Archaeological Open Day on Saturday 20th of September: Glasgow Doors Open Festival 2025

Graveyard Guardians: Conserving the Archaeology and Natural Heritage of Govan Old.

On Saturday 20^th of September 2025, Govan Old will be holding a family open day. During the following months we plan to launch a 2-year project focussing on the archaeology and natural heritage of Govan Old Graveyard.

We will have an archaeological excavation running on the day and visitors can handle some of the recent finds and speak to the archaeologists about their plans.  We will also have displays by the living history/re-enactment group Cumbraland, who specialise in the Viking-Age Kingdom of Strathclyde.

The area surrounding Govan Old is highly urbanised and the graveyard is an extremely important green space for both humans and animals and links with the river corridor.  It is an important resting place as well as a habitat for local wildlife.  Beneath the surface of what seems at first an unlikely nature reserve, the graveyard is in fact teeming with life throughout the day and night.

Junior explorers needed! Young people can learn about the wildlife that inhabits the graveyard and help us to discover and record some of the many plant species that can be found within the churchyard. Suitable for all ages.

Young people can also handle replica artefacts from the Viking-Age and learn about the last 1500 years of Govan’s fascinating history.

At 12 noon, Professor Stephen Driscoll from the University of Glasgow, will give a special guided tour of the excavations and talk about his ongoing work at Govan Old.