Templeton's Carpet Factory, Glasgow

Templeton’s Carpet Factory, now known as Templeton on the Green, is one of Glasgow’s most distinctive landmarks. The building opened in 1892 as the headquarters of James Templeton & Son, a company famous for its patented Axminster spool carpets. Determined to make his factory impossible for the city to reject, Templeton commissioned architect William Leiper to design a Venetian Gothic masterpiece modeled after the Doge’s Palace in Venice. The result was a factory that resembled a palace, with ornate red-brick façades and intricate detailing that made it stand out from the surrounding industrial landscape.

Yet behind its flamboyant exterior lies a sobering past. During construction in 1889, a section of the façade collapsed in high winds, killing 29 women in adjacent weaving sheds. This disaster is memorialized by a carved stone installed at Templeton Gate during refurbishment in 2005. A further tragedy struck in 1900, when a fire claimed more lives, commemorated by a female statue that crowns the façade. Despite these setbacks, the factory became a leading producer of luxury carpets, furnishing prestigious venues across Britain and abroad, and symbolizing Glasgow’s industrial strength during the Victorian era.

The factory’s story did not end with its industrial decline. In 1984, it was converted into the Templeton Business Centre, and by 2005, it underwent a major regeneration into a mixed-use “lifestyle village.” Today, Templeton on the Green combines apartments, offices, and the WEST brewery, bar, and restaurant, creating a lively space that continues to draw locals and visitors alike. For tourists, it offers both architectural spectacle and a poignant reminder of Glasgow’s industrial heritage.