[MR] BBC: Viking-era Archaeology at Govan, Scotland

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today the BBC is offering a brief piece on excavations at Govan Old
Churchyard in the Govan district of Glasgow. Govan Old Church is thought to
be the site of one of the oldest Christian foundations in Scotland, with
some artifacts dating to around 500 CE. The site is currently coughing up
artifacts from the late 9th century.

*Alt Clud* (or *Alt Clut*) was one of the early kingdoms in what later
became Scotland. Its capital was on the Rock of Dumbarton on the north bank
of the Clyde about 20 miles downriver (west) of today's Glasgow. *Alt Clud*
was a Brythonic Welsh/Cumbric-speaking kingdom. In 870 or 871 CE *Alt
Clud* fell
when the Vikings besieged and destroyed Dumbarton. The survivors retreated
east to Govan on the south bank of the Clyde and reconstituted their
kingdom as Strathclyde. Govan became a rival to nearby Glasgow, which had
grown around Saint Kentigern's late 6th century monastic foundation.
Eventually Glasgow, with Kentigern's church raised to a Cathedral and by
then an important pilgrimage center, grew into a city and Govan faded to a
provincial backwater.

Govan is known for its collection of Viking-age stones, including
elaborately carved hog-back grave markers, and a stone casket thought to
have held the relics of Strathclyde king Saint Constantine. Current
excavations are centered on what may be Govan Old Churchyard's early
medieval entrance gate.

The story is found at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62877rd282o .

An earlier BBC story, with photos of the hog-back stones and Constantine's
possible casket, is at https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-18172678 .

More about Strathclyde is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Strathclyde . As a bit of ego
preening, note the letter "B" on the map. The area just to the right and
above the "B" is the traditional home of the Napiers and their castle at
Kilmahew at least from the late 1200s. Napier lands once extended to the
southwest corner of that large lake, the famous Loch Lomond of song. The
area marked "Lennox" was the home of the Earls of Lennox, from which the
Napiers claim descent.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.