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Govan Old Parish Church

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Church in Glasgow, Scotland
Govan Old Parish Church
The Parish Church of St Constantine of Strathclyde
55°51′53″N 4°18′46″W / 55.8646°N 4.3129°W / 55.8646; -4.3129
LocationGlasgow
CountryScotland
DenominationChurch of Scotland
Websitehttps://thegovanstones.org.uk/
History
StatusClosed
Foundedc.5th to 6th Century
DedicationConstantine
Dedicated19 May 1888
Architecture
Functional statusMuseum & Historic Church
Architect(s)Robert Rowand Anderson
Years built1884-1888
Groundbreaking6 December 1884
ClosedOctober 2007
Administration
PresbyteryPresbytery of Glasgow
ParishGovan & Linthouse
Listed Building – Category A
Designated6 July 1966
Reference no.LB33353

Govan Old Parish Church is a former parish church serving Govan in Glasgow from the 5th or 6th century AD until 2007. In that year, the Church of Scotland united the two Govan congregations with Linthouse and established the parish church at Govan Cross, making Govan Old redundant. A decade later, Govan Old Walkway was opened, connecting both with a new riverside path.

Govan Old is no longer used for regular Sunday services, but the building remains a place of worship with a daily morning service and is open to visitors in the afternoons. The church, dedicated to a Saint Constantine, occupies a Scottish Gothic Revival building of national significance (A-Listed by Historic Environment Scotland) within a churchyard designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument (Historic Environment Scotland).

The church houses an internationally-significant collection of early medieval sculpture, known as the Govan Stones. All the carved stones come from the churchyard and include the Govan Sarcophagus, four upstanding crosses with figurative and interlace decoration, five Anglo-Scandinavian hogbacks, and a wide range of recumbent burial monuments, all seemingly dating to the 9th – 11th centuries AD.

Early-medieval churchyard

It is believed that the site's earliest Christian activity began sometime in the 5th or 6th century AD. Archaeological excavations in the 1990s uncovered two early Christian burials beneath the foundations of a later church; these burials were radiocarbon-dated between the 5th and 6th centuries AD (AD 435-601 and AD 474 -601).

Despite this early activity, it wasn't until the 9th and 10th centuries that Govan Old rose to prominence: indeed, there are few historical references to Govan in the interim, though there appears to be one reference included in Symeon of Durham's Historia Regum, compiled sometime in the 12th century AD. In it, Simeon records the return of the Northumbrian army from 'Ovania' after attacking Dumbarton Rock (Alt Clut) in AD 756.

Originally, the Annals of Ulster recorded Dumbarton Rock as the centre of the Brittonic Kingdom of Alt Clud (usually pre-emptively referred to as the Kingdom of Strathclyde, but which is more accurately described as ‘the kingdom of the Rock of the Clyde’) from the 6th century AD until the later 9th century AD. In AD 870, the annals record a Viking raid on Dumbarton Rock; after this point, the kings of Clyde Rock are no longer discussed. In 872, the Annals of Ulster instead refer to the kingdom of Ystrad Clud, better known as the Kingdom of Strathclyde, which appears to mark the shift of political power from Dumbarton Rock further upstream to Govan.

It is possible that a predecessor of the 12th-century royal estate at Partick and the now-destroyed Doomster Hill (which is thought to have functioned as a Viking-style 'thing' site or moot/meeting place, having been adapted from a possible Bronze-Age burial mound) played a part in this power shift.

The size of the graveyard and the sheer amount of early medieval sculpture suggest that the church was supported by royal patronage. Because the site has been in continual use since it was first established, it is impossible to tell what the original church looked like, but it is clear that it always had Christian associations.

Building

Early medieval upright crosses at Govan Old

Govan Old Parish Church is an ornate, Category A listed building of significant architectural merit, designed by Robert Rowand Anderson and influenced by features at Pluscarden Abbey near Elgin.

The majority of the current church building was constructed 1884-1888, although the site is one of the oldest places of Christian worship in Scotland. Unusually, the axis of the church was turned to orientate north-south rather than the traditional east-west orientation, but this allowed the main door to face south to the main street.

Upon construction, the congregation was closely associated with the Scoto-Catholic High Church movement within the Church of Scotland—several former ministers have been actively involved with the Scottish Church Society. Notable former ministers include the Reverend George MacLeod, later the Lord MacLeod of Fuinary, and Norman Shanks, Leader of the Iona Community from 1995 to 2002.

Govan Old also has noteworthy stained glass windows. Two of the church's windows were given by Robert Malcolm Kerr; the Emmaus window in 1891, and Christ blessing the children in 1902. Both were made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.

The church's museum collection of early medieval Christian carvings, known as the Govan Stones, is of international significance. This was first properly recognised in December 1855 when the digging of a grave led to the rediscovery of a sarcophagus.

