THIS aerial view of old Port Glasgow gives just a hint of how bustling the harbour once was.

Originally named Newark, after the castle which still sits by the Clyde, the river began to shallow at this point, meaning sailing ships could not go any further upstream. The port, to service Glasgow, was formed in 1668 and the town renamed Port Glasgow in 1775.

For years, the quays and bars of the town would echo with the mysterious voices and accents of Dutch, French, American, South American, Mediterranean and African sailors.

With the advent of mechanical dredging, the bigger ships soon began to sail into the heart of Glasgow but some trades, notably sugar refining, stayed and flourished on the 'tail o' the bank'.