Giffnock
Coordinates: 55°47′54″N 4°17′26″W / 55.798415°N 4.290690°W
| Giffnock | |
| Scottish Gaelic: Giofnag | |
 Giffnock
Giffnock shown within East Renfrewshire |
|
| Population | 9,353 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | NS565585 |
| Council area | East Renfrewshire |
| Lieutenancy area | Renfrewshire |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GLASGOW |
| Postcode district | G46 |
| Dialling code | 0141 |
| Police | Strathclyde |
| Fire | Strathclyde |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | East Renfrewshire |
| Scottish Parliament | Eastwood |
| List of places: UK • Scotland • | |
Giffnock is a wealthy, dormitory suburb of Glasgow in the East Renfrewshire Council area, within the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Giffnock forms part of the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area.
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[edit] History
The name Giffnock is thought to derive from the Old Norse 'geof', meaning hill or mound, and 'nuck', for tree or shrub,or a combination of geof and Scots Gaelic knock meaning a hill (plausible as there is a steep hill (Berryhill) there with (still) some ancient woodland on it which could be as old as 8000 years.
In 1941, Hitler's deputy, Rudolf Hess was locked in the Giffnock Scout hall after he parachuted from his aeroplane near Waterfoot during his self styled envoy mission during World War II.
Proposals were put forward in 2008 to expand the town with the building of 178 houses on Braidbar Quarries next to Huntly Park, involving the Park closing for a period of two years. However, following 2000 objections from local people and the opposition of the Scottish Government's reporter, East Renfrewshire Council abandoned the plans in October 2011.
[edit] Geography
Giffnock has a population of about 9,300 people and borders the areas of Mansewood, Woodfarm, Orchard Park, Muirend, Netherlee, Clarkston, Newton Mearns, Whitecraigs, Deaconsbank, and Thornliebank.
[edit] Transport
The area has a number of high-volume road links to neighbouring Glasgow. The A77 main Glasgow to Kilmarnock road passes through the centre of the town and crosses the A727 from Paisley to East Kilbride at the Eastwood Toll.
The area is served by Giffnock railway station on the Glasgow South Western Line branch to East Kilbride and also by Whitecraigs railway station on the Neilston branch.
[edit] Religion
Giffnock has various places of worship including the Giffnock Synagogue which was founded in September 1938[2] and many churches, Orchardhill Parish Church, Giffnock Reform Church and Giffnock South Parish Church.
[edit] Culture and Community
Giffnock is the home to the 28th Glasgow (Giffnock) Scout Group, and the Scout Hall which has played a part in the community. Other youth organisations in Giffnock include the 86th Glasgow Company Boys' Brigade, Girl Guides and Brownies meet at Giffnock's Orchardhill Parish Church, situated at Church Road. The 254th Glasgow Company Boys' Brigade meets at Giffnock South Parish Church at Greenhill Avenue where the War Memorial is also situated. It is also home to St Ninian's High School, which is Scotland's top-performing Catholic school. Also in Giffnock are three primary schools, Giffnock Primary School, Braidbar Primary School and Robslee Primary School (which is sadly being closed despite strong local oppositon)all of which are top performing Primary Schools.
The Dramatic Arts have their place in Giffnock, primarily rooting from the Eastwood Park Theatre, but also in the local groups such as the Giffnock Players, the Drama Workshop, and the highly acclaimed Harlequin Eastwood Theatre for Youth.
Giffnock has been chosen as the location for the first Whole Foods Market store in Scotland. After a lengthy refurbishment, the former Safeway and Morrison's store on Fenwick Road opened to shoppers on November 16 2011, creating 150 local jobs in the process. The company is the world's biggest retailer of natural and organic foods and boasts 300 stores in the United States.
[edit] Libraries
Giffnock Library is a public library on Station Road, just off Fenwick Road.[3]
[edit] Recreation
Giffnock is home to Rouken Glen and Huntly Park. The district also boasts various sports facilities including swimming baths, various gyms, a tennis club, various bowling clubs and a rugby club.There is also Eastwood Park which has Eastwood House which can be used for Weddings and receptions and which is supposed to have a horse's grave with gravestone somewhere in it. This is where Eastwood Theatre, Eastwood Baths and East Renfrewshire Council offices are.
[edit] Sport
Giffnock is home to Giffnock North Amateur Athletics Club- formed in 1943. The club was originally formed as a football club but is now better known for athletics. Giffnock North have represented Scotland on several occasions at the UK Young Athletes League Finals and have consistently been a top club in Scotland in the young athlete age groups. Giffnock is also home to Glasgow Hutchesons' Aloysians rugby club, GHA for short. GHA have been very successful since the amalgamation of Glasgow Southern RFC, St Aloysius' College and Hutchesons' Grammar School. They play at Braidholm, located on Braidholm Road. Giffnock has been home to several football clubs over the years as well.
[edit] External links
[edit] Notes
- ^ Total from 2001 Census for Giffnock North and Giffnock South.
- ^ http://www.giffnockshul.co.uk/giffnock-jewish-history-1.html
- ^ "Giffnock library - East Renfrewshire Council". East Renfrewshire Council. http://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/community-life-and-leisure/libraries/your-local-library2/giffnock-library.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-18.
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