The exciting discovery prompted scholars to illustrate and record the Govan Sarcophagus and other early medieval monuments in the churchyard. A photographic record of forty-six carved stones was commissioned and published by John Stirling Maxwell. For this publication, Robert Foster of Stirling made plaster casts of each of the stones; these casts were then taken to the studio of renowned photographers T & R Annan & Son and photographed in ideal lighting conditions to emphasise the carving. These photographs were used in the J. Romilly Allen and Joseph Anderson's Early Christian Monuments of Scotland, though only thirty-nine were included in their volume; however, of these thirty-nine, one stone was not recorded by Stirling Maxwell, which puts the number of probable early medieval stones from Govan at forty-seven.

In the 1960s, Ralegh Radford saw the stones as a means to understand Govan's early significance and made close comparisons between the carved stones from Govan and those found at Inchinnan, which, along with other monuments in the region, are described as belonging to a ‘Govan School’ of carving.

Today, thirty monuments are currently on display inside the church, and a single recumbent monument of medieval date remains in the graveyard. Sixteen of the stones that were not brought into the church were thought to have been buried or removed after the demolition of the Harland & Wolff factory building in 1973, but a recent community archaeology dig identified the location of at least three of the lost stones.

Of the thirty-one monuments on display at Govan Old, there is one sarcophagus, two cross-shafts, two upright cross-slabs, five hogbacks, and twenty-one recumbent cross-slabs.

The Govan hogbacks

Govan Old and the Govan Stones museum are open daily between April 1 and October 31 from 1pm-4pm (visitors can contact the museum to arrange tours in the off season). Admission to the museum is free, although there is the option for visitors to make donations, and a small gift shop inside including books and local handicrafts which raises money for the upkeep of the property and its collections.

Amalgamation

Following arbitration, the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of Glasgow decided upon a union of the three local Church of Scotland congregations in the Govan area. Govan Old (along with the charges of Linthouse St Kenneth and New Govan) was terminated on 28 October 2007, becoming part of Govan and Linthouse parish and congregation.

After 2007, the future of the Govan Old Parish Church was uncertain. In 2008, an Options Appraisal study was undertaken by Govan Workspace Ltd, who then took the lead in applying for funding to redisplay the sculpture. The funding was secured in 2011, allowing the redisplay to be completed by Northlight Heritage/York Archaeological Trust in 2013. Govan Old's future was secured when the Govan Heritage Trust obtained a grant from the Scottish Government in 2016. The Trust aims to develop the church into a self-sustaining community-run cultural, museum and business complex, but requires further financial support to bring to fruition.

The former minister of the Govan and Linthouse Parish Church was Rev Dr Moyna McGlynn, who passed away in August 2016.

The church is located near Govan Station on the Glasgow Subway. Its main entrance is next to the Govan War Memorial, which is to the immediate west of the Pearce Institute on the Govan Road.

Archaeology

The Channel 4 archeology programme Time Team dug in the graveyard of the Govan Old Parish Church in the fourth episode of series 4, recorded in summer 1996 and broadcast early 1997.

In March 2019, ′Stones and Bones′ community archaeologists with a schoolboy named Mark McGettigan revealed long-lost medieval stone carvings. The stones were assumed to have been demolished by chance when the neighbouring Harland & Wolff shipyard plaring shed was demolished in the 1970s.

“This the most exciting discovery we have had at Govan in the last 20 years. The Govan Stones are a collection of international importance and these recovered stones reinforce the case for regarding Govan as a major early medieval centre of power", said Professor Stephen Driscoll.

