I’d spotted that the hotel where I was staying in Glasgow was about a 20 minute walk away from one of the earliest buildings associated with Charles Rennie Mackintosh, so I decided to wander over and take a look.
The red sandstone Martyrs’ School on Parson Street in Townhead, to the north of Glasgow city centre, in the same street where Mackintosh was born. It was designed in 1895, around the same time as the Glasgow Herald Building (today known as the Lighthouse). The architects were Honeyman and Keppie, Mackintosh’s employers, who were commissioned by the Glasgow School Board. At the time, Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a senior assistant in the practice and his influence can be seen in the building, especially in the details.
When it was built it was surrounded by working class tenement buildings but today they have been demolished.
Interestingly the last of his Glasgow buildings was another school – the Scotland Street School to the south of the Clyde.
Apparently, the inside of the building has a number of features designed by Mackintosh, but it isn’t open to the public so I couldn’t get inside so had to be content with looking around the outside. The late afternoon light wasn’t brilliant and my photos aren’t so great, unfortunately.
The front and rear entrances certainly bear the hallmarks of Mackintosh
as well as the upper floor on the west side of the building
Down by the Dougie 
A fine example of his style and probably much overlooked.
Certainly 😉. Quite restrained but with several typically Mackintosh features.
I’d have liked to have visited his Queens Cross church too but although also on the north side of the city that was in the opposite direction and I didn’t have time to see both. So an excuse for another visit to Glasgow. Perhaps a longer stay to take in Hill House as well.
Would also love to visit Hill House. Maybe one day.
Perhaps I’ll bump in to you there. Has to happen one day!
Nearly happened one time at The Sculpture Park.
True. And we were ‘t so far apart in Ireland once
Great post. I was in Glasgow last year and I am a big fan of Mackintosh’s visionary and unusual style
Me too 😉