Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Greenock (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Old West Kirk, Cappielow, and McLean Museum. Also, be sure to include Beacon Youth in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Greenock (Scotland).
Table of Contents
Old West Kirk
The Old West Kirk of the Church of Scotland, authorised by a 1589 Royal Charter and first opened in 1591, is noted as the first Presbyterian church built in Scotland following the Scottish Reformation, and the first approved by the Parliament of Scotland. At an early stage, east and west aisles were added as transepts, giving the church its cruciform plan.
Over time, the town of Greenock grew around the church, which was enlarged and had galleries added to accommodate the congregation. From 1761 other churches were built to serve the growing population, and in 1841 the Old West Kirk was closed when the congregation moved to a new West Kirk. The old kirk gradually became derelict, then it was heavily restored and reopened on Christmas Day 1864. The architect James Salmon supervised the works and added a tower, and the church subsequently incorporated a major collection of Pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows.
Shipyards developed between the churchyard and the Clyde, and in 1917 Harland and Wolff began negotiations to enlarge their yard over the churchyard. They provided a site further along the coast, and built the Pirrie Hall on the new site as a church hall which was used as temporary accommodation for the congregation from February 1925, while the kirk was rebuilt. In January 1928 the Old West Kirk opened in its new location on the Esplanade of Greenock. In 2011 it was amalgamated with two other churches into the Lyle Kirk, Greenock. It is opened to the public on days when cruise ships call at Greenock, and Inverclyde Tourist Group provide guided visits with a talk on the history of the kirk.[1]
Address: Campbell St, Greenock
Cappielow
Stadium in Greenock, Scotland. Cappielow Park, commonly known as Cappielow, is a football stadium in Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland. It is the home ground of Scottish Professional Football League club Greenock Morton, who have played there since 1879. It has a capacity of 11,111, including 5,741 seats. The ground was formerly also shared by Clydebank between 1999 and 2002. Cappielow has staged one full international match, Scotland against Wales in 1902.[2]
Address: Cappielow Park Sinclair Street, PA15 2TU Greenock
McLean Museum
Museum in Greenock, Scotland. The McLean Museum and Art Gallery is a museum and art gallery situated in Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland. It is the main museum in the Inverclyde area, it is free to visit and was opened in 1876. Most notably it features an exhibition of items related to James Watt, the Greenock-born inventor, a Mummy Cartonnage from Herakleopolis Magna and a collection of British and Scottish art. The principal entrance to the museum is on Kelly Street, in the Greenock West area. The former Curator is Val Boa. The Watt Institution includes the Art Gallery, Watt Hall, Watt Library and Inverclyde Archives.[3]
Address: 15 Kelly Street, PA16 8JX Greenock
Beacon Youth
Concerts and shows, Art gallery, Shopping, Museum, Performing arts, Theater
Address: Custom House Quay, PA15 1HJ Greenock
Lyle Hill
Scenic spot in Greenock, Scotland. Lyle Hill at the West End of Greenock, Inverclyde, Scotland, has scenic viewpoints accessible from Lyle Road which was constructed in 1879–1880 and named after Provost Abram Lyle, well known as a sugar refiner. The hill's highest point is Craigs Top at 426 feet above sea level, and before the road was constructed the hill was known as the Craigs, or as the Bingens.
Adjacent to the highest point of the road, a scenic viewpoint looks out over Gourock and the Firth of Clyde to Cowal in the west, and north over the Fort Matilda area of Greenock to Argyll across the Clyde. There are benches, information points, and a beacon which is lit on significant occasions. Car parking spaces give views to the west, and a short distance further down the road the Free French Memorial is in the shape of the Cross of Lorraine combined with an anchor. Across the road, steps and a rough path lead up to a viewpoint at Craigs Top with views up the River Clyde as far as Glasgow.[4]
Address: 156 Lyle Road, PA16 7AP Greenock
Watt Library
The Watt Library or Watt Monument Library in Greenock, Scotland, opened on its current site in 1837 and was the direct descendant of the Greenock Library, a subscription library founded in 1783. It closed as a subscription library in 1971 and re-opened as a public facility in 1973 under the name of the Watt Library, specialising in Local History and Archives. The building was designed in the Gothic revival style by architect Sir Edward Blore and is a listed building. It has undergone recent refurbishment and re-opened in November 2019 as the Watt Institution, incorporating the McLean Museum Watt Lecture Hall and Inverclyde Archives.[5]
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Museum and Heritage Centre
History museum, Specialty museum, Museum
Address: Wallace Place, PA15 1JB Greenock
Greenock Municipal Buildings
Greenock Municipal Buildings is a municipal structure in Clyde Square, Greenock, Scotland. The municipal buildings, which are the headquarters of Inverclyde Council, are Category A listed.[6]
James Watt Dock Marina
Sailing, Marina
Address: The Sugar Warehouse East Hamilton Street, Greenock
James Watt Dock Crane
The James Watt Dock Crane is a giant cantilever crane situated at Greenock on the River Clyde.[7]
Cartsdyke
Cartsdyke, formerly known as Crawfurdsdyke, is a suburb of the town of Greenock,Scotland.
Crawfurdsdyke is an historic Burgh of Barony, historically being part of the Barony of Cartsburn. The estate of Cartsburn, also known as Crawfurdsburn, incorporated the lands of Cartsdyke and part of the lands of Easter Greenock Castle. The Barony of Cartsburn is a feudal Barony of Scotland. The seat of the Barony was the House of Cartsburn, built in the 17th century near Greenock, Renfrewshire. While the ancient Burgh was subsumed into Greenock in 1840.
It is served by Cartsdyke railway station.[8]