Longwell Close

In the old days when Greenock was a thriving seaport there were many little narrow passageways, or closes as we call them in Scotland, which led off the main thoroughfare down to the river.  One of these was Longwell Close which ran from Cathcart Street to Shaw Street.

Source - Views & Reminiscences of  Old Greenock

In "Views and Reminiscences of Old Greenock", Longwell Close is described thus - "The Close was not much of a thoroughfare except for those living there in the locality which were of the poorer class".  I don't think it would have been a very nice place to live.  A newspaper report from 1863 describes a scene there.

Another report is of shebeening (illegally selling alcohol) in Longwell Close.

There are many other reports of drunks and violence.  I've done my family history and discovered that some of my family lived there!

It was named after the Long Well (1682) which was situated there.  The well was rediscovered in 1877 when the area was cleared under the Artisans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act.  Workmen found that it had been filled in.  It was 4'6" in diameter.  It seemed to have been supplied by a natural spring.  After improvements, Longwell Close was renamed Duff Street.  The site of the Long Well is still marked.

I took a photograph from the site and you can still see the backs of some old tenements in nearby William Street.  There's a fabulously atmospheric photograph of Longwell Close on Inverclyde Council's website - have a look.
 ("Views and Reminiscences of Old Greenock" Published by James McKelvie & Sons, Greenock, 1891 - available to read online) .