Notable ministers

See also

References

  1. ^ Driscoll, Stephen (2016). "Reading Govan Old: interpretative challenges and aspirations" (PDF). In Hunter, Fraser; Sheridan, Alison (eds.). Ancient Lives: Object, People and Place in Early Scotland, Essays for David V Clarke on his 70th Birthday. Sidestone Press. pp. 79–80.
  2. McKay, Gabriel (8 July 2017). "Sir Alex Ferguson opens new Govan walkway". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  3. Driscoll, Stephen (2004). Govan from Cradle to Grave (PDF). Glasgow: Friends of Govan Old. p. 8. ISBN 0954532120.
  4. Breeze, Andrew (1999). "Simeon of Durham's annal for 756 and Govan, Scotland". Nomina. 22: 133–137.
  5. Forsyth, Katherine (2000). "Evidence of a lost Pictish source in the Historia Regum Anglorum of Symeon of Durham". In Taylor, Simon (ed.). Kings, Clerics and Chronicles in Scotland, 500-1297. Four Courts Press. pp. 19–34. ISBN 9781851825165.
  6. Alcock, L; Alcock, E.A. (1990). "Reconnaissance excavations on Early Historic fortifications and other royal sites in Scotland, 1974-84: 4, Excavations at Alt Clut, Clyde Rock, Strathclyde, 1974-75" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. 120: 95–149.
  7. Clancy, Thomas (2006). "Constantine, St. (of Govan)". In Koch, John (ed.). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-Clio. p. 1818.
  8. Clancy, Thomas (2006). "Constantine, St. (of Govan)". In Koch, John (ed.). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-Clio. p. 1819.
  9. Macquarrie, Alan (1994). "The historical context of the Govan stones". In Ritchie, Anna (ed.). Govan and its early medieval sculpture. Alan Sutton publishing limited. p. 29. ISBN 9780750907170.
  10. Driscoll, Stephen (2004). Govan from Cradle to Grave (PDF). Glasgow: Friends of Govan Old. pp. 17–20. ISBN 0954532120.
  11. Crawford, Barbara (2005). The Govan Hogbacks and the Multi-Cultural Society of Tenth-Century Scotland. Glasgow: Friends of Govan Old. ISBN 0-9545321-3-9.
  12. Driscoll, Stephen (2004). Govan from Cradle to Grave (PDF). Glasgow: Friends of Govan Old. p. 20. ISBN 0954532120.
  13. Davidson Kelly, T.A. (1994). "The Govan collection in the context of local history". In Ritche, Anna (ed.). Govan and its early medieval sculpture. Alan Sutton Publishing Limited. pp. 1–3. ISBN 9780750907170.
  14. "Govan Old Parish Church". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
  15. McKinstry, Sam. "The Architecture of Govan Old Parish Church". The Architecture of Govan Old Parish Church.
  16. Ferguson, Ron (2004). George MacLeod: Founder of the Iona Community. Wild Goose Publications. ISBN 1901557537.
  17. Kerr on the Govan Old Church website Archived 7 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  18. Rush, Sally Joyce (1990). The stained glass windows of Govan Old Parish Church. Glasgow: Friends of Govan Old. ISBN 0951178245.
  19. Stuart, John (1856). The Sculptured Stones of Scotland. Aberdeen: Aberdeen Spalding Club. p. 43.
  20. Stirling Maxwell, John (1899). Sculptured Stones in the Kirkyard of Govan. Glasgow: For private circulation.
  21. Foster, Sally (March 2015). "Circulating Agency: The V&A, Scotland and the multiplication of plaster casts of 'Celtic Crosses'". Journal of the History of Collections. 27 (1): 74. doi:10.1093/jhc/fhu008. hdl:1893/21161.
  22. Allen, J. Romilly (1897). "Report on the Photography of the Sculptured Stones earlier than A.D. 1100, in the District of Scotland south of the river Dee; obtained under the Jubilee Gift of His Excellency Dr. R. H. Gunning, LL.D., F.S.A. Scot" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. 31: 148.
  23. Driscoll, Stephen (2016). "Reading Govan Old: interpretative challenges and aspirations" (PDF). In Hunter, Fraser; Sheridan, Alison (eds.). Ancient Lives: Object, People and Place in Early Scotland, Essays for David V Clarke on his 70th Birthday. Sidestone Press. p. 76.
  24. Allen, J. Romilly; Anderson, Joseph (1903). The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland. Balgavies, Angus: 1993 reprint: The Pinkfoot Press.
  25. Radford, C.A.R. (1967). "The Early Christian Monuments at Govan and Inchinnan". Transactions of the Glasgow Archaeological Society. 15 (4): 173–188.
  26. Driscoll, S T; O'Grady, O; Forsyth, K S (2005). "The Govan School revisited: searching for meaning in the early medieval sculpture of Strathclyde". In Foster, S; Cross, M (eds.). Able Minds and Practised Hands. Historic Scotland. pp. 135–158.
  27. Macquarrie, Alan (2006). Crosses and Upright Monuments in Strathclyde: Typology, Dating, and Purpose. Glasgow: Friends of Govan Old. ISBN 0-9545321-4-7.
  28. Davidson Kelly, T.A. (1994). "The Govan collection in the context of local history". In Ritchie, Anna (ed.). Govan and its early medieval sculpture. Alan Sutton Publishing Limited. p. 6. ISBN 9780750907170.
  29. ^ "Lost carvings of the ancient Kingdom of Strathclyde turn up in Govan Graveyard". The Govan Stones News. 25 March 2012.
  30. "Early Christian stones". Clyde Waterfront Heritage. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  31. The Govan Stones (25 March 2012). "The Redisplay Project". The Govan Stones.
  32. Gardiner & Theobold (14 June 2018). "Govan Old's Future Secured". Govan Old's Future Secured.
  33. The Govan Stones. "The Govan Stones Appeal". The Govan Stones Appeal.
  34. Rogers, James (29 March 2019). "Schoolboy discovers long-lost 1,000-year old stone monuments from ancient kingdom". Fox News. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  35. "Moderators of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland genealogy project".
  36. Driscoll, Stephen (2016). "Reading Govan Old: interpretative challenges and aspirations" (PDF). In Hunter, Fraser; Sheridan, Alison (eds.). Ancient Lives: Object, People and Place in Early Scotland, Essays for David V Clarke on his 70th Birthday. Sidestone Press. p. 85.
  37. Driscoll, Stephen (2016). "Reading Govan Old: interpretative challenges and aspirations" (PDF). In Hunter, Fraser; Sheridan, Alison (eds.). Ancient Lives: Object, People and Place in Early Scotland, Essays for David V Clarke on his 70th Birthday. Sidestone Press. p. 79.

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