Glasgow Necropolis
Encyclopedia
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral
St. Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow
Glasgow Cathedral, also called the High Kirk of Glasgow or St Kentigern's or St Mungo's Cathedral, is today a gathering of the Church of Scotland in Glasgow....
(St. Mungo's Cathedral). Fifty thousand individuals have been buried here. Typically for the period only a small percentage are named on monuments and not every grave has a stone. Approximately 3500 monuments exist here.
Following the creation of Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris a wave of pressure began for cemeteries in Britain. This required a change in the law to allow burial for profit. Previously the parish church held responsibility for burying the dead but there was a growing need to give an alternative solution. Glasgow was one of the first to join this campaign, having a growing population, with fewer and fewer attending church. The planning of the cemetery began formally by the Merchants' House of Glasgow in 1831, in anticipation of a change in the law. The Cemeteries Act was passed in 1832 and the floodgates opened. Glasgow Necropolis officially opened in April 1833. Just prior to this, in September 1832 a Jewish burial ground had been established in the north-west section of the land. This small area was declared "full" in 1851.
Predating the cemetery, the statue of John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
sitting on a column at the top of the hill, dates from 1825.
Alexander Thomson
Alexander Thomson
Alexander "Greek" Thomson was an eminent Scottish architect and architectural theorist who was a pioneer in sustainable building. Although his work was published in the architectural press of his day, it was little appreciated outwith Glasgow during his lifetime...
designed a number of its tombs, and John Bryce
John Bryce
John Bryce was a New Zealand politician from 1871 to 1891 and Minister of Native Affairs from 1879 to 1884...
and David Hamilton
David Hamilton (architect)
David Hamilton was a Scottish architect based in Glasgow. He has been called the "father of the profession" in Glasgow. Notable works include Hutchesons' Hall, Nelson Monument in Glasgow Green and Lennox Castle. The Royal Exchange in Queen Street is David Hamilton's best known building in Glasgow...
designed other architecture for the grounds.
The main entrance is approached by a bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
over what was then the Molendinar Burn
Molendinar Burn
The Molendinar Burn is a stream in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the site of the settlement that grew to become the kernel of Glasgow, and where St Mungo founded his church in the 6th century. It was later used to power the growing town's mills....
. The bridge, which was designed by David Hamilton, father of James Hamilton
James Hamilton
-Dukes:*James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton , heir to the throne of Scotland*James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton , Scottish nobleman*James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton , Scottish nobleman...
, was completed in 1833. It became known as the "Bridge of Sighs" because it was part of the route of funeral procession
Funeral procession
A funeral procession is a procession, usually in motor vehicles, from a church, synagogue, or mosque to the cemetery. The deceased is usually transported in a hearse, while family and friends follow in their vehicles.- Standard procedure :...
s (the name is an allusion to the Bridge of Sighs
Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs is a bridge in Venice, northern Italy . The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone and has windows with stone bars. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the old prisons to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace...
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
). The ornate gates (by both David and James Hamilton) were erected in 1838, restricting access onto the bridge.
Three modern memorials lie between the gates and the bridge: a memorial to still-born children; a memorial to the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
; and a memorial to Glaswegian recipients of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
.
Across the bridge the original scheme was to enter the area via a tunnel but this proved unviable. The ornate entrance of 1836 remains.
The cemetery, as most early Victorian cemeteries, is laid out as an informal park, lacking the formal grid layouts of later cemeteries. This layout is further enhanced by the complex topography. The cemetery's paths meander uphill towards the summit, where many of the larger monuments stand, clustered around the John Knox Monument.
The Glasgow Necropolis was described by James Stevens Curl
James Stevens Curl
James Stevens Curl , PhD , DiplArch , DipTP , FSA, FSAScot, AABC, MRIAI, RIBA, FRIAS, MRTPI., is a noted architectural historian, architect, and author....
as "literally a city of the dead". Glasgow native Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
has said: "Glasgow's a bit like Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
: it doesn't care much for the living, but it really looks after the dead."
