Day 214: The Tolbooth Steeple at Glasgow Cross

 

The Tolbooth Steeple used to be part of a bigger building which included the city prison.

 Its High Street face (this view) was cheerfully garnished with spikes for

 the heads of traitors and other first-class misdemeanants.

 Common criminals were hung against its Trongate face.

A scaffold was raised for them to the height of the first floor,

 facing appropriately down the Gallowgate,

and the prisoner was brought out from the Tolbooth by a little window door.

Tolbooth & Steeple erected in 1625-6
Tolbooth rebuilt in 1814 (Steeple saved by Town Council vote of 15 to 9)
Tolbooth demolished in 1921
Steeple refurbished in 1923-5