As we all know, the Clyde shaped Glasgow, but Glasgow also shaped the Clyde in ways that altered the course of the river forever.
Prior to the shipbuilding boom of the 19th century, the Clyde looked markedly different. The river was wider, shallower and populated with numerous small islands.
One of the largest of these islands was White Inch (White Island), which lay in the estuarine waters of the River Clyde west of Glasgow in the Parish of Govan.
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It's a name Glaswegians will recognise, as it has been retained as the name of the district between Partick and Scotstoun.
White Inch remained an island until the late 18th century as improvements were made to the river to make the heart of Glasgow navigable.
Dredging and the mass deposit of silt around White Inch saw the island become part of the Clyde's northern banks and by 1830, the ancient isle had vanished.
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Over the next few decades, Whiteinch would be rendered unrecognisable as Glasgow's shipbuilding industry took hold. By the mid-1800s, the area was home to four shipyards, including the huge Whiteinch and Clydeholm yards, and the district became densely populated.
Fossil Grove
A great discovery was made at Whiteinch in 1887 when work to transform a disused quarry into what is now Victoria Park uncovered the fossilised remains of eleven extinct Lepidodendron trees dating back to the Carboniferous era. Dubbed 'Fossil Grove', the ancient tree stumps remain a popular visitor attraction.
Important river crossing
Historically-speaking, Whiteinch had long been an important river crossing point.
A series of stepping stones once connected the north and south banks of the Clyde via Whiteinch Island, while a ferry operated this part of the river for several centuries. The ferry was discontinued after the opening of the Clyde Tunnel, which has its northern portal in Whiteinch, in 1963.
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