GOVAN PARISH CHURCH
A
Research Project by Rosemary McHarg
Views
of Govan Parish Church
Govan Old Parish Church St. Constantine's
INTRODUCTION
Govan has a remarkable heritage of early Christianity carved
stones. No fewer than thirty-one monuments survive, most intact and decorated.
They span to the 9th to the 11th Centuries, and they
represent one the largest and most interesting collections of early medieval
sculpture in Scotland. They range from a Sarcophagus and recumbent cross –slabs
to free-standing crosses and cross-slabs, together with a remarkable group of
five hogback monuments. They imply the existence not only of an early church at
Govan, the enclosure of which is likely to be reflected in part by the line of
the current graveyard wall but also of a wealthy secular community nearby. Much
of this Sculpture lies within a local Strathclyde tradition, but there are also
strong links with Pictland to the north and Cumbria to the south. The church
was dedicated to St Constantine, and it is likely to have been founded with
royal patronage at least by the late 9th century and possibly
earlier. The existing church was built in the late 19th. Century,
but excavation has revealed traces of a medieval church overlying even earlier
burials.
By tradition an early medieval monastery at Govan was founded by
St. Constantine of Cornwall, King and Martyr. Recent historians prefer a later
Constantine, Irish or Scottish, and highlight the secular patronage of the
place.
Excavations in 1994 and 1996 by archaeologists from Glasgow
University and Channel 4's "Time Team" have uncovered:
·
the ditch surrounding the graveyard
·
craft workshops within the enclosure
·
an early medieval road linking the church and the burial ground
with the Doomster Hill which stood on the site of the Govan Saturday Market
·
a massive foundation of an early wooden chapel at the very centre
of the enclosure
·
Christian burials dating back to the 6th. Or possibly
the 5th. Century.
The building is the fourth parish church set in the ancient graveyard,
which some believe was used for pre-Christian worship. Robert Rowand Anderson,
known for his design of Central Station Hotel, Pollokshaws Burgh Hall and the
Pearce Institute, modelled the church on 13th. Century lines. It is
regarded as one of the finest late 19th. Century churches in
Glasgow. The window openings were designed to allow the stained glass to be
seen to best advantage. Dr. John Macleod used five of the great English
studios.
The collection of early medieval sculpture was carved during the 9th.
10th. and 11th. centuries. Each of the monuments is
carved from locally quarried sandstone. Possibly the first expression of a
truly national style, the Govan carvers took their ideas from Pictish, Irish,
Anglican, Cumbrian and Scandanavian art. Dates, initials, the name William
Bogle, and the place-name Bellahouston carved later tell us they were recycled
during the 17th. and 18th. centuries.
There can be little doubt that Govan functioned as a minster
church with widespread responsibilities during the early Middle Ages. After
David I's re-organisation and strengthening of the diocesan system in Scotland,
and the building of a new cathedral church for Glasgow in the 12th.
Century, Govan's importance declined.
Among men of faith and vision who have led the Christian community
in Govan Parish were the University Principal and reformer Andrew Melville, the
covenanter Hugh Binning, the moderate Matthew Leishman, the liturgical and
theological pioneer John Macleod, and the founder of the Iona Community George
Macleod (Lord Macleod of Fuinary)
The church co-operates with the Local Authority and many local
voluntary organisations to improve revitalise and renew Govan.
(Reproduced from
Friends of Govan Old 2001 information leaflet
Special thanks
to Netta Carruthers for her interesting and informative guided tour)
Friends of Govan
Old Website : -http://www.govanold.org.uk
Internal Plan of Govan Parish Church
And
Location of the Carved Stones and Stained Glass Windows
THE SARCOPHAGUS
The most remarkable
piece of sculpture from Govan is an ornamental coffin carved from a single
block of sandstone and decorated with knotwork panels and hunting motifs. James
Cruickshank Roger first discovered the Govan sarcophagus in December of 1855.
When found, the sarcophagus was empty, had no lid and was damaged around the
rim and the upper walls. The elaborately decorated surface of the sarcophagus
suggests that it was probably intended to serve as a reliquary in which to
display the relics of St. Constantine rather than as a tomb itself.
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The sarcophagus is decorated with animal
interlace, plaited ribbon patterns and coarse median-incised interlace work.
There are also depictions of deer hunting, two beasts and a serpent, and opposed
beasts. In the middle ages hunting would naturally be associated with the
nobility and may reflect their interests rather than any specific hunting
association with Saint Constantine. The sarcophagus is unique in Scottish
early Medieval sculpture and should perhaps be compared with the St. Andrews
shrine. |
The
fine collection of sculptured stones now housed in the Govan Old Parish Church
is a vital clue to it's historical significance and to some extent compensates
for the lack of documentary evidence. For sheer numbers the carvings found at
Govan can be compared to other important religious centres such as Iona or St.
Andrews but they are more instructively compared with the Pictish cemeteries of
Meigle and St. Vigeans, which have large collections and little documentary
evidence.
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The sculptured stones of Govan date from the 9th - 11th centuries and so pre-date Glasgow Cathedral. The collection consists of 31 sculpted stones: 5 'hogback' grave markers, 4 'high' crosses, 21 recumbent slabs and a monolithic sarcophagus decorated with crosses and interlace patterns. |
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Govan Sarcophagus Case Study
The
Govan Sarcophagus is an extraordinary, unique monument dated to around the 10th
century. It is currently on display in Govan Old Parish Church, Glasgow.
We
scanned this stone as a demonstration of our services to Govan Old Parish
Church. The sarcophagus is currently situated in the choir of the church seated
on a specially designed table. The stone is 2.1 metres long, 0.34 metres high
and 0.79 metres wide and is a complex shape to scan.
The
Hogback Stones
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This hogback grave marker datable to the late 800s represents the earliest known stone sculpture of Govan. Hogbacks are characteristic of areas of Britain where there has been Viking settlement but are not found anywhere in Scandinavia itself. The Govan hogbacks have affinities with ones from Cumbria, but are significantly larger. The largest is 7' 9" long (2.4m). |
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The hogbacks are decorated with ring-knots containing pellets as fillers, which indicates a date of around the middle of the 900s AD, for most of them. Such design is typical of the Scandinavian settlement areas of the Irish Sea province. Another fascinating feature of the Govan hogbacks is the use of a crouching beast at either end of the stone, apparently clinging on to it. The carving styles provide some of the clearest evidence for the presence of a Scandinavian influence on the Clyde. |
The Cross Slabs
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There are 4 crosses, the earliest and most complete of which is the most intriguing. The 'sun-stone', is an early example of such a cross slab which employs a wide range of early Medieval Celtic ornament. On the side seen here, is a large boss, emitting snakes and below is a square panel with a fret pattern. These forms of ornamentation are closely linked to other early Christian masterpieces, the Iona crosses and the Book of Kells.
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The Sun Stone
The
Sun Stone is easily recognised from the great boss with its swirling rays. It
is a cross slab, with a cross-filled pattern on the other side and just a hint
of a final projection at the top. Flanking the shaft of this cross, are twisted
serpents whose heads, much worn, but can just be made out below the arms of the
cross.
Below
is a sunken panel with a warrior armed with a sword and a spear riding a
caricature of a horse (or some would
argue a bear). On the other side, the sun’s boss is in fact a very clumsy
version of a motif familiar from some of the finest early Christian sculpture
in Scotland, known as the snake-and the- boss.
The Grave Slabs
The largest group of sculptured stones, the recumbent grave stones, is also the
latest. They date to the eleventh century. Each stone is a rectangular slab
large enough to cover a grave, decorated with individually designed interlace
crosses. Their high level of decoration has led to suggestions that they could
represent memorials to members of the Strathclyde Royal house.
Govan 12 Hogback Case Study
The
Govan 12 Hogback is a massive example of the recumbent grave monument generally
in use in the 9th and 10th centuries in Scotland and England. In the past these
monuments have been classified as Norse in origin, although no examples in
Scandinavia exist.
The
Govan 12 hogback is currently on display in Govan Old Parish Church, Glasgow in
the transept.
We
scanned this stone as a demonstration of our services to Govan Old Parish
Church. The stone is 2.2 metres long, 0.62 metres high and 0.83 metres wide and
is a bulky object to scan containing just under 6 cubic metres of rock.
Image
of a rider on horseback - this must once has been a very handsome cross. A
replica made around 1930- stands the entrance into the churchyard.
The
cross slab no 5 is also known as the Cuddy Stane, because the animal carved on
it is in local tradition thought to be a donkey, or Cuddy in Scots. The top
half of its rider was lost when the slab was broken, and on the other side the
carved cross lacks its head. The stone was illustrated in the mid 19th
Century when it was still complete and almost 2 metres high.
Govan Parish Church: Stone 5
"The Cuddy Stone"
Govan Old
Book By Anna Ritchie.
There
is also a panel showing a standing profile seated on a stool and facing a
standing figure who is holding aloft a rectangular object, such an image of
biblical kingship is highly appropriate to royal associations suggested for
Govan,
The
sarcophagus was brought into the shelter of the modern church in 1908. Where it
was proudly displayed in the chancel on a stone table, designed specially for
it by Sir Rowand Anderson, where it remains to this day.
Govan
Parish
Church
: Stained Glass Windows
Robert Rowand Anderson built the present church on the original
ecclesiastical site at Govan in 1884-1848 and it contains important examples of
stained glass windows created by C.E. Kempe and other Victorian artists. The
windows depict Cain and Able and also Jacob and Moses. The Friends of the Old
Govan Baptist Church restored the windows, which had been vandalised over the
years. They raised all the funds themselves and restored the windows to their
original splendour.
GLASGOW, 866 AND 868 GOVAN ROAD, GOVAN PARISH CHURCH : Alternative(s): GOVAN OLD PARISH CHURCH
Type of Site: Religion: Church;
Burial-Ground; Sculptured Stones; Trial Excavations
NMRS Number: NS56NE 17
Location
Map reference: NS 553 659
Parish: Govan (City Of Glasgow)
Council: Glasgow, City Of
Archaeology
Notes
NS56NE
17 5534 6590
Govan
Old Parish Church (C of S) [NAT]
OS
1:1250 map, 1971.
The
church of Govan was a prebend of Glasgow. It was dedicated to St Constantine
who was buried at Govan. On 13th July 1577, the teinds of Govan were granted to
the University of Glasgow, and the Principal of the University ex officio was
appointed minister of the parish. The settlement was set aside on 20th December
1621, and only the patronage of Govan was left to the University. There was a
chapel in the parish at Partick. Govan church was rebuilt in 1762 and again in
1826. A later rebuilding was begun in 1884 and was opened 19th May 1888.
H
Scott 1915-61.
(NS
5534 6590). Govan Old Parish Church was built in 1884-8, on the site of earlier
churches. Within it and its roughly circular graveyard is one of the finest
collections of Early Christian stones in Britain, dating from the 10th and 11th
centuries. There are 24 stones within the church and there were 17 more along
the E wall of the graveyard. Some of these were damaged in 1973 when the
neighbouring factory was demolished and have been removed to Glasgow Art
Gallery and Museum. Inside the church there is now one sarcophagus, five
hog-back gravestones, two cross shafts and many recumbent grave slabs.
A
date in the 10th or early 11th century has been suggested for the sarcophagus,
which was found in 1855 when digging a grave at the SE corner of the
churchyard. Three such sarcophagi were present at Govan church in the 18th
century and one doubtless contained the relics of the particular St Constantine
to whom the church is dedicated. The five hog-back tombstones are of an Anglian
type, and 10th or perhaps 11th century dates are suggested for them. Both of
the cross shafts have lost their heads; a date of about AD 900 has been
suggested for them. There are two upright cross slabs, datable to the 10th century,
and the rest of the stones comprise 29 flat grave covers, usually with a cross
carved on them and flanked by interlace ornament; they should all date between
AD 900 and the early 12th century. Many of the stones have been re-used in
recent times and bear added names.
E W
MacKie 1975; J R Allen and J Anderson 1903; T B S Thomson nd.; J T Laing 1975.
Govan
(Glasgow, Rutherglen). Granted to the episcopal mensa of Glasgow by David I
before 1152, the church was shortly afterwards erected into a prebend of
Glasgow cathedral by Herbert, bishop of Glasgow (1147-64), the patronage
thereafter resting with the bishop. Both parsonage and vicarage teinds were
annexed to the prebend, the cure being a vicarage pensionary.
I B
Cowan 1967.
The
number of early sculptured stones found indicates the former presence of a
Celtic monastic community at this site.
Govan Parish Church : Stone
14
C A
R Radford 1970.
Govan
parish church is set well back in a churchyard of great antiquity (as the
collection of monuments in the church clearly shows). The present church of
1883-8, by Robert Rowand Anderson, is the last in a long series of churches on
this site. The exterior of grey snecked rubble with green slate roofs seems
dull without the intended lavish tower and spire (for which, see the
foundations on the W side) and the unexpected band of relief sculpture across
the facade, although the plans were ambitious and the interior is splendid. The
minister who promoted rebuilding, John Macleod, was a pioneer of Scoto-Catholicism
and a believer in the beauty of worship as inspiration for the working classes.
The style is Early English in the Scottish manner, with details (especially the
chancel gable) based on Pluscarden Priory, near Elgin. Ashlar chancel, higher
than the nave, extended in 1911-12, with octagonal stairtowers at the angles.
The walls are striped in red brick and stone, a vibrant effect dimmed with age.
Govan Parish Church: Stone
15
The
size of the interior, with broad high nave and narrow passage aisles, owes much
to the preaching churches Macleod had visited in Italy. The aisle arcades are
of broad moulded piers dying into the arches, but the clearstorey is more
decorative, each bay with one tall window flanked by two nook-shafted lancets.
Between the bays, wall-shafts carrying the arched braces of the roof, which
cross the boarded cove before spanning the roof high above the nave. Only one
(W) galleried transept, opening with two clustered piers. The rhythm of one
large and two small arches is repeated with the openings to the deep chancel
and the choir aisles, one with the choir gallery, the other (originally the
baptistery) with the organ (by Brindley and Foster) over. The chancel ends in
an elegant blind arcade and band of foliage. Each side, top-lit passages in the
depth of the walls; they lie over those that lead to the stairs in the angles.
