St Peter's Seminary, Glasgow - Feb 2012

[mrdistopia]

Continuing a run of reports following a Scottish 'UE tour', I present St Peter's Seminary in Cardross. This place is older than Father Time and in worse condition than Newcastle Leadworks but it does have a strange gloomy charm. Built in the 60's as a place for Catholic priests to read, reflect and whatever else you have to do in order to suspend reason for a living, it replaced a much older building the remains of which are still visible. Rather than rely on boring old sandstone, marble and stained glass, the architects tried to go more for the nautical multi-story car park approach. I am sure this was seen as very brave at the time but, despite it's world heritage pedegree as what they politely call a 'one of a kind structure', I think most would accept this as a demonstration of the inperceivably thin line between bravery and stupidity. In short, the building has not aged well both structurally and in terms of taste.

Having said all this, I consider myself an equal rights explorer - just as happy snapping away in St Peter's Seminary as I was in St Cuthbert's last month with it's more traditional architecture. All buildings have potential for great pictures...some just take a little more work and imagination to compose them.

OK, enough waffle, have some shots:

1.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7177/6889231805_3ed3887112_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889231805/)

2.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7038/6889232755_2f0668cf11_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889232755/)

3.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7037/6889234219_0a643ce43c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889234219/)

4.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7204/6889236091_69a0d0b276_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889236091/)

5.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6889237737_92b84401ac_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889237737/)

6.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7044/6889239243_74360397bd_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889239243/)

7.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6889241875_ff925eaa4e_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889241875/)

8.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7200/6889243651_11aef8373c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889243651/)

9.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6889244791_42bef9ca07_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889244791/)
...No, i don't know either?!?

10.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7197/6889245817_176754389d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889245817/)

11.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7057/6889246429_998e06d146_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889246429/)

12.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7186/6889247031_7c3989f8f5_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889247031/)

13.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7066/6889248215_01dc4bfd21_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889248215/)
Furnaces below the building.

14.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/6889248789_ed724fa099_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889248789/)

15.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6889249933_1fac8f2aa9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889249933/)

16.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7036/6889251097_b6d37ffe81_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889251097/)

17.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/6889251621_6330fa7926_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrdistopia/6889251621/)

[Scattergun]

Nice report. I go to St Peters quite a lot. The neds set the original building (Kilmahew House) on fire in 1995 so the council pulled it down. Used to house the teaching staff and was Grade A listed. Still a great explore though, its a huge site.

The vid here shows the place in its heyday - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkwWrQlbvAQ