3-Scotland: 10th May 2017 - Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis

10th May 2017 (Wednesday)

Our third day in Glasgow. We visited two of the highlights of Glasgow: the Cathedral and the Necropolis. You can see them in a visit. The cemetery is on top a hill by the infirmary and Glasgow Cathedral. There is so much history in the graveyard, from large mausoleums to simple headstones. You could spend hours walking around there...The Necropolis site by visitors to the city reflects the increased popularity of 'Dark Tourism'. It means places of interest to tourists that have a sinister story to tell. Other examples of Dark Tourist visitor attractions include the Edinburgh Dungeon and Kilmainham Jail in Dublin...

PHOTOS

Bank of Scotland, 54/62 Sauchiehall Street

George Square, the main civic square in Glasgow. surrounded by architecturally important buildings. Moreover the square boasts an important collection of statues and monuments, including those dedicated to Robert Burns, James Watt, Sir Robert Peel and Sir Walter Scott

Traffic at George Square central

George Square sign

A map indicating our location

Robert Peel statue erected 1859 by John Mossman. Peel (1788-1850) was Prime Minister from 1834-35 and 1841-46. As Home Secretery he reformed the London police, introducing the concept of the Bobby and reformed criminal law. Not always having support from his own party, he proposed Catholic emancipation in 1829. In 1832, he became the leader of the Conservative Party. As PM he introduced financial measures to bring the country out of debt, and the last act of his government was the repeal of the Corn Laws

On the right side of the picture: Queen Victoria monument erected in 1854 by Marochetti. ueen Victoria (1819-1901) succeeded to the throne in 1837 and first visited Glasgow in August 1849. Her great love of Scotland prompted the acquisition of Balmoral Castle as a royal residence, which she had rebuilt in 1856 and visited almost every year until her death. The monument shows the Queen seated side-saddle, holding an imperial sceptre raised in her right hand

One of the things that grabbed my attention was those wooden movable benches

Statue of William Gladstone and City Chambers in background

The City Chambers or Municipal Buildings has functioned as the headquarters of Glasgow City Council since 1996, and of preceding forms of municipal government in the city since 1889, located on the eastern side of the city's George Square. An eminent example of Victorian civic architecture, the building was constructed between 1882 and 1888 to a competition winning design by Scottish architect William Young a native of Paisley

Situated in front of the City Chambers, the Cenotaph monument on the east side of George Square was erected in 1925 in remembrance of the soldiers who died during the First World War. It was designed by Sir J J Burnet in 1922 and is flanked by sculptures of lions by Ernest Gillick

The granite cenotaph is 9.7 metres tall and is described as a truncated obelisk. There is a gilded metal cross in the form of a sword on the face and below it a representation of St Mungo in front of Glasgow's coat of arms

The lion monument at the Cenotaph

Sir Walter Scott column. Erected 1837, column by David Rhind and statue by John Greenshields, carved by Handyside Ritchie. Scott (1771-1832), was an internationally acclaimed novelist and poet of works including Rob Roy and the Lady of the Lake. He was the first English-language author to have many contemporary readers in Europe, Australia and North America. Glasgow's was the first public monument to Sir Walter Scott anywhere in the world, 10 years ahead of the completion of Edinburgh's Scott Monument on Princes Street

North Frederick Street

Many of Glasgow's trees and plants begin to flower at this time of the year and parks and gardens are filled with spring colours

Cathedral Street

This building is a brand new building of the City of Glasgow College. This is their City Campus. Cathedral Street is in front of the college building. It is looking east towards the cathedral

More photos in Cathedral Street. We've been walking east from the City Campus of City of Glasgow College towards the Cathedral. Two pictures below: The flats on the right hand side of the first pic and the red brick flats in the second pic are both student residencies of the University of Strathclyde  

The roof of the cathedral can be seen in the distance, above the red van 

The pic below is situated in front of an older tenement building.  There is only one block of that type in this street

Castle Street

Finally we reached the Cathedral Square, a public square situated adjacent to Glasgow Cathedral on the Castle Street and nearby to many other famous Glasgow Landmarks such as Provand's Lordship, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, the Necropolis and the Barony Hall used by Strathclyde University

The statue of David Livingstone stands in Cathedral Square, at the west end of the Cathedral Precinct, between the Royal Infirmary and St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art, facing Castle Street. This is the third site that the statue has occupied, having originally been erected on the west side of George Square in 1879, and then moved to an island site in Cathedral Square in 1960, a few yards to the south of its present location, where it faced Provand's Lordship. It was moved here in 1990, as part of the creation of the precinct as a processional route to Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral located north of High Street and east of Cathedral Street, beside the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. This medieval cathedral is thought to have been built on the site of St Kentigern’s tomb and marks the birthplace of the city of Glasgow. One of Scotland's most magnificent medieval buildings, Glasgow Cathedral is the only one on the Scottish mainland to survive the Reformation of 1560 intact

Piper Alfa Memorial. This plaque commemorates 167 men whose lives were sacrificed on the Piper-Alpha Oil Platform gathering a valuable resource for the benefit of others. The Piper Alpha Oil Platform was a North Sea Oil Rig which was destroyed by an explosion in July 1988. 167 oil workers were killed in the disaster, and in honour of the people killed, this plaque was erected as a permanent memorial. The plaque is cast in bronze

This stone was laid by HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay -1988

Some more pictures with the cathedral in the background

Front entrance... Beautiful gothic style

James Lumdsen statue in Glasgow's Cathedral Square

Though this is a highlight place for many visitors there was no one around!

Magnificent Cathedral doors

Photos inside the Glasgow Cathedral

Welcome Signboard at the Cathedral Entrance

Cathedral Church of St. Mungo

This Cathedral dedicated to God in honour of St. Kentingern, commonly known as St. Mungo whose bones lie beneath its floor has stood on his spot for more than 600 years...

One of the main interest of the St Mungo's Cathedral Glasgow are the very colorful and modern stained glass windows. The Dioceses decided in 1856 to start adding those stained glass windows... The mosaic method was used for most of those windows where colored glass was used and painted in some places. This explains why they are so vibrant in color and why it darkens the church.

This cathedral is a stunning example of Gothic Architecture. From the outside the St mungo's Cathedral Glasgow does not look like a cathedral. It looks more like a simple medieval church.However once inside, the impression is very different. Despite a reasonnable size, the effect from the inside is that it appears huge 

Below: This sombre memorial in black marble, is to Robert Burn Anderson, Lieutenant of the First Bombay Fusiliers. A brass plaque on the base reads: Born  in Glasgow 1833, died in China 1860, treacherously taken prisoner by the Chinese when in command of an escort and under protection of a flag of truce, he died a victim to the cruelty of a barbarous foe. Anderson was captured along with four others and, with their hands tightly bound, they were left under the scorching sun for three days without food or water. None survived the ordeal

The Cathedral is 87m long, 20m wide and 32 m high (105ft). The middle section is quite narrow which give that impression of very high ceiling. The building is not technically a cathedral but the name remain because of history

The Quire Screen or Pulpitum, the only one left in a Scottish secular church of pre Reformation times, was erected at the close of the 15th century. The two altar platforms flanking the entrance were added in 1503 by Archbishop Blacader, whose coat of arms they bear... 

Flag of the 1st Battalion of the Scots Regiment of Foot Guards, c. 1801

We warmly welcome you in your worship at Glasgow Cathedral... So welcoming!

Beautiful, grandiose building

Every part of the cathedral is breathtaking!