Fine wrought-iron screens divide the chancel aisles, the W one continuous with
the large square Steven chapel, ringed with lancets. The furnishings are simple
and unobtrusive.
Govan Parish Church: Stone
17
Stained
glass: Twelve windows are by C E Kempe, part of a unified but uncompleted
scheme commissioned soon after the church was finished. Chancel: first
completed and dedicated to John Macleod (died 1898): Christ enthroned (oculus)
above scenes of the main events in His life. Choir and transept galleries:
Angels of Faith and Hope. Transept lancets: figures of Faith flanked by Noah
and Abraham, and Hope flanked by Moses and Jacob. Clearstorey (E): Witnesses of
the Resurrection. (The W clearstorey windows were designed but not inserted). S
window over the gallery (particularly beautiful): Our Lord the King of Angels,
with the three archangels and thirteen angel musicians. E chancel aisle:
windows by Shrigley and Hunt. In the Steven chapel, a good undated display by
Clayton and Bell (The Power of Our Lord, and eight Old Testament prophets, with
finely illustrated scenes from their lives), and the Supper at Emmaus by
Heaton, Butler and Bayne. Above the font, a window by Kempe from St Margaret,
Polmadie, dedicated to Dr Macleod, who also founded that church.
Monuments.
The W transept and chancel contain one of the most remarkable assemblages of
Early Christian sculpture in Scotland, most of which were moved inside the
church from the graveyard in 1926. Five main types of sculpture are
represented: a richly-ornamented sarcophagus; hogbacked tombstones;
cross-shafts; upright crosses; and recumbent slabs.
The
sarcophagus in the chancel, one of three that survived until 1762, is of
10th/11th cent AD date, and is a single block of sandstone hollowed out
internally to receive the burial; the top part of each side is carefully shaped
to allow the cover slab (perhaps a gabled block) to fit tightly. The sides and
ends of the sarcophagus are decorated with panels of interlace and figural
ornament. On one side, a panel including two pairs of beasts, the lower pair
having tails and ears which interknot, and a panel with a pair whose necks are
intertwined. The other side has a hunting scene in Pictish style.
Govan Parish Church:
Hogback2/3
The
five hogbacked stones are bowed and gabled blocks, with decoration representing
the square shingles of a wooden roof. Several of the stones have roughly-carved
animal heads with the forepaws continuing along the sides. Of Scandinavian
inspiration, such slabs can be paralleled in the Anglian areas of Northern
England, and are probably of mid- to late-10th-century AD date.
The
better-preserved of the two cross-shafts, which formerly stood at Jordanhill
(whither it had been moved from Govan after the demolition of the medieval
church) bears elaborated panels of interlace ornament and a panel with a man on
horseback. Another fragment bears on one side what has been described as ''a
blundered representation'' of an interesting scene in the iconography of the
early church, Saints Paul and Anthony breaking bread in the desert.
The
better-preserved of the two upright crosses is of the 10th century AD and bears
a cross filled with interlace above a panel depicting a horseman with a spear;
on the reverse, there is a boss from which emerge four serpents above a panel
of interlace. The other upright cross is now broken, but a fragment with a man
on horseback remains.
Finally,
there is a large group of recumbent cross-slabs or grave-markers, all bearing a
central cross surrounded by interlace ornament.
E
Williamson, A Riches and M Higgs 1990.
NS
5534 6590. A geophysical survey was carried out by GUARD prior to the
excavation to identify the location of the earlier churches suggested by the
presence in the church of several early carved stones. Hovever the results
proved inconclusive due to the large number of monuments present in the
churchyard and the 18th and 19th-century burial activity. They were not used as
an aid in positioning of the trial trenches.
Seven
trial trenches were opened. spaced around the churchyard and immediately
outside the churchyard wall. The primary aim of the trenches on the boundary
was to recover evidence of the vallum, in the form of a bank and ditch.
Secondarily it was hoped that occupational activity areas would fall inside the
boundary. The third aim was to locate an earlier church.
Govan Parish Church: Stone
25
Trenches
A and B were situated offset on either side of the southern boundary of the
churchyard. A ditch was excavated which reached a depth of 1.6m below the level
of the natural sands and clays and which had two recuts. Slight evidence of an
internal bank was found on both sides of the present boundary wall and fence.
Very few artefacts were recovered from the ditch: medieval pottery was present
in the upper fills of the final recut. A few roughly worked shale fragments
were recovered from the primary fill. Trench B, inside the churchyard, produced
evidence of successive periods of burning and a stone hearth. Fragments of
worked shale, including a roughout for a finger ring, large chunks of charcoal,
fragments of burnt bone, cinder and small amounts of iron slag, were recovered
from the burnt layers. Although no definite structural evidence was found in
the small area excavated, it seems likely that some sort of workshop existed in
the area. Four graves had been cut into these layers. Only one was definitely
post-medieval and the three other, highly decayed skeletons are probably
medieval. Overall it appeared that disturbance from burials became more severe
about 3.5m from the fence. Considerable evidence of a succession of fences and
walls in the immediate area of the present wall and over the original bank was
recovered. These hindered interpretation,
Govan Parish Church:Stone 28
Trench
C was located close to the SE corner of the church and beneath the line of a
path which has existed since at least the 18th century. Evidence for two stone
structures, built one over the other was recovered. The earlier one was of more
substantial construct and both were of drystone build. The later wall was
insubstantial and little more than a drystone dyke. The earlier feature was
much better built. Small boulders had been packed in a trench of indeterminate
width. The top of the boulders had been tightly packed with small stones to
create a firm, even surface, No mortar was used. It was oriented on the same
line as the existing S wall of the church. The absence of mortar and the
estimate that the ground surface at the time of construction was some 1m below
the present ground level suggests an early date, perhaps 10th or 11th century.
The deposits were slightly disturbed by three modern burials, one of which was
of an infant. No artefacts were recovered to give a more certain date. A later
robbed out construction trench may relate to the Medieval church demolished in
1762.
Trenches
D, E and F were situated along the northern boundary of the churchyard. Trench
D was located adjacent to the N wall inside the churchyard and within a
Victorian burial lair. The Victorian burials had effectively destroyed any
archaeology and only a small fragment of old ground surface remained
undisturbed. Very good evidence for mid-19th-century burial furnishings were
discovered. Trenches E and F were located N of the wall between the churchyard
and the River Clyde on the site of the demolished Harland and Wolff shipyard,
They were machine dug, because of modern ripping and demolition debris. No evidence
of a ditch, or any Medieval activity in this area was eodent.
Trench
G was located in the SE corner of the churchyard at the suspected location of
an earlier gate. however deep deposits of 19th-century rubbish were encountered
which prevented this trench from being excavated to earlier levels.
Govan Parish Church: Stone
35
Sponsor:
City of Glasgow District Council
S T
Driscoll and I S Cullen 1994; MS/725/70.
In
1997, three trenches were excavated within the burial-ground for the Channel 4
Television ''Time Team'' series:
Trench
1 (NS c. 5535 6588) revealed the foundation debris of successive post-medieval
churches, the remains of one or more burials of comparatively recent date,
pottery (some of it from the 14th century), and unmortared stone walls of
uncertain context.
Trench
2 (NS 554 658) was comparatively large (14m long by 3m deep) and was dug
outside the burial-ground (to the E) in an (abortive) attempt to find evidence
beneath modern industrial debris for a ceremonial way between the church and
the possible motte or moot hill of Doomster Hill (NS56NE 18).
Trench
3 (NS c. 5538 6582) aimed the investigate the ''pointed'' (SE) end of the
burial-ground in a search for an entrance-way from the direction of Doomster
Hill. Tip-lines and a layer of stone and gravel (possibly a path) were revealed
as well as a ''substantial assemblage of pottery shards''.
T
Taylor and M Aston 1997.
NS
554 658 In February 1996 a series of trial trenches were excavated to the E of
the churchyard of Govan Old Parish Church. This was the second in a series of
investigations at Govan, the first having been conducted in 1994. Most of the
area examined is waste ground, used for parking and a weekly market; the
remainder is occupied by temporary dwellings, which limited the choice of
location for some of the trenches. Foundations for a plating shed and cranes
were known to exist in the area, dating to the site''s most recent use as a
shipyard. Prior to the construction of the shipyard at the turn of the century,
the areas to be investigated fell within the grounds of the manse (immediately
adjacent to the E boundary of the churchyard).
Govan Parish Church: Stone 4
The
excavations were intended to evaluate the surviving archaeological deposits by
targeting specific structures, which resulted in the location of the five
trenches.
Trench
1 - Churchyard boundary. This was located immediately E of the present E
boundary wall of the churchyard. The aim was to establish the eastern extent of
the churchyard by locating the boundary ditch or vallum, which had been located
and excavated just outside the S boundary in 1994.
A
massive ditch was discovered running close to the modern churchyard wall which
was of a scale similar to that interpreted as the vallum ditch in the 1994
trench. It was investigated in detail in two places, though the orientations
and profiles did not correspond. This suggests that they relate to different
configurations of the churchyard. Both ditch sections showed signs of frequent
recuts. The deepest fill of the earliest ditch produced a perforated shale
disc. Shale working debris was also found in the primary deposits of the 1994
ditch. These ditches are almost certainly of early medieval date.
Outside
of the ditch traces of a drystone structure were discovered built over part of
the infilled ditch. They probably represent the footings for a shed or slight
building, perhaps of post-medieval date.
