THIS is one of the finest specimens extant of the dwelling-houses which the Glasgow citizens of the seventeenth century delighted to rear for the accommodation of themselves and families. No story of any peculiar interest attaches to the fabric in question. It simply illustrates a once favourite style of architecture which has now almost disappeared from amongst us. In a document, dated in 1639, this site is described as having been occupied by three small tenements which were then in rather a ruinous condition. They were surrounded by a "yaird," and considered quite in the suburbs. The subjects must have remained in a dilapidated condition for a long time. They were purchased in 1668 by John Caldwell, merchant in Glasgow, who immediately afterwards built the present tenement or tenements. It had a garden to the back, surrounded with a wall, and adorned with a summer-house. The subjects passed into the hands of Andrew Caldwell, son of the former, who sold them in 1698 to John Gray and William Knox, merchants in Glasgow, but apparently only in security for a debt. This was not paid, however, and a commission was granted to these gentlemen to dispose of the property absolutely, when it was acquired by Daniel Campbell, John Graham of Dugaldston, William Cross, William Wodropp, James Muir, and Matthew Campbell, merchants in Glasgow. This transaction took place on 3rd October, 1700. These gentlemen belonged to the mercantile aristocracy of the time; but the purpose for which they became joint-stock owners of this property is not now apparent. These parties sold their respective shares to Graham of Dugaldston in 1705, who in turn disposed of it, in 1709, to Andrew Cathcart, merchant in Glasgow. In a document, dated 13th January of that year, the subjects are thus described:-

"All and haill, the foresaid northmost of the saids two tenements of land, high and laigh, back and forwd, with the closs yaird at the back thereof, and stone dyke about the same, and summer-house within the same yaird, office-house, and haill pertinents of the samen, with the equal half of the said well Lyand betwixt the said two tenements, with free ish and entree yrto, and haill liberties and privileges yrof. And whilk northmost tenement, closs, yaird, office-houss, and pertinents erected and rebuilded by umqll John Cauldwell, merchant, father to the said Andrew, pertained of old to umqll Peter Johnston Tayloor, and consisted of three small tenements, yaird, and pertinents, and were acquired by the said umqll John Cauldwell from Kathrine Johnstoune and John Montgomerie, her husband, and were then bounded betwixt the lands of Adam Hish, being now the southmost of the saids two tenements. The lands of umqll Patrick Crawford and oyrs, and of the representatives of the said umqll Mitchell on the north. The lands of umqll William Thomson, John Andersone, elder, and Mr Archibald Denniston on the east, and the High Street on the west parts."

The purchaser above-named having held the property during a very lengthened period, including the time of the two great rebellions, it descended in 1754 to his grandson, William Cathcart, then merchant in Kingston, Jamaica. The representatives of this gentleman sold the property in 1771 to James Campbell, saddler in Glasgow, for the sum of £820. Campbell seems to have been unfortunate, for in the same year the Trustees for his creditors sold the subjects to George Anderson, merchant. About this time the house was much damaged by fire, but as it was insured in the Sun Fire Office, the Trustees retained the insurance money, and sold the property as it stood for the reduced price of £535. Anderson held it till his death, and the greater part was disposed of by his Trustees in 1827 to Mr Ritchie, Stockwell Street, whose family still hold the house. The price then paid was £1800. It has long ceased to be a dwelling-house, the lower portions or ground floors having been occupied as spirit vaults for an uninterrupted space of more than 80 years. They are used for this purpose still. A tradition has long prevailed that this house was occupied by some of Cromwell's officers when the Protector was in Glasgow. This, of course, could not have been the case, for the house was not built till eight years after the Restoration. The three small houses, however, which previously occupied the same site may, in all likelihood, have afforded accommodation to some of Cromwell's train.