The Hidden Courtyard (Merchant City)

Step through an unassuming archway on Candleriggs and discover a serene cobbled courtyard that time seems to have forgotten. Built in 1882 to service the rear of tobacco merchants' warehouses, this intimate square retains its original stone setts and cast-iron lamp posts. The high walls create an acoustic pocket where city noise fades to a whisper, replaced by the echo of footsteps on ancient stone. Victorian-era loading bays, now bricked up, hint at the courtyard's commercial past when horse-drawn carts delivered precious goods from the colonies. Today, it's a perfect spot for quiet contemplation, offering a tangible connection to Glasgow's mercantile heritage. The space is particularly atmospheric at dusk when the old gas-lamp conversions cast warm pools of light across the weathered stone.