Trench
2 - The manse site. A series of machine-dug trenches were opened in the area
occupied by the former manse, which was demolished in the later 19th century
and may have been composed of elements dating to the Middle Ages. Extensive
trenching revealed no traces of any structure, no indications of demolition
having taken place, nor even traces of soil horizons above the natural gravel.
It seems likely that the manse stood on a slight hillock which was levelled
when the shipyard was built, removing all trace of the building.
Govan Parish Church: Stone 7
Trench
3 - Water Row West. This trench was opened to investigate the survival of
archaeological deposits in the area of the street frontage extending into the
backlands. No trace of any early activity survived the development of the site
as a shipyard.
Trench
4 - Doomster Hill. A machine-excavated trench was opened in several stages in
the vicinity of the site of the Doomster Hill, as represented on early maps.
Documentary research established that not only a shipyard, but also a tenement
block had subsequently occupied part of the site. As a consequence over 2m of
made ground had to be removed before medieval levels were encountered. The only
surviving medieval feature was a small portion of what appeared to have been a
massive ditch, the fill of which produced late medieval pottery. This is
believed to represent the quarry ditch for the Doomster Hill which stood open
until the early 19th century.
Govan Parish Church : Stone
9
Trench
5 - Water Row East. This trench was dug along the E frontage to see whether
pre-industrial remains had survived on the E side of Water Row. A substantial
wall founded on sandstone blocks was revealed, which seems most likely to have
been associated with the shipyard. No traces of earlier structures were noted
here.
In
June 1996 a third season of trial trenching was undertaken, on this occasion
co-ordinated with the production of the ''Time Team'' television programme. The
excavations sought to clarify various issues which had been raised by the two
previous phases of investigation. Four areas were targeted for further work: the
putative early church discovered at the SE corner of the extant church (Trench
C); the SE corner of the churchyard (Trench G), where an early entrance was
expected to exist; the W extent of the churchyard interior (Trench H) which had
not previously been investigated; and the Doomster Hill site at Water Row.
Trench
C. The 1994 trench was re-excavated and extended to the E (closer to the
church) and to the N principally in order to re-examine the massive drystone
foundations exposed in the original excavation. As expected a number of Early
Modern (18th/19th century) graves were encountered. Only two grave plots were
excavated; others were identified and avoided. Nevertheless, portions of seven
Early Modern burials were examined and produced the expected range of coffin
fittings. One of the burials contained two individuals, perhaps a mother and
child interment.
Apart
from the burials the main modern feature revealed was a massive robber trench
running E-W, some 1.5m deep, probably representing the 19th-century demolition
of the medieval church.
Govan Parish Church: Stone11
A
high-medieval phase of burial was represented by a single grave, which
contained a substantial portion of a 15th-century face-mask jug and was cut
into the foundations of what are thought to be part of an early church.
The
foundations of this church consisted of large boulders set into a trench, which
perhaps supported a timber-built structure. These foundations, which appear to
represent the SW corner of the structure, were massive, being cut over 0.5m
into the natural sand. The W edge of the foundation trench was located in the
1996 trench, adding to the evidence for the S edge discovered in 1994; but the
full width of the structure was not ascertained. The precise orientation of the
building remains in some doubt, although there can be little question that it
is aligned E-W.
The
earliest features in this trench were two burials discovered under the
foundations. Only portions of the burials, in dug graves with no coffins, were
exposed, though they were clearly oriented E-W. The dating of these bones is
awaited.
Trench
G. This trench was located in the SE extremity of the churchyard where the
curving walls come to a slight point. It was thought that this might indicate
the location of an entrance which pre-dated the 19th-century reorganisation of
the churchyard. The 1994 trench was reopened and the excavation extended by
machine towards the E and the N.
The
whole area was covered by a deep layer of topsoil (0.4m), into which a number
of modern rubbish pits had been dug. At a depth of c 1m a hard, compacted,
gravel surface was exposed which was c 2.5m wide and 0.3m thick. This surface
rose to a crown with vestigial drainage channels present on both sides.
Govan Parish Church: Stone
34
A
section through the road surface revealed that it was composed of layers of
clay and gravel. Some of this material overlay deposits of charcoal, which may
provide a date for one phase of repair to the road. Below the road surface were
in situ remains of a masonry structure. This may represent part of a gatehouse
or other entrance but too little was exposed to allow any firm interpretation.
The gravel road appears to have been on the same alignment as Pearce Lane
(formerly Manse Lane), which may have been the original approach to the church.
Trench
H. This trench (3 x 2m in extent) was located along the interior of the W
perimeter of the churchyard, an area not
previously
investigated. The intention was to determine the nature and condition of any
surviving archaeological deposits. The initial levels proved to be quite
disturbed.
