Situated on the West Coast of Scotland approximately 20 miles from Glasgow, on the Clyde River. The Bay of Newark stretched from the point of land on which the castle sits to the projection further down that used to hold the West Quay. The Bay reached up to what is now Bay Street and Fore Street.

Port Glasgow has a long tradition with the building of ships and the import of goods. These imports consisted of mainly brandy, salt, wine and timber. A work force of local people were to build some of the best boats in the world from here. Hardly surprising then that William McNeur became a mariner.

Thanks to the Ford of Dunbuck nothing very large could get up the river. This led to the town becoming of major importance to the merchants in Glasgow.