I looked like the typical tourist taking loads of pictures of everything from the stained glass windows, to the intricate carvings in the ceilings to the massive organ in the center of it all and back again. Although I'm not religious I loved it

The Law Monument in the Chapel of St Stephen and St Lawrence

The 17th century monument of Archbishop James Law (1615-1632) almost completely conceals the windows in the Chapel of St. Stephen and St. Lawrence. Archbishop Law was an Archbishop of Glasgow and was a generous benefactor to schools and hospitals in Glasgow. He was archbishop of the city from 1615 to 1632. The monument was erected by his widow

Chapel of St. Stephen and St. Laurence: The three eastern chapels were separated from each other by screens of oak, and each contained an altar. The piscina or basin for the washing of the holy vessels in the south east corner evidently served all the three chapels. The characteristic 17th century tomb is that Archbishop Law. 1615-1632

Brass eagle lectern #brass #eagle #eaglelectern #brasseagle #lectern 

Chapel of St. James the Greater

More gorgeous stained glass windows

Great East Window

The Sacristy of Glasgow Cathedral

British flags hanging

Scottish Royal Coat of Arms in the Sacristy. Latin inscription: "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" (No one assaults me with impunity)

Erected in memory of the archbishops, bishops and ministers of Glasgow

The Sacristy at the St Mungo's Cathedral Glasgow dates back to the 15th century. Its oak door is the only original left in the church. Th Sacristy also has vey colorful stained glass windows

Roll of Honour of II World War (1939-1945)

To the memory of servicemen of the city of Glasgow who gave their lives in the Falkland Islands Campaign (1982). Rectangular plaque with Glasgow's Coat of Arms at the top and the names engraved below

These flags are both "ensign" flags.  The one on the left is the "White ensign (Royal Navy)", the predominantly red one on the right is the "Red ensign (Civil)"

To the memory of John Jennings Esq. of Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, England

Near this pillar are deposited the remains of Henry Addison Esq. Late Captain in his Majesty's 56th Regiment after having served with credit and memorable defence of Gibralter. He died in this city of a putrid fever aged 25 years. He married Elizabeth Anne daughter of Phillip Bedingfield Esq. of the county of Norfolk. Under a grateful sense of the affection and with perfect esteem for the worth of her beloved husband his afflicted widow caused this marble to be inscribed to his memory

Chapel and Tomb of St Kentigern or St Mungo in the crypt 

Memorial of Archibald Hamilton

Dalmarnock. Grave memorial to John Gray

 

Behind the scenes. Filming Outlander at Glasgow Cathedral. Outlander is a fantasy adventure based on novels by American writer, Diana Gabaldon. Glasgow Cathedral doubled as the beautiful Hôspital des Anges in season two of the TV series Outlander

Chapel of St. John the Evangelist

Reading the posters exhibition

A notice in the nave points to the stairs leading to the lower church (or crypt) and to Blackadder's Aisle- The most unique feature of the St Mungo's Cathedral Glasgow is the lower church. As it was built agains the hill where the necropolis is, a lower level has been built.

The arches cover the whole spaces creating a felling of stepping back in time. Several artefacts are presented in the lower church with tombs and sculpture for example

Memorial to the Glory of God and in remembrance of the men of Glasgow Cathedral's congregation who fought and gave their lives in the Great War (WWI). It's topped with an angel carrying a spear and shield.

The photos above are some highlights of Glasgow Cathedral. There are more interesting areas to explore and spend time on. To appreciate the building and its history it is worth spending a few hours there. 

Below: Laurence Hill's tomb (1791 - 1872)

Behind the cathedral, the necropolis stretches picturesquely up and over a green hill. Its elaborate Victorian tombs of the city's wealthy industrialists make for an intriguing stroll, great views and a vague Gothic thrill... The cloudy morning was ideal for this atmosphere... It was a dark, damp spring morning when we decided to visit it

The grave site of James Duncan

A grave stone with a very simple written: In memory of Sundays (1977-1989)

