Historical castle remains have been discovered during a multi-million water upgrade project in Glasgow.

Archaeologists uncovered the two centuries-old castles in Partick during preparatory work as part of Scottish Water's £250 million waste water infrastructure improvement project.

It is believed the remains are those of the 17th century Partick Castle and an earlier 12th or 13th century castle, used by the bishops of Glasgow, built on the same site.

Further excavations also discovered fragments of pottery, metalwork, leather, glass and animal bones, estimated to have a date range of between the 12th and 17th centuries.

The discoveries were made in the Castlebank Street area on the north bank of the River Kelvin during preparations for a £3m project to install a new Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO).

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Warren Bailie (corr.), the project manager with Glasgow-based GUARD Archaeology, working on behalf of Scottish Water, said: "These findings made during Scottish Water's work are of national significance and provide a rare glimpse into the medieval beginnings of Partick and Glasgow.

"The survival of these medieval remains is especially remarkable given that the site, not unlike many industrial river banks across Britain, has witnessed such large-scale destructive development over the centuries."

Simon Brassey, environmental advisor for Scottish Water, added: "The history of the area in this part of Partick, where Scottish Water needs to replace our existing CSO, is documented on old maps but it is only when the ground is opened up that you can fully understand what has survived 19th century industrialisation.

"As part of the project planning, Scottish Water identified the possibility of archaeology and so factored in time for the area to be pre-excavated. However, the discoveries are much more exciting than we had expected and we are delighted that, with the archaeologists' help and expertise, we have been able to uncover something of such importance"

It is understood the findings will be recorded, analysed and removed to be claimed by the Crown and deposited in keeping with Scottish legal requirements.

(LM)