Originally published in 1983, this book sets the phases and elements of Glasgow’s townscape evolution in their historical framework, from the medieval period when Glasgow was a small but important burgh to the growth of the town thanks to its command of the transatlantic tobacco trade in the 18^th Century. Examining the solid growth which came with the textile phase of the industrial revolution and subsequent pioneering achievements in ship-building and marine engineering, the book also charts the subsequent collapse of the industrial base and attempts at urban renewal on a massive scale.