The Glasgow Necropolis is a stunning  Victorian cemetery located to the east of Glasgow Cathedral. Though a cemetery may seem like a strange place to spend the morning, the Glasgow Necropolis is such a beautiful and peaceful place, with great views out across the city... The cemetery doesn't have a strict layout which means you can take your time meandering up and down different paths while you make your way up the hill. From the very top there is a wonderful view of Glasgow, including Glasgow Cathedral and Glasgow Royal Infirmary...  For those really interested in the graveyard’s history, there are walking tours available through this website http://www.glasgownecropolis.org/

The cast iron Edington Gates at the entrance. These ornate gold and black gates were installed in 1838 to restrict access to the Bridge of Sighs

'Child Migrants' monument. This poignant monument is dedicated to the British children who were sent to other commonwealth countries, known as the "child migrants". Inscribed on the monument, in golden letters, is a quotation from Isaiah 49-15: I will never forget you... I have held you in the palm of my hand

Victoria Cross Memorial (2007). The Victoria Cross (VC) is Britain’s highest award for gallantry in battle. Instituted by Queen Victoria in January 1856 at the request of Prince Albert near the end of the Crimean War of 1854-6, the first VC’s were said to be cast from Russian guns captured during the war. The first investiture of the medal took place in Hyde Park, London, on Friday, 26th June 1857, when it was presented by the Queen to 62 of the 111 recipients of the award during the conflict. Since then, the medal has been awarded more than 1356 times to men and women who served in the British and commonwealth forces in subsequent colonial conflicts, two world wars and, more recently, Iraq and Afghanistan

Remembrance memorial to The Royal Highland Fusiliers with an inscription of 'Lest we Forget' 

The British Korean War Veterans Memorial is dedicated to the men from the Glasgow area who gave their lives in the conflict. June 1950 - July 1953

Visible beyond the Glasgow Cathedral and past a memorial to Glaswegian recipients of the Victoria Cross for Valour, most people approach the Necropolis from its western gate, walking down a cobblestoned walkway lined with rose bushes; to see the tombs themselves, visitors must make the same trek as mourners did when burying their dead, crossing the aptly nicknamed Bridge of Sighs

An unused entrance. At the end of the bridge at the entrance to the Necropolis is an ornate terracotta monument in honor of the installation of the bridge by the Merchants’ House of Glasgow as a “proper entrance to their new cemetery”

More and more pictures...

The memorial to William Miller, author of the poem Wee Willie Winkie, a Scottish nursery rhyme whose titular figure has become popular the world over as a personification of sleep

More tombstones 

Graves in the eastern necropolis

More graves and monuments....

Surprising cemetery doors: charming colorful gate at Glasgow Necropolis

You could spend hours walking around the many graves, taking in all the names and exploring the small corners and areas surrounding this impressive graveyard... 

Curiously, this is one of the only cemeteries that has successfully documented every death and burial here – if you’re interested in finding who was laid to rest in this cemetery, pop along to the Mitchell Library in the city – another stunning gothic building that is well worth a visit

The tomb of John Henry Alexander by Handyside Ritchie

The pathways zig zag up the hill with tombstones adorning either side

The Necropolis was expanded in 1860, 1877 and again in 1892/93 meaning by the end of the extension the City of The Dead covered more than 37 acres (nearly a quarter square mile)

The colossal granite obelisk to Hugh Brown

James Howie Frederic Stephen Monument

One of the most stunning things is the stark contrast between the verdant landscape of the Necropolis and the urban cityscape below. Templeton's Carpet Factory at Glasgow Green is seen in the distance in this pic

In Memory of William Beckett

Looking southwest in the direction of the city centre. The Drygate flats are in the background of this pic

Stone Cross with Celtic decoration

The grave site of James Pettigrew

John Knox Street is pictured here at the southwestern boundary of The Necropolis. The tower in the distance is that of the Glasgow Evangelical Church

I really enjoyed my time here. It’s unlike anything else i’ve ever seen before cause isn’t a usual cemetery... What’s particularly beautiful is having the opportunity to take in the view while surrounded by such incredible architecture...

This isn’t just a cemetery, but a park to explore and enjoy and i’d highly recommend that anyone visiting the city takes a tour around this place...