Cardowan

The oldest documented reference to Cardowan comes from the Charters of David I of Scotland regarding the lands around Cardowan, Easter Cardowan, and Cardowan Muir. These areas of land currently include the Forestry Commission’s Cardowan Moss and the village of Cardowan.

The oldest surviving buildings in the area are St. Joseph’s RC Church, the original St. Joseph’s School, Craigendmuir House, as well as older structures in adjacent Stepps. Excluding Cardowan Drive and the northern end of Cardowan Road which are often regarded as being part of Stepps, the earliest housing in the area which is still existing was built in the late 1930s to early 40s and served to replace housing in the (now extinct) nearby villages of Garnkirk and Heathfield.

The streets of Cardowan Road, Clayhouse Road, and Frankfield Road were constructed first, with the easternmost end of the latter being renamed Ardtoe Crescent and Place and Dorlin Road a short time later. Thereafter further housing was built in the 1950s creating the streets of Craigendmuir Road, Comedie Road and an extension to Clayhouse Road. Following this in the 1960s, Drimnin Road, and Mossview Road (including Resipol Road and Gaskin Path) were completed. Due to the shortages of building materials during the second World War the last five blocks on Frankfield Road were built with flat roofs which were only replaced in the 1980s. The 1980s also brought the construction of Blaneview and further housing on Clayhouse Road, and in the 1990s Nicholson Court was built on the site of the original Stepps railway station and sidings.