Situated on the east side of Glasgow, Shettleston's origins are obscure. It developed either as a result of a settlement belonging to the son of one Sedin in the early 13th Century or as a weaving district (Shuttlestown). Lying about three miles east of Glasgow Cross, Shettleston's fame grew through is coal pits, which were in use from the early 16th century. Providing labour for the Clyde's ironworks, other activities undertaken in the area included weaving and agriculture and by the 19th century minor industries such as textile machinery manufacturing, rope and bottleworks had been developed.
Shettleston Housing Association operates a novel small-scale geothermal energy scheme that extracts water from abandoned coal workings beneath and uses a heat-pump to raise the temperature to a level whereby it can heat fourteen homes at a fraction of the cost of traditional heating.