Provand's Lordship

The Provand's Lordship located in Glasgow, Scotland, today stands as a museum located at the top of Castle Street in the shadow of the Glasgow Cathedral and Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

Provand's Lordship has become one of the few reminders of Glasgow's medieval past. In addition to Glasgow Cathedral it remains one of the few buildings from this time period that has survived Glasgow's turbulent history.

Provand's Lordship was built in 1471 as part of St Nicholas's Hospital by Andrew Muirhead, the Bishop of Glasgow at the time. The building retains strong ties to the Bishop and the Bishop's coat of arms is still visible on the side of the building. Provand's Lordship was likely used to house clergy and other support staff for the Cathedral providing temporary housing.

The house later became occupied by ‘Lord of the Prebend of Barlanark’ and perhaps was shared with the priest of St. Nicholas Hospital and Chapel and became known as ‘Lord of Provan’ and then ‘Provand’s Lordship’. The country seat of the Prebends of Barlanark, Provan Hall, is located in Easterhouse, to the east of the City Centre. Provan Hall was built around 1460 [http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/provanhall/index.html] and is also Category A listed.

Most of the remaining medieval buildings that surrounded the Cathedral and hospital were demolished at the start of the 20th century. In 1978, the building was offered to the City Of Glasgow by the Provand's Lordship Society.

Today the house is furnished with a collection of seventeenth-century Scottish furniture donated by Sir William Burrell.