The Govan Stones facts for kids
The early medieval Govan Cross in Govan Old Parish Church
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| Location | Govan |
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| Coordinates | 55°51′53″N 4°18′46″W / 55.8646°N 4.3129°W |
The Govan Stones are a super important collection of old carved stones. You can see them at Govan Old Parish Church in Glasgow, Scotland. These stones are from a time long ago, in the early Middle Ages.
The stones were found in the churchyard around the church. They include a special stone coffin called the Govan Sarcophagus. There are also four tall crosses, five unique stones called "hogbacks" (which look a bit like houses), and many flat burial stones. Most of these stones were made between the 9th and 11th centuries AD.
Govan Old Church and the Govan Stones museum are open every day from April to October. They are open from 1 PM to 4 PM. It's free to visit, but you can donate if you want. There's also a gift shop where you can buy things. The money helps take care of the church and the stones.
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Discover the Govan Stones
These amazing carved stones were probably made to show the power of the rulers. These rulers were from the Brittonic Kingdom of Strathclyde. This kingdom was part of a bigger area called Yr Hen Ogledd, or 'The Old North'.
Back in the 1970s, there were 45 stones. But 14 flat gravestones, called 'recumbent gravestones', were lost. They were outside the church. People thought they were destroyed in 1973. This happened when a nearby shipyard building was knocked down. The old stones were mistaken for rubbish.
But guess what? In 2019, a 14-year-old schoolboy named Mark McGettigan found one of these 'lost' stones! He was helping with a project called ‘Stones 'n' Bones’. After that, two more flat gravestones were found. This gives hope that more of the lost stones might still be out there.
Today, the collection has the Govan Sarcophagus, five hogback stones, four standing crosses, and 21 flat burial stones.
The most important stone is the Govan Sarcophagus. It's a large stone coffin. People think it was made for St. Constantine. He was the son of a Pictish king named Kenneth MacAlpin. The sarcophagus has carvings of a stag hunt, like those seen in Pictish art. It also has many cool animal designs. This stone coffin is made from solid sandstone. It's the only one of its kind from Northern Britain before the Normans arrived.
History of the Govan Stones
The Govan Stones were made between the 9th and 11th centuries. This was a time when Vikings often raided the Clyde area. The Annals of Ulster, old historical records, say that Vikings attacked Dumbarton Rock in AD 870. This fortress was very important. It was the center of an old kingdom of Clyde Britons.
The king of this kingdom, Artgal, was either killed or captured by the Vikings. After this, Govan became very important. A new kingdom, called the Kingdom of Strathclyde, started. Govan was already an old Christian site. People had been buried there since AD 450-600. It became a key church center for the new kingdom.
The five 'hogback' stones at Govan are special. They suggest that Vikings or people influenced by Vikings lived here. These large sandstone blocks look like Scandinavian longhouses. They are only found in parts of northern Britain where Vikings settled. The hogback stones in Govan are bigger than any others found elsewhere.
Professor Stephen Driscoll from Glasgow University said: "It shows that this British kingdom of Strathclyde had strong links with the Scandinavian world. I think these stones are meant to look like a lord's hall."
The Govan Sarcophagus was found in the churchyard in 1855. To protect the stones from bad weather, they were moved inside the church in 1926. Before that, they had been in the churchyard for over a thousand years!
How the Site Began
People believe that Christians first used this site around the 5th or 6th century AD. Digs in the 1990s found two early Christian burials. These burials were under an older church. Tests showed they were from between AD 435-601 and AD 474-601.
Govan Old Church became very important in the 9th and 10th centuries. There isn't much written about Govan before then. But one old book, Historia Regum, mentions it. It says a Northumbrian army returned from 'Ovania' after attacking Dumbarton Rock in AD 756.
The Annals of Ulster say that Dumbarton Rock was the center of the Brittonic Kingdom of Alt Clud. This was from the 6th century AD until the late 9th century AD.
In AD 870, the Annals of Ulster recorded a Viking attack on Dumbarton Rock. After this, the kings of Clyde Rock are not mentioned anymore. In 872, the Annals of Ulster talk about the kingdom of Ystrad Clud, or the Kingdom of Strathclyde. This seems to show that power moved from Dumbarton Rock to Govan.
