Glasgow Patter: tenement life
close In a tenement building the common entrance and hall is known as a close: 'The dug's ran up that close'. 'She stays up the next close.' The term is also used to mean all the individual flats and their occupants considered as a unit: 'She cleans the stairs for the whole close.' The close-mouth is the street entrance of a close. The back-close is the rear area of a close: 'Mind we used tae dae wur winchin up a back-close?' A wally close is a close that has china tiles on its walls rather than just paint, considered a sign of poshness: 'That last flat we looked at was the best... a wally close an aw!' © Michael Munro	The stone-built tenement is a major feature of Glasgow's urban landscape. Built in large numbers from the mid-1800s to the early years of the 20th century to accommodate the city's growing population, many disappeared after the war as a combined result of decay and eager urban planning. In recent years there has been a policy of sensible rehabilitation of this architectural style.

Glasgow Patter: tenement life

close: In a tenement building the common entrance and hall is known as a close: 'The dug's ran up that close'. 'She stays up the next close.' The term is also used to mean all the individual flats and their occupants considered as a unit: 'She cleans the stairs for the whole close.' The close-mouth is the street entrance of a close. The back-close is the rear area of a close: 'Mind we used tae dae wur winchin up a back-close?'
A wally close is a close that has china tiles on its walls rather than just paint, considered a sign of poshness: 'That last flat we looked at was the best... a wally close an aw!'

The stone-built tenement is a major feature of Glasgow's urban landscape. Built in large numbers from the mid-1800s to the early years of the 20th century to accommodate the city's growing population, many disappeared after the war as a combined result of decay and eager urban planning. In recent years there has been a policy of sensible rehabilitation of this architectural style.

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