Govan


Glasgow City

Govan Town Hall
©2022 Gazetteer for Scotland

Govan Town Hall

A district of Glasgow situated 3 miles (5 km) west of Glasgow city centre, Govan lies on the south side of the River Clyde opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin. A Columban monastery was founded here by King Constantine in the 6th century and later the settlement developed in association with the Govan ferry which linked with Partick and was used seasonally cattle drovers. In the 18th and 19th centuries weaving and coal mining were important and in the early 19th century shipbuilding emerged as a leading industry. Gