ONE OF MY FAVORITE SITES -- THE GOVAN OLD CHURCH AND ITS COLLECTION OF EARLY CHRISTIAN CARVED STONES. THE CHURCH IS LOCATED WEST OF GLASGOW ON THE SOUTH BANK OF THE RIVER CLYDE.

Savoring Scotland– Castles, Cathedrals, Chambered Cairns, and Cullen Skink 

 

Part 1: Glasgow, & The Southern Lowlands

Prologue…

Why Scotland?  For my whole life I have heard, and been under the impression, that my ancestral roots were “Scotch-Irish”.  But about all I know with any certainty is that my Great Great Grandfather, James McCoppin, was born on November 23, 1821, in Liverpool, England. He emigrated to the United States sometime prior to 1849, landing in New Orleans.  He eventually settled in Calhoun County, Texas, where he was the first County Judge, and where he died on August 20, 1883.  So my roots are definitely in the United Kingdom, and perhaps reach back at some point to Scotland.  My lifelong passion for the game of golf also resulted in a desire to visit St. Andrews, Scotland, the home of golf.  And last, but not least, popular media (Braveheart, Rob Roy, and The Outlander, to name a few) over the last few decades has helped fuel my desire to visit Scotland.  So, a few years back, I began to look into taking a trip to Scotland.  At first, I thought I would pattern the trip after my Australian adventure–  fly in, rent a vehicle, and set off to explore.  But, as I have battled health challenges over these last years, and as I have been trudging along toward old age, I decided I would probably be better off going with a group trip.  I eventually settled on a  small group tour with Lost Horizons, an archaeology based tour company.  As it turned out, it turned into be a tour for one, as the other folks who had signed up backed out for various reasons — just a few days before our scheduled departure, a couple from Florida dropped out due to the tragic death of their grandaughter.  I ended up having a great trip.  I got along well with the leader of the tour and I enjoyed the archaeology and culture that I was blessed to experience.  I have broken down my blog into four parts, with part one covering my travel to Scotland and my itinerary for the first five days of the trip.  So, without further adieu, here is part one of my Scottish trip blog…

Getting There…

I left my home in McQueeney, Texas, mid morning of Thursday, July 10, 2025, and drove to The Parking Spot at Hobby Airport, where I parked my car.  I shuttled to the terminal where I caught a Delta flight to Atlanta at 4:00 p.m.  In Atlanta I caught a 10:00 p.m. flight to Edinburgh, Scotland, arriving shortly after noon on Friday, July 11, 2025.  I had booked a room at the Holiday Inn Glasgow Airport for that evening, so the task at hand was to get from the Edinburgh Airport to the Glasgow Airport.  I accomplished that by catching a Citylink 900 bus to the Glasgow Buchanan Bus Terminal and a then a 500 Airport Express bus to the airport.  The Holiday Inn was right across the street and quite convenient, since that was were I would meet my tour guide the following morning.  After checking in, I took a nap, then went downstairs for a dinner of Fish and Chips, and retired for the evening.   

BOTH BUSES I TOOK TO GET TO THE GLASGOW AIRPORT WERE SPARKLING CLEAN DOUBLE DECKERS. ON THE FIRST LEG I RODE UP TOP, SO I COULD ENJOY THE LUSH GREEN SCOTISH COUNTRYSIDE VIEWS.
FOR SUPPER i ENJOYED A UNITED KINGDOM STAPLE -- FISH AND CHIPS. IT WAS EXCELLENT!

Saturday, July 12, 2025:  I Meet My Guide and We Head Out to Experience Our First Sites of The Trip


I met my guide, Dr. Brian Buchanan in the lobby at 9:00 a.m. that morning.  After introductions, Brian pulled out his laptop and gave me a power point presentation about Scottish history and culture — it was very interesting and informative.  I found Brian to be a patient, knowledgeable, and kind Anglophile —  I could tell right away that we were going to get along famously while on our Scottish adventures.  Throughout our journey over the next two weeks, I was the beneficiary of his unique perspective as a landscape archaeologist with an obvious love for the history and culture of Scotland and the United Kingdom.  I would be most grateful for his infectious enthusiasm and impressive scholarship.  I couldn’t have asked for a better companion and guide! 

DR. BRIAN BUCHANAN WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE MY SCOTTISH EXPERIENCE WAS ONE I WOULD NEVER FORGET.

We drove from the airport into Glasgow for our first stop of the day —  The Glasglow Cathedral.  This cathedral is the most complete medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland, having survived the Protestant Reformation practically intact.  This magnificent structure was first begun in the 1100s and was dedicated to St. Kentigern, also known as St. Mungo, who is believed to have been buried on the site around 612 A.D.   

MY FIRST LOOK AT THE CLASGOW CATHEDRAL, DEDICATED TO ST. kENTIGERN, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE MODERN CITY OF GLASGOW.
THE INSIDE OF THE CATHEDRAL IS BREATHTAKING.

In addition to the inside of the cathedral, we explored the Cathedral Precinct, walking the bridge to the Necropolis (graveyard), and visited Provand’s Lordship, the oldest house in Glasgow.  We also saw the Tontine Heads located in a garden adjacent to the Provand’s Lordship.  For more of the photographs I took that morning, see my Glasgow Cathedral Precinct Galleries. 

THE GLASGOW CATHEDRAL PRECINCT NECROPOLIS WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1831 BY THE MECHANTS' HOUSE OF GLASGOW. THE INTERDENOMINATIONAL BURIAL GROUNDS CONTAINS MANY SCULPTURES, INCLUDING THE JOHN KNOX MONUMENT.
INSIDE THE PROVLAND'S LORDSHIP, THE OLDEST HOUSE IN GLASGOW. IT WAS BUILT IN 1471 AND IS ONE OF ONLY FOUR SURVIVING MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS IN GLASGOW.
THE 13 SURVIVING TONTINE HEADS WERE CARVED IN THE 1750s FOR THE GLASGOW TOWN HALL AND REPRESENT ASPECTS OF CITY LIFE AND INTERESTS.

From downtown Glasgow, we headed northwest  about 22 miles along the River Clyde to the Firth of Clyde and our next destination, Dumbarton Castle.  This site was the first of many that I visited on my trip that is located high upon a volcanic rock, so I got my first taste of climbing.  Dumbarton Castle, as it appears today, is more of a military installation and stronghold, as little remains of the original medieval castle built by Alexander II around 1220 A.D.  It was a beautiful day under clear skies, and after climbing to the top, it was easy to see why this was an important border stronghold.  For more of my photos from this unique site, see the Dumbarton Castle Gallery page.  

THE ENTRANCE TO DUMBARTON CASTLE ON THE FIRTH OF CLYDE.
PART OF THE ARTILLERY FORTIFICATIONS ON THE LOWER PART OF DUMBARTON CASTLE.
BRIAN, ABOUT TO CLIMB UP TO THE UPPER FORTIFICATIONS OF DUMBARTON CASTLE. LOTS OF STEPS TO GET TO THE TOP!
THE SCOTTISH FLAG FLYING POUDLY NEAR THE TOP OF DUMBARTON CASTLE. MAGNIFICENT VIEWS OF THE FIRTH OF CLYDE FROM UP HIGH.

From Dumbarton Castle Brian and I traveled about 17 miles to the Govan Old Church, located on the south side of the Clyde River, west of Glasgow proper.  The present church was built in 1884-8, on the site of a medieval church that was thought to have been built around 1651.  Inside the church is a remarkable collection of thirty-one carved stone monuments, known as The Govan Stones.  These monuments span the 9th to the 11th centuries and represent one of the largest collections of early medieval sculpture in Scotland.  They include cross-slabs, free-standing crosses, a sarcophagus and a unique collection of five rare personal grave memorials known as hogback monuments. A total of 46 carved stones has been recorded at Govan over the last 150 years, with 31 surviving today.  It is thought that there are probably more stones still buried in the churchyard and there are ongoing archaelogical investigations at the churchyard site (see photo below).  I really enjoyed this place!  For a more complete collection of photos I took that day, take a look at The Govan Old Church and Govan Stones Gallery.

VIEW OF THE FRONT OF THE GOVAN OLD CHURCH ON THE WEST BANK OF THE RIVER CLYDE, TO THE WEST OF GLASGOW.
PERHAPS THE MOST FAMOUS OF THE GOVAN CROSS-SLABS, THE "SUN STONE". NAMED FOR THE SNAKE-AND-BOSS ELEMENT SEEN ABOVE THE FRET PATTERN.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SUN STONE SPORTS A CROSS FILLED WITH INTERLACE PATTERN WITH TWISTED SERPENTS FLANKING THE SHAFT OF THE CROSS. BELOW THE CROSS IS A SUNKEN PANEL WITH A WARRIOR ON A HORSE.
THE JORDANHILL CROSS IS MISSING THE TOP SECTION (WITH THE ARMS OF THE CROSS) AND ONLY THE SHAFT REMAINS. ON THIS SIDE OF THE SHAFT A RIDER ON HORSEBACK CAN BE SEEN ALONG WITH INTERLACE PANELS.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE JORDONHILL CROSS SHAFT IS COVERED WITH INTRICATE INTERLACED PATTERNS.
THE AMAZING COLLECTION OF HOGBACK MONUMENTS AT OLD GOVAN CHURCH.
THE STONE SARCOPHAGUS THAT SITS IN THE CHANCEL OF THE OLD GOVAN CHURCH. ALL FOUR SIDES ARE DECORATED WITH LOW RELIEF PANELS.
A LARGE ARCHAEOLOGICAL CREW WAS WORKING IN THE CHURCHYARD AT GOVAN DURING OUR VISIT. THE DOCENTS INSIDE REPORTED THAT THEY HAD ALREADY MADE AT LEAST ONE SIGNIFICANT FIND THE DAY BEFORE OUR VISIT.

After we finished up at Govan, we headed about 13 miles further south of Glasgow to Eaglesham, Scotland’s first Conservation Village. We checked into our accomodations at the South Eglinton Arms Hotel (where we would spend the next two nights) then took a stroll around the village.  Eaglesham was laid out in 1769 and featured an Orry (a large common area intended for the common good, with a burn in the middle) surrounded on two sides by houses.  We walked the streets and the Orry, before heading back to our hotel for supper.  I enjoyed (?!) my first, and only, meat pie that evening.  I had no trouble getting to sleep that night after a very full and exciting first day.  

MY ROOM AT THE SOUTH EGLINTON ARMS HOTEL, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1834 AS A COACH INN. THE HOTEL WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE VILLAGE GREEN, AND COMFORTABLE, DESPITE NOT HAVING AIR CONDITIONING.
THE EAGLESHAM PARISH CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1790 AND IS ALSO ADJACENT TO THE ORRY (VILLAGE GREEN). ALWAYS INTERESTING TO WALK AROUND THE GROUNDS OF THESE OLD CHURCHES AND LOOK AT THEIR MONUMENTS.
MY "MEAT PIE" WAS NOT MY CUP OF TEA. I FOUND IT BLAND AND MINE CONTAINED VERY LITTLE MEAT! IT LOOKED NICE THOUGH!

Sunday, July 13, 2025:  The Ruthwell Cross, A Proper Castle at Caerlaverock, and the Whithorn Priory & Museum


As night turned to dawn on the second day of my Lost Horizons trip, I realized that the sun rises in Scotland very early (a little after 4 a.m. it is light enough to see outside) and sets very late (after 10 p.m.).   After breakfast we set out from Eaglesham headed south, enjoying a beautiful sunlit morning.  We were headed for the Ruthwell Parish Church, located about 8.5 miles southeast of Dumfries, Scotland.  It took us almost two hours to drive the 80 plus miles to the church, home of the Ruthwell Cross.  The 18 foot high Anglo Saxon Ruthwell Cross is thought to have been made early in the 8th century by monks and is thought to have been a “preaching cross”.  I knew this monumental cross was something very special when Brian remarked “It is shocking that this cross is not in the National Museum”.  For more of my photos and for more information about the cross, see my Ruthwell Cross Gallery page.  

THE UNASSUMING EXTERIOR OF THE RUTHWELL PARISH CHURCH GIVES NO HINT OF THE TREASURE THAT LIES WITHIN.
A LITTLE OF THE HISTORY OF THE RUTHWELL CROSS.
THE SPECIAL APSE WITH A SUNKEN AREA THAT WAS CREATED IN 1887 WAS NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE THE 18 FOOT TALL CROSS.
YOURS TRULY, IN FRONT OF THE MAGNIFICENT RUTHWELL CROSS.

From the Ruthwell Cross site we drove just a few miles to reach Caerlaverock Castle. Brian, perhaps sensing my disappointment with Dumbarton Castle, assured me that Caerlaverock, was indeed, “a proper castle”.  And it certainly was, with a wide moat encircling the castle, a twin-towered gatehouse and lofty battlements.  After exploring every nook and cranny of the castle, we walked to the site of the original square castle (built 50 years earlier, abandoned because it was sinking), which was one of the earliest stone castles built in Scotland.  We also walked out to the edge of the marsh to enjoy the views of the nearby Firth of Solway.  For more photos that I took that day, look at my Caerlaverock Castle Gallery page. 

IN FRONT OF CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE ON THE MORNING OF JULY 13, 2025.
THE CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE ENTRANCE. THIS CASTLE IS THE EPITOMY OF A MEDIEVAL STRONGHOLD.
BRIAN PROVIDED LOTS OF INSIGHTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT EACH OF THE SITES WE VISITED ON MY TRIP.
A VIEW OF A PORTION OF THE GREAT HALL AT CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE.
MURDOCK'S TOWER, NAMED AFTER THE COUSIN OF JAMES I WHO WAS HELD IN A PIT PRISON IN THE TOWER PRIOR TO HIS EXECUTION AT STIRLING CASTLE.
A NUMBER OF STONE CARVINGS FROM THE CASTLE ARE ON DISPLAY IN THE VISITOR'S CENTER. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES.

We had another long drive (over 70 miles) to our next destination, The Whithorn Priory and Museum.  The drive went by quickly, as we headed east to the pennisula that juts out into the Irish Sea and is home the Whithorn Priory.  The Priory (which is a small monastary) was located in one of the earliest Christian communities in Scotland, and near an important pilgrimage site known as Ninian’s Cave. A number of the carved stones in the museum came from this cave.  We took a very informative guided tour of the museum, then visited the ruins of the Priory and the Parish Church, which claims to be the oldest Christian church in Scotland.  Below are a few photos that I took that day.  For a more complete collection of photos, look at my Whithorn Priory and Museum Gallery page.   

LOOKING UP THE HILL FROM THE MUSEUM, THE RUINS OF THE PRIORY ARE ON THE LEFT, WHILE THE PARISH CHURCH IS STRAIGHT AHEAD.
THE SIGN OUTSIDE THE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE MUSEUM AT THE WHITHORN PRIORY.
ONE OF THE MANY SLABS WITH CROSSES ON DISPLAY AT THE WHITHORN PRIORY MUSEUM.
THIS VERY OLD STONE HAS A RUNIC INSCRIPTION ON ONE EDGE THAT IS THOUGHT TO RELATE TO THE PERSON WHO COMMISSIONED IT.
THE MONREITH CROSS DID NOT COME FROM A RELIGIOUS SITE. IT WAS A "JUSTICE STONE" THAT STOOD ON A HILL FOUR MILES WEST OF WHITHORN. YOU CAN SEE THE REMAINS OF TWO IRON RINGS ("JOUGS", AN IRON CHAIN AND COLLAR USED TO PUNISH WRONGDOERS). THIS STONE IS MADE OF SANDSTONE AND AT OVER 2.3 METERS TALL IT IS THE LARGEST FREE-STANDING CROSS IN GALLOWAY.

After visiting the Whithorn Priory and Museum, we thought about driving down to St. Ninian’s Cave, but decided against it since we had a long drive back to Eaglesham.  We did, however, enjoy some beautiful scenery on the the drive!

Monday, July 14, 2025:  New Lanark, The Antoine Wall & Rough Castle, and Rosslyn Chapel

We left Eaglesham and headed east toward the New Lanark World Heritage Site.  The drive, though only about thirty miles, took us about an hour.  We were some of the first visitors that day, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves.  New Lanark was founded in the 1785 by David Dale, whose focus was on philanthropy, education and the welfare of the community members who lived and worked at and on the “power trail” and mill that he built.  Harnessing the natural energy of the falls on the River Clyde, New Lanark became a model for industrial communities that was to spread across the world in the 19th and 20th centuries.  The several hours we spent touring the facilities at New Lanark, were interesting and educational, but, the stark reality of the living conditions and the use of child labor were sobering indeed.  For more of my photos from my visit, look at my New Lanark Gallery page.  

BRIAN AND I WERE THE FIRST TO ARRIVE AT THE PARKING AREA, LOCATED ON A HILL HIGH ABOVE THE VILLAGE. THE SIGN GREETED US AS WE BEGAN THE WALK DOWN TO THE RIVER AND THE VILLAGE.
AS WE GOT NEARER THE CLYDE RIVER WE COULD SEE THE HUGE MILL BUILDING AND THE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT MADE UP THE VILLAGE OF NEW LANARK.
BY SOME OF THE FALLS ON THE RIVER CLYDE NEAR THE NEW LANARK MILLS. THERE WERE ORIGINALLY FOUR LARGE MILLS ADJACENT TO AND POWERED BY THE RIVER.
A REPLICA OF ONE OF THE TEN WATER WHEELS AT NEW LANARK. THE WHEELS WERE QUITE LARGE, ABOUT 26 FEET IN DIAMETER.
BRIAN, ON ONE OF THE MASSIVE FLOORS INSIDE ONE OF THE MILLS. WE HAD THE PLACE PRETTY MUCH TO OURSELVES THAT MORNING!

After finishing up at New Lanark, we headed due north for about thirty miles where we walked part of the Antonine Wall and  visited the ruins at Rough Castle. The Romans started building the Antonine Wall around AD 142 and is thought to have taken six years to complete. Running from east to west, and stretching some 37 miles long from modern Bo’ness on the Firth of Forth to Old Kilpatrick on the River Clyde, the wall marked the extent of the Roman military advance northwards from the existing frontier of Hadrian’s Wall.  The Antonine Wall was comprised of a bank of turf almost 3m high and 4m wide, topped with an imposing wooden palisade. On the north side a deep ditch was dug to further impress and deter the Caledonians, and on the south, a road was constructed in order that the Roman soldiers could be moved to trouble spots quickly.  Rough Castle is one of 16 known forts along the wall and while it is one of the smallest forts, it is one of the best preserved.  One of Rough Castle’s most distinctive features is a large group of lilia (lily) pits to the north of the fort. Lilia pits were a defensive measure – each pit would have been fitted with a sharpened stake, pointed upright and hidden among brushwood. The pits would have served to break up attacks from the north before they reached the fort. 

We next headed east toward Edinburgh.  We drove for about an hour, dropping  down to the south of the city to pay a visit to Rosslyn Chapel.  This special place took my breath away!  Founded in 1446 as a family chapel, the building was incomplete when the founder, Sir William St. Clair, died in 1484. His son, Sir Oliver St Clair, roofed the choir with its stone vault but did not complete his father’s original design.  In the late 1990s a major restoration project was under taken and completed. There are so many stories about the building of Rosslyn Chapel and its history over the last 500 plus years, that my blog can’t even begin to scratch the surface.  The Chapel’s website has many of the stories or, next time you visit me at the lake, I will happy to let you peruse the coffee table book that I purchased on my visit.  

AT ROSSLYN CHAPEL -- I AM SO GLAD I GOT TO EXPERIENCE THIS VERY SPECIAL PLACE!
VIEW OF THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CHAPEL.
THE WEST ENTRANCE TO THE CHAPEL.
VIEW OF THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CHAPEL.

Rosslyn Chapel holds within its walls many secrets, and, while the overwhelming theme and its carved stones relate to Christianity, there are intriguing figures, such as the Green Man, that have other roots, such as paganism.  The Green Man is a pagan folklore figure, primarily associated with nature, rebirth, and the cycle of growth.  There are over 100 carvings depicting the Green Man inside of Rosslyn Chapel.  There are many variations of the Green Man at Rosslyn, but many show leaves and/or vines growing out of the mouth and about the head.  

ONE OF THE HUNDRED OR MORE GREEN MAN CARVINGS THAT CAN BE FOUND IN ROSSLYN CHAPEL.

What do Tom Hanks and Sir Walter Scott have in common?  They both love(d) Rosslyn Chapel.  In 2006 Hanks starred in the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, and some very important scenes were shot at Rosslyn Chapel.  Tom Hanks said of the Chapel, “Rosslyn Chapel was all one could imagine or hope for.”  This movie prompted a lot of interest in the Chapel and, after its release, the numbers of people visiting the site skyrocketed.  

Sir Walter Scott’s love of Rosslyn Chapel was well known. He had a summer retreat near the Chapel and was fond of walking there.  He also included the Chapel in the sixth canto of his 1805 work The Lay of the Last Minstrel. This work includes references to the St Clair family, Rosslyn Chapel and Rosslyn Castle.

ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF CARVED STONES AT ROSSLYN CHAPEL. THIS ONE IS KNOWN AS THE FALLEN ANGEL AND IS SAID TO BE SAMYAZA, THE LEADER OF THE FALLEN ANGELS, WHO WAS THROWN OUT OF HEAVEN. SAMAYZA IS ALSO KNOWN AS LUCIFER.

One of the most famous of the stories from the carved stones at Rosslyn Chapel, involves two pillars — The Mason’s Pillar and the Apprentice Pillar.  I will leave the intriguing details of this story for your independent study —  take a look at the Rosslyn Chapel website.

The powers that be do not allow photographs inside the chapel, which I found to be quite a shame.  I must confess, while exploring a dark room off of the Sacristy, I inadvertently took a couple of photos.  I was trying to turn on the flashlight feature of my phone when I hit the camera button by mistake.  Amazingly, and perhaps in keeping with the mystery that surrounds Rosslyn Chapel, when I got home I discovered that I had actually taken a couple of photos due to my carelessness.  The two photos are set out below.  This is the end of my musings about Rosslyn Chapel, but for more information and photos of this very special place, take a look at my Rosslyn Chapel Gallery page. 

THERE WAS NO SIGNAGE WITH THIS COSS SLAB THAT I FOUND IN A ROOM OFF OF THE SACRISTRY AT ROSSLYN CHAPEL. A BRIEF SEARCH ON-LINE ALSO PRODUCED NO INFORMATION ABOUT THIS UNIQUE ITEM.
A BEAUTIFUL CARVED STONE I RAN ACROSS AND INADVERTENTLY TOOK A PHOTO OF AT ROSSLYN CHAPEL (IN A ROOM OFF OF THE SACRISTRY).

After finishing our visit to Rosslyn Chapel, we headed northeast of Edinburgh to The Open Arms Hotel in Dirleton, which would be our home for the next two nights.  My room  in the family run inn (a converted 19th century farmhouse) was comfortable, and looked out on the grounds of the Dirleton Castle in general, and the dovecote in particular.  That night at supper I enjoyed another first —  haggis.  While I doubt I will go out of my way in the future to order it, it wasn’t that bad!

MY ROOM AT THE OPEN ARMS HOTEL IN DIRLETON. THIS WAS MY HOME FOR THE NIGHTS OF JULY 14, AND 15, 2025.
THE VIEW OF THE DIRLETON CASTLE DOVECOTE FROM THE WINDOW IN MY ROOM AT THE OPEN ARMS HOTEL.
MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT HAGGIS. IT WAS DESCRIBED ON THE MENU AS "HAGGIS WELLINGTON WITH CLAPSHOT PUREE, TOMATO, MUSTARD SEED AND CARAMELISED ONION RELISH".

This is the end of Part one.  To go directly to Part Two of my blog, simply press the button below.  

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