Govan parish Church: Stone 6
At
a depth of approximately 1m the root damage became less noticeable and evidence
for archaeological activity was apparent. This consisted of substantial
deposits of charcoal and scorched earth, which indicate that intense fires had
been repeatedly built in the area. This evidence was similar in character to
the deposits excavated in Trench C in 1994, where the presence of fragments of
worked shale led to the burning being interpreted as evidence for a workshop.
In Trench H no shale fragments were found, thus the evidence here may simply
represent a domestic hearth.
Doomster
Hill, Water Row. Initially a trench 12 x 7m was excavated by machine under
archaeological supervision, though this was subsequently reduced in area. The
material removed from the top 2m included mixed layers of building rubble,
concrete, ash, coal and gravel. This material, which derived from the shipyard
and 19th-century tenements, overlay a level of soft brown soil, into which
several pits had been dug. These pits relate to the industrial use of the area,
perhaps in the period when it was a dyeworks.
The
brown soil was recognised (from the February 1996 investigations) as ditch fill
and produced quantities of post-medieval and medieval pottery. The edge of the
ditch was clearly discerned. Unfortunately, despite the scale of the trench,
the full width of the ditch was found to extend beyond the trench edges, the
best estimate being 8-10m wide, and originally c 2-3m deep with a broad flat
base.
It
is thought that this ditch represents the quarry from which the Doomster Hill
was constructed. Most of the material within the ditch fill appears to have
been placed there in a single event, around the 16th century to judge from the
pottery recovered from the fill. The uniformity of the infill and the richness
of the soil utilised suggests that backfilling was undertaken to expand the
gardens in the backlands of the dwellings on Govan Road and Water Row, though
this is far from certain. What is clear is that the scale of the Doomster Hill
has not been exaggerated by 18th and 19th-century representations and accounts.
Sponsor:
City of Glasgow Planning Department.
S T
Driscoll and B Will 1996
A
survey of the early modern graveyard monuments of Govan Parish Church was
carried out by C Cutmore in 1995.
NMRS MS/997/13.
Govan Parish
Church : Stone 29
Articles on Govan Old Parish Church
· Articles from the Annual Reports
First Annual Report -- St. Constantine's Day, 1991
· Not Slothful in Business: Macleod, Kempe and the Glass of Govan Old Parish Church by Philip N. H. Collins and Adrian Barlow
Second Annual Report -- St. Constantine's Day, 1992
· The Architecture of Govan Old Parish Church by Sam McKinstry, Ph. D.
· Govan Old Parish Church Graveyard by Betty Willshire, M.A., F.S.A. Scot.
· Elizabeth the Second by Susan Bradbury, F.M.G.P., F.R.S.A.
Third Annual Report -- St. Constantine's Day, 1993
· Robert Malcolm Kerr by John C. Lusk, B.A., B.D.
· Govan Old: Its Place in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Church Design by David M. Walker, O.B.E., D.A., F.S.A., F.S.A. Scot., F.R.S.E., H.F.R.I.A.S., LL.D.
Fourth Annual Report -- September, 1994
· Conservation of Early Mediaeval Sculpture by Revd. Tom A. Davison Kelly, M.A., B.D., F.S.A. Scot.
· Conservation of Stained Glass in the North Transept by Susan Bradbury, F.M.G.P, F.R.S.A.
· The Prebend of Govan: 1150-1560 by Revd. Tom A. Davison Kelly, M.A., B.D., F.S.A. Scot.
Fifth Annual Report -- September, 1995
Sixth Annual Report -- December, 1996
· GOVAN: the name by Thomas Owen Clancy, B.A., Ph.D., F.S.A.Scot.
· Conservation of the Great East Window by Susan Bradbury F.M.G.P, F.R.S.A.
Seventh Annual Report -- December, 1997
· The Name Govan, the Kirk and the Doomster Hill by Alan Macquarrie, M.A., Ph.D.
· The Govan Cross at Jordanhill and at Govan by Alan Macquarrie, M.A., Ph.D.
· An Archaeological Study of the Memorial Stones in the Kirkyard of Govan Old Parish Church by Catherine Cutmore, M.A.
Eighth Annual Report -- December, 1998
· Govan, the name, again by Thomas Owen Clancy, B.A., Ph.D., F.S.A. Scot.
· John Macleod Centenary Lecture by Ian C. Bradley, M.A., B.D., D.Phil.
Ninth Annual Report -- December, 1998
· Conservation of the Govan Sarcophagus by Historic Scotland
GLASGOW: COAT OF
ARMS
Glasgow,
like many cities, owes its existence to the river, which flows through it and
the fact that in historical times it was a convenient crossing point of that
river. In those days the Clyde was not a deep navigable river up to Glasgow but
was the last place where a bridge could be built to allow a crossing without a
boat. There was a salmon-fishing hamlet at Glasgow (which probably gets its
name from the Celtic glas and cu meaning "dear green place")
when St. Mungo established a monastery on the banks of the Molendinar Burn, a
tributary of the Clyde, in the 6th century.
