Govan Old Parish Church, Glasgow, United Kingdom

The current church building in Govan was constructed in 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. It is believed that the site's earliest Christian activity began sometime in the 6th century AD. Archaeological excavations in the 1990s uncovered two early Christian burials beneath the foundations of a later church. Despite this early activity, it wasn't until the 9th and 10th centuries that Govan Old rose to prominence.

The church now houses a remarkable collection of early Christian stones, The Govan Stones. They are an unique collection of early medieval stones carved in the 9th – 11th centuries to commemorate the power of those who ruled the Kingdom of Strathclyde. 31 monuments dating from this period include beautifully carved crosses and cross shafts, and 5 magnificent hogback stones.

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Religious sites in United Kingdom

User Reviews

Karine Davison (11 months ago)
Interesting to go round on own , but knowledgeable guides there too . Have been about 3 times and would go back.

George Semerdjiev (2 years ago)
Beautiful church with wonderful collection of Celtic sculptured crosses and Viking monuments.

Gordon Hart (2 years ago)
Fantastic, probably the worlds largest collection of Viking “Hogback” gravestones.

John Inglis (2 years ago)
Govan Parish Church has an amazing collection of historically important and ancient stones dating back thousands of years. The stones give a great insight into ancient times in the Strathclyde area. The guides are very friendly and informative and greatly add to the visit. Admission is free and is well worth a visit.

Charles West (2 years ago)
If you're into your history, this is well worth a visit: one of the UK's most significant collections of early medieval sculpture - crosses, hogbacks and a remarkable sarcophagus), well presented and with helpful explanatory panels, and friendly and knowledgeable volunteers to hand; you can stroll by the river after your visit, too. Deserves to be better known.

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