Notable statues and sculptures
| Tomb/mausoleum | Statue/sculpture | Designer/artist | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial column on summit of the hill | Monument to John Knox John Knox John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536... |
Doric Doric order The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:... column by Thomas Hamilton Thomas Hamilton (architect) Thomas Hamilton was a Scottish architect, based in Edinburgh. Born in Glasgow, his works include: the Dean Orphan Hospital, now the Dean Gallery; the Royal High School on the Calton Hill, long considered as home for the Scottish Parliament; Bedlam Theatre; the George IV Bridge, which spans the... and 12ft statue by William Warren William Warren William Robertson Warren was a Newfoundland lawyer, politician and judge who served as the dominion's Prime Minister from July 1923 to April 1924.-Early life:... (carved by Robert Forrest Robert Forrest Robert Forrest was a Scottish monumental sculptor, receiving many important commissions in the early 19th century.He was self-taught, beginning his working life as a mason in a stone quarry in Clydesdale... ) |
1825 |
| Tomb of Mrs Lockhart | Sculpture | J & G Mossman Ltd. John Mossman John Mossman was one of a number of English sculptors who dominated the production and teaching of sculpture in Glasgow for 50 years after his arrival with his father and brothers from his native London in 1828... |
1842 |
| Mausoleum of Major Archibald Douglas Monteath | Large tiered octaganal building of neo-Norman design | David Cousin | 1842 |
| Tomb of William Motherwell | Marble bust | James Fillans | 1851 |
| Tomb of actor-manager John Henry Alexander John Henry Alexander John Henry Alexander was a noted scientist and businessman, born in Annapolis, Maryland in 1812. The youngest child of William and Mary Alexander, he attended St. John's College in Annapolis and graduated in 1827 at age fifteen... of the Theatre Royal Theatre Royal, Glasgow The Theatre Royal is the oldest theatre in Glasgow, located at 282 Hope Street in Cowcaddens. The theatre originally opened in 1867, changing its name to the Theatre Royal in 1869, and is the longest running theatre in Scotland... |
Scene representing stage and proscenium arch with flanking figures of "Tragedy" and "Comedy" | James Hamilton James Hamilton -Dukes:*James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton , heir to the throne of Scotland*James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton , Scottish nobleman*James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Hamilton , Scottish nobleman... |
1851 |
| Houldsworth Mausoleum | Flanking angels and "Hope" and "Charity", with "Faith" visible inside the mausoleum | John Thomas | 1854 |
| Tomb of Charles Tennant Charles Tennant Charles Tennant was a Scottish chemist and industrialist. He discovered bleaching powder and founded an industrial dynasty.- Biography:... |
Seated marble figure of Charles Tennant Charles Tennant Charles Tennant was a Scottish chemist and industrialist. He discovered bleaching powder and founded an industrial dynasty.- Biography:... of St Rollox |
Patric Park | 1838 |
| Tomb of Walter Macfarlane, of the Saracen Foundry Saracen Foundry The Saracen Foundry was the better known name for the Possilpark, Glasgow based foundry company W MacFarlane & Co. Ltd, founded and owned by Walter MacFarlane. Macfarlane's was the most important manufacturer of ornamental ironwork in Scotland.... |
Art-nouveau portrait panel | Bertram MacKennal of London | 1896 |
| Blackie publishing Blackie and Son Limited Blackie and Son Limited was a publishing house in Glasgow, Scotland and in London, England, from 1890 to 1991.The firm was founded in 1809 by John Blackie, snr. as a partnership with two others and was originally known as 'Blackie, Fullerton and Company'. It began printing in 1819 and was renamed... family tomb |
Tomb slab | Talwin Morris Talwin Morris Talwin Morris was a leading illustrator and book designer during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and was a business acquaintance of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.His mother died in childbirth.... (carved by J & G Mossman Ltd. John Mossman John Mossman was one of a number of English sculptors who dominated the production and teaching of sculpture in Glasgow for 50 years after his arrival with his father and brothers from his native London in 1828... ) |
1910 |
| Monument to William McGavin | Statue by Robert Forrest Robert Forrest Robert Forrest was a Scottish monumental sculptor, receiving many important commissions in the early 19th century.He was self-taught, beginning his working life as a mason in a stone quarry in Clydesdale... |
John Bryce | 1834 |
| Andrew McCall | Celtic cross Celtic cross A Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated... to Andrew McCall Andrew McCall Andrew McCall or Andy McCall may refer to:*Andy McCall *Andy McCall... |
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Charles Rennie Mackintosh Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a Scottish architect, designer, watercolourist and artist. He was a designer in the Arts and Crafts movement and also the main representative of Art Nouveau in the United Kingdom. He had a considerable influence on European design... |
1888 |
| Monument to Peter Lawrence Peter Lawrence Peter Anthony Lawrence FRS is a British developmental biologist at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology and the Zoology Department of the University of Cambridge... |
Statue of Life with a dashed torch | J & G Mossman Ltd. John Mossman John Mossman was one of a number of English sculptors who dominated the production and teaching of sculpture in Glasgow for 50 years after his arrival with his father and brothers from his native London in 1828... |
1840 |
| Tomb to Mrs Margaret Montgomerie | Statues of "Hope" and "Resignation" | J & G Mossman Ltd. John Mossman John Mossman was one of a number of English sculptors who dominated the production and teaching of sculpture in Glasgow for 50 years after his arrival with his father and brothers from his native London in 1828... |
1856 |