Somewhat
surprisingly, the City of Glasgow did not have a coat of arms until the middle
of the 19th century. In 1866, Lord Lyon King at Armsgave approval for one in,
which incorporated a number of symbols and emblems which had been used on
official seals - all of which were associated with St Mungo. St. Mungo(who was
named originally Kentigern) is said to have preached the sermon containing the
words "Lord, let Glasgow Flourish by the preaching of the word." It
was at that time that the thrusting Victorian city truncated its motto into the
more secular "Let Glasgow Flourish" which is still in use today!
Many
people, including Glaswegians themselves, are only vaguely aware of the stories
and legends associated with the coat of arms. So here is the background to:
There's the tree that never grew,
There's the bird that never flew,
There's the fish that never swam,
There's the bell that never rang.
The Tree That Never Grew
The tree in the coat of arms is a now sturdy oak
tree, but it started out as a branch of a hazel tree. The legend says that St
Mungo was in charge of a holy fire in St Serf's Monastery and fell asleep. Some
boys who were envious of his favoured position with St Serf put out the fire.
But St Mungo broke off some frozen branches from a hazel tree and, by praying
over them, caused them to burst into flames.
The Bird That Never Flew
This commemorates a wild robin which was tamed by St
Serf and which was accidentally killed. St Mungo was blamed for the death but
he is said to have taken the dead bird, prayed over it and it was restored to
life.
The Fish That Never Swam
The coat of arms always
shows the fish with a ring held in its mouth. This is because a King of Strathclyde had given his wife a ring as a
present. But the Queen gave it to a knight who promptly lost it. Some versions
of the story say that the King took the ring while the knight was asleep and
threw it in the river. The King then demanded to see the ring - threatening
death to the Queen if she could not do so. The knight confessed to St Mungo who
sent a monk to catch a fish in the river Clyde. When this was brought back
(presumably catching salmon in the Clyde in those days was a lot easier then!)
St Mungo cut open the fish and found the ring. When the Bishop of Glasgow was
designing his own seal around 1271, he used the illustration of a salmon with a
fish in its mouth and this has come down to us in today's coat of arms.
The illustration on the
left is of an ornate lamppost, incorporating all the symbols of the coat of
arms. It is located near Glasgow Cathedral - founded nearly 1500 years ago by
St Mungo.
The Bell That Never Rang
In
1450, John Stewart, the first Lord Provost of Glasgow, left an endowment so
that a "St Mungo's Bell" could be made and tolled throughout the city
so that the citizens would pray for his soul. The bell was still ringing out in
1578, as there is an entry in the City Treasurer's accounts two shillings (10p)
"for one tong to St Mungowis Bell." The magistrates purchased a new
bell in 1641 and that bell is on display in the People's Palace museum near
Glasgow Green.
In
1631, another bell was made, this time for the Tron Church (the steeple is
pictured on the right), on which was inscribed the words "Lord, let
Glasgow Flourish by the preaching of the word." Whether Glasgow flourished
with spiritual assistance or the hard work of its people (or both), there is no
doubt that Glasgow, now the largest city in Scotland, (twice the size of the
capital, Edinburgh) has certainly prospered.
THE CAT AND
THE RAT
In
the main Govan Road, opposite the Pearce Institute is the Cardell Hall. It is
ever a source of wonder and puzzlement to the Govan people. What exactly does
the sculptured cat holding the rat in its mouth represent? It is situated high
up on the wall near Burleigh Street.
On the Burleigh Street side of
the building if you look on the wall you will see a carving of a cat. (located
on the left of the picture) It is said that ships bringing flax from Europe for
Govan Weavers also brought with them plagues of rats. These rats made their way
to Govan Cross where there was a common midden (communal refuse dump). There
were so numerous and ferocious that even the local dogs avoided the area. One
day a large cat appeared on the scene and it began picking off the rats until
only the king rat was left. The battle that followed left both animals mortally
wounded, but the spirit of the cat is immortalised on the wall.
The
story also goes that a certain publican had an establishment with an open midden
or refuse dumping point nearby and close to the present Cardell Hall. His cat
was an exceptionally fine ratter and when his premises were finally demolished,
he built the present Brechin Bar with the Cardell Hall occupying the upper
storey. In memory of his cat he placed the effigy in position.
A few yards from this point stands an
original old Govan lamp post. Complete with the coat of Arms of Govan and
Insignia of the burgh. The motto is “Nihil Sine Labore” – “Nothing Without
Work”
NIHIL SINE LABORE
“NothingWithout Work”
Painting by Jim Collins
"Windows on Govan -
Past, Present and Future" By Brian McQuade 2001