The village of Row at the entrance to the Gareloch owes its origins to the adjacent Gareloch narrows, a convenient if treacherous crossing point for people, goods and cattle. The Parish of Row encompasses the east shore of the Gareloch and was formed in 1648 when the M‘Aulays of Ardencaple built a church. The present building dates from 1851, and dominates the village that grew up around it. Early volumes of Hugh MacDonald’s “Days at the Coast” provide an engraving of the village in the late 1850s. The village is surrounded by large houses, many built for summer residences by the wealthy members of Glasgow society.

Row

Early photographs also feature the church. Editions of MacDonald’s book from around 1868 contain albumen photographs by Thomas Annan. A photograph by Beckett shows almost the same scene.

Row village (Annan)

Row village (Beckett)

The ferry between Row point and Roseneath is of ancient origin but the stone pier at Row, suitable for accommodating steam-boat traffic dates from 1835, and was the first part of a larger planned harbour development that did not materialize. Situated in the east of Row (or Rhu as it is now called), and just two miles from Helensburgh Quay, it was more sheltered and less subject to flooding so that some passengers preferred to use Row even though it might be more inconvenient. After improvements to Helensburgh Pier, any advantage that Row appeared to have was lost.

The first picture of the pier dates from the 1880s and shows how distant the pier was from the church. The hulk off the end of the piers an old MacBrayne paddle steamers, Plover, stripped of her wheels, masts, and superstructure. A glimpse of Plover next to a sailing ship at Glasgow bridge, when she was in service, is the next photograph.

Row from the water (Poulton)

Plover at Glasgow

One of the oldest mansions in Row is Ardenconnel. It was built around 1790 by the Glasgow merchant, Andrew Buchanan. It remains an imposing building overlooking the Gareloch.

Ardenconnel (Macneur & Bryden)

Row Church (Davidson)

Row Village (Macneur & Bryden)

Row Bay from the pier (Macneur & Bryden)

Although sheltered from the worst of the westerly winds, stormy weather was not unknown. Here a north-easterly blast and high tide swamp the pier.

Storm at Row (Macneur & Bryden)

For many years, a feature of the Gareloch off Row was the Training Ship Empress. The story of the Empress is told elsewhere. Here some of the boys from the Empress wait at the landing stage in Row along with admirers from the village.

Empress landing stage, Row (Davidson)

The pier was never one that was busy although there were frequent calls by the steamers progressing up and down the Gareloch. The main steamers that called in the 1880s through to the first world war were those of the North British Railway and later the North British Steam Packet Co. Buchanan steamers, and after world war I, Williamson-Buchanan steamers also inherited the goodwill of the Gareloch trade when they took over the fleet of Messrs Keith and Campbell in 1885 and were also found calling at the various Gareloch piers on excursions. The Gareloch service of the North British was maintained by the steamers Gareloch, Diana Vernon, Lady Clare and Lucy Ashton over the years, but other vessels were also to be found as regular callers.

Diana Vernon approaching Row while Buchanan’s Shandon heads up the Gareloch

Lady Clare leaving Row

Lady Clare at Row

Lady Clare at Row

North British steamer Talisman at Row (Caledonia)

North British steamer Talisman at Row with Empress in the background (Holmes)

Lucy Ashton approaching Row around 1914 (Holmes)

Although there was a railway station in Row opened in 1894 as part of the West Highland line, it was the increase in motor transport that sounded the death knell of the pier. It closed to traffic in 1920.

Row Pier around 1920.

Walker, F. A.; Sinclair, F., “North Clyde Estuary,” Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, Edinburgh, 1992.

Monteith, J.; McCrorie, I., “Clyde Piers,” Inverclyde District Libraries, Greenock, 1982