Glasgow, 868 Govan Road, Govan Old Parish Church Burial Ground

The graveyard continued in use, but burials eventually all but ceased; a recent survey has recorded 132 post-1809 nineteenth-century memorial stones in the churchyard, but only one dating to the twentieth century (Cutmore 1996; 1997; 1998; see also Willsher 1992).

Information from ‘The Scottish Burgh Survey, Historic Govan: Archaeology and Development’ (2009).

NS 55349 65869 During July 2013 Glasgow City Council’s Land and Environmental Services began work on the first phase of a programme of graveyard improvements at Govan Old Churchyard which involved work on 48 gravestones of varying types. As part of this project seven flat ledgerstones suffering from collapse were raised and set in new beddings.

It was also decided that a previously enclosed monument would have its original iron railings re-installed. This provided the opportunity to conduct trial excavations to the maximum depth of 300mm under eight monuments. However, one grave was so badly collapsed that no excavation was possible.

The work was carried out by undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of Glasgow and volunteers from the Govan Stones Project. Children from the Govan Youth Information Project attended the site and were given the opportunity to learn the basic skills of archaeological excavation. The trenches were excavated in 100mm spits

and all spoil was sieved in order to retrieve the maximum artefactual evidence. Although the excavations were of a limited nature, they still provided some key information on the potential benefits of future excavations at Govan Old Churchyard. It was found that in several instances incomplete fragments of sculpted stone had been buried underneath the known ledgerstones. Building bricks found underneath the

ledgerstones also suggested that less sophisticated graveyard maintenance had been attempted previously.

The majority of artefacts recovered were post-medieval, with a further focus towards the Victorian and modern. Fragments of clay pipe, an incomplete medicine bottle, decorative glass buttons and stamped iron coffin fittings were among the artefacts recovered. However, corroded iron

fragments and Victorian to modern glass and ceramics were the predominant finds. The ceramic assemblage also included one sherd of 17th- to 18th-century Throsk ware and one sherd of medieval green glaze which had a secondary reddish glaze, used to produce a decorative stripe. A substantial volume of chert fragments throughout the area raised questions about the structure of historic path surfaces. Fragments of cannel coal, rectangular in profile, and worked, partial discoids of shale could be further evidence of early medieval craft activities at the site.

Archive and report: Govan Old Church

Funder: Glasgow University Hunter Marshall Bequest

Frazer Capie – Govan Workspace

(Source: DES)