill Quarry, by Messrs. John Watt and John Wilson, the contractors, who have feued and built extensively on Petershill.
(1) The architect and mason, who designed and built Petershill House, was John Adam. He was extensively employed in both capacities. He was contractor for the first bridge at the bottom of Jamaica Street, finished in 1772. Adam's Court, in Argyle Street, was built by, and named after, him.
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