The Merchants House of Glasgow

The Merchants House of Glasgow is a long-established institution. In 1605, it first received a written Constitution – the Letter of Guildry, which still forms the fundamental constitution of the Merchants House. The House’s early history is closely linked with that of civic government. The House has always been connected with the Local Authority, the Dean of Guild being ex officio a member of the Town Council until the 16th May 1975. Although the 1973 Act abolished all non-elected posts, the part played by the Lord Dean and the House in the governance of the City of Glasgow over the centuries is recognised – the City of Glasgow District Council invited the Lord Dean to attend meetings of the Council in an honorary non-voting capacity. They do this regularly, thus keeping the House in touch with civic affairs. View our Grand Hall and Director’s room, view a stained glass window from the marble stairwell and visit the cloakroom on the second floor to see the original door from our first building, which was based in the Briggait.