Govan, Church of Scotland

This is at least the fourth church to stand on this ancient site. This building was dedicated in 1888 and came about in this Gothic form with its outstanding programme of Victorian stained glass as a result of the vision of Revd. John Macleod who was Minister from 1875-1898. He introduced a stronger emphasis on ceremonial and liturgical practice, looking back to medieval precedents. Adopting a gothic style of architecture, already popular for religious and secular buildings, was a move consistent with his theological outlook. The proportions of the interior with a broad high vaulted nave and narrow aisles reflects the influence of the Dominican and Franciscan churches, designed for preaching to large congregations, that Macleod had seen in Italy. The red and white banded stone, a medieval Italianate building characteristic much praised by the influential Victorian writer, John Ruskin, and widely adopted in Victorian Britain, adds to the splendid effect. The architect, Rowand Anderson, had designed in the gothic style for both Episcopal and Presbyterian worship. Macleod also planned the elaborate cycle of stained glass which, though not complete, has an unusually coherent programme, even though the individual donations which enabled the glass to be made came in over a period of time. He employed five of the leading stained glass workshops of the day who drew on the inspiration of medieval and Flemish 15th and 16th century examples. As in the Middle Ages he believed the stained glass could play an important part in teaching religious ideas. The church now houses a remarkable collection of early Christian stones, The Govan Stones.

It is located at NS5535965928 (Lat/Lon 55.86476, -4.312841). You can see this on maps provided by:

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