The large size of the graveyard and the many early medieval sculptures suggest something. It means that kings probably supported this church. The site has been used continuously for a very long time. So, it's hard to know what the first church looked like. But digs in the 1990s found old wall foundations. They might have supported an early medieval wooden church.
The Govan Sarcophagus
The Govan Sarcophagus is a huge stone coffin with beautiful carvings. It was found in December 1855. A church worker was digging a grave in the churchyard. No human remains were found inside the sarcophagus. People think it was buried long ago to keep it safe. Maybe it was hidden during the Scottish Reformation. Today, you can see the sarcophagus clearly in the Govan Stones museum.
The sarcophagus is thought to be for St Constantine, the church's patron saint. There's a lot of talk about which Constantine it is. Most experts think it was for Constantine f. Kenneth (AD 862–878) or Donald f. Constantine (AD 889–900). Because it's so decorated, people believe it was meant to show the saint's remains. It would have been a main feature in the church.
The coffin has carvings that mix different styles from the Irish Sea Region. One side shows a horseman hunting a stag. A dog might be with them. This hunting scene was common in Pictish art. It showed royalty and power. The sarcophagus also shows one animal stepping on two others. One is a snake, the other might be a wolf. The winning animal's shape makes many think it's a 'Lamb of God' symbol.
The other long side has two panels with different animal designs. In one, four 'beasts' are almost mirrored. But each beast is a bit different. In the second panel, two long-necked animals cross necks. Their tongues or ears are woven with the other beast's tail. Similar designs, where animals cross parts of their bodies, are also in Pictish art. The rest of the sarcophagus has panels with woven patterns. Some of these look like snakes. Snakes were a common symbol in old art. They often meant death and new life.
Govan Hogbacks
There are five hogback stones at the Govan Stones museum. They are inside Govan Old Parish Church.
The oldest Govan hogback, called Govan 2, is from the early 10th century. The other four hogbacks are thought to be from later in the 10th century.
The five hogbacks at Govan Old are known as Govan 2, Govan 3, Govan 4, Govan 5 and Govan 6. All of them were found in the old churchyard of Govan Old.
- Govan 2 is the smallest hogback, at 2 meters long. It is probably the oldest. It was shown at the British Museum in 2014. It has two rows of carvings that look like roof tiles. Below these, there is a woven pattern. This pattern is different on each side. Govan 2 is the only hogback here with a special "stopped-plait" pattern.
- Govan 3 was re-carved a long time ago, probably in the early medieval period. The new carving makes it look like one big animal. It might have looked like other hogbacks with large beasts at the ends. Govan 3 is very big. It has a full, 3D animal at one end. This animal stretches over the whole stone.
- Govan 4 was also re-carved, like Govan 3. It looks like a single animal. Its head faces outwards, which is unusual for hogbacks. The animal's four bent legs point towards its head. The top of the stone looks like a spine. The tile-like carvings look like scales.
- Govan 5 has two gripping beasts at both ends. But one end is very worn. You can see traces of woven patterns around the beasts. These might be their backs. There's a round dip in the middle of this stone. It seems to have been made later than the early medieval period. The tile-like carvings on this hogback are in good shape. Govan 5 has two end-beasts, one at each end. Their faces and bodies are shown from the side. Their jaws are open, and their legs cross at the bottom. This is the only hogback known with beasts in this position.
- Govan 6 is very worn down. This is probably because it was outside for a long time. Its tile-like carvings are special, with curved sides. It is 2.4 meters long.
Crosses and Upright Cross-Slabs
You can also see two cross-shafts and two upright cross-slabs. The cross-shafts are the Govan Cross (also called the 'Jordanhill' Cross) and the Inverted (or Upside Down) Cross. These would have had carvings on all four sides. When complete, they would have been part of a tall, free-standing cross. They might have looked like the Barochan Cross, which is now in Paisley Museum.
The Govan Cross is often called the Jordanhill Cross. This is because it was given to the people of Jordanhill House long ago. It was brought back to Govan Old in 1928. The cross has different woven patterns. Its most interesting part is a worn carving of a man on horseback. Most of the details are gone, but you can still see the eyes of the horse and the man.
The ‘Inverted’ or ‘Upside Down’ cross is called that because it's displayed upside down! It's next to the hogback stones in the church. Most of the carvings on the front are damaged. But the two sides are quite well preserved. They mostly have woven patterns. One side also has the only carving that looks like a Bible scene. It might be David being anointed by Samuel.
The two upright cross-slabs are called the Sun Stone and Cuddy Stane. The Sun Stone is very worn. But it has a large round shape with four snakes coming out. They are arranged to look like a sun. Below this is a woven pattern. The other side has a cross, woven patterns, and a rider. There's a small top part on the stone. Some experts think it was too small for a stone cross-head. They think the Sun Stone might have been part of a building.
The Cuddy Stane gets its name from the rider's animal. It looks more like a donkey ('cuddy' in Scots language) than a horse. The stone has been damaged since it was drawn in 1856. That drawing showed the rider's top half, with a sword and a ponytail. The ponytail is also seen on the Sun Stone, the Govan Sarcophagus, and the Govan Warrior. The stone looks plain now because it's very worn. It was also used later as a grave cover. But you can still see hints of a woven pattern under the horseman.
Flat Burial Stones
The flat burial stones, called recumbent cross-slabs, make up most of the Govan Stones collection. Twenty-one of the original 37 are on display. They are arranged around the inside walls of the church. Sadly, these stones haven't gotten as much attention as the others. This is because they are very worn. They were also used again for other purposes since the 17th century.
These flat stones are different in size, shape, and decoration. But they all have some things in common. Each one has a cross with a carved border. This border always divides the stone into at least two sections. Each stone also has a plain border around its edge. At least five of the 21 flat stones have a special feature called 'angle-knobs'. This feature is important in this region.
These tombstones are very important for future visitors. They have great potential to attract more people.
Famous Govan Stones
The British Museum showed how important this collection is. They borrowed one of the hogback stones for their exhibition. It was called Vikings: Life and Legend. This show was in London from March to June 2014.
In August 2017, the Govan Stones were voted Scotland's best 'hidden gem'. This was in a national competition. They got over two thousand votes! People say they are important around the world.
The Govan Warrior
In September 2023, a new early medieval carved stone was found. Professor Stephen Driscoll discovered it. He was digging again in an area he first explored in 1996 for the Time Team TV show.
This stone is different from the others. Its carvings are lightly scratched into the stone. Even though it's damaged, it shows what looks like a warrior. The figure is seen from the side. It has a small, round shield held over its shoulder with a strap. The person seems to be carrying a staff, spear, or sword on their left shoulder. Much of the face is gone. But it seems to have a pointy beard and a ponytail. The ponytail is also seen on other stones in the collection.
Because of where it was found and its warrior look, the figure has been named the "Govan Warrior".
Students from the University of Glasgow, Clyde Archaeology, and local volunteers helped with the digs.
Govan Stones in the News
The Channel 4 archaeology show Time Team dug in the Govan Old churchyard. This was in the fourth episode of series 4. It was filmed in summer 1996 and shown in early 1997.
In March 2019, community archaeologists and a schoolboy named Mark McGettigan found long-lost medieval stone carvings. People thought these stones were destroyed by accident. This happened when the nearby Harland & Wolff shipyard building was knocked down in the 1970s.
Professor Stephen Driscoll said: "This is the most exciting discovery we've had at Govan in 20 years. The Govan Stones are a collection that matters worldwide. These recovered stones prove that Govan was a major power center in the early Middle Ages."
In September 2023, the discovery of the 'Govan Warrior' was big news. It was in newspapers like The Scotsman and The Herald. It was also in British Archaeology magazine and on the BBC Scotland news show, The Nine.
In January 2024, a new podcast started. It's called the Govan Early Medieval podcast. It talks about the Govan Stones and the old Kingdom of Strathclyde.
