'New' name for Dundee street would be link to medieval past
A long-abandoned medieval street name could soon return to Dundee.
- By Grant Smith
- Published in the Courier : 24.11.11
- Published online : 26.11.11 @ 10.29am
Councillors will be asked next week to approve the renaming of part of South Ward Road in the city centre. Officials are recommending the stretch between the West Port roundabout and the entrance to the Lidl supermarket car park be called Argyllgait.
A report prepared for the city development committee explains that South Ward Road meets the inner ring road at two points — at the roundabout and just north of the Waverley House office block. This has caused confusion in map-making and in property searches.
The hope is that the renaming will prevent such problems.
Officials say: ''From a search of historical street names in this area, the records show that a former name for the Overgate was Argyllis-Gait. The proposed name is a reference to this historical link and will remove the existing confusion and assist with addressing any possible future development off this length of road.''
If the change is approved it will add an eighth historic gait or gate to the city centre, joining Marketgait, Overgate, Nethergate, Wellgate, Murraygate, Seagate and Cowgate — albeit two of them will refer to roughly the same place.
According to an article on street names on the Dundee Civic Trust website (link), the area was known as Argyllsgait at a time when it led out into the country past a mansion called Argyll's Lodging, which was the home of a Campbell of Balruddery, a descendant of the Campbells of Argyll.
It was then changed to Overgate — or upper way — to the West Port, Hawkhill and westwards.
The article explains: ''There is nothing left of this once bustling medieval thoroughfare that was the principal western route from Dundee, except that its line is roughly preserved but enveloped in the recently opened very modern shopping mall.''
Until now the only reminder of the old name has been the Argyll House office block, next to the stretch of road which could be renamed. The new council HQ at Dundee House overlooks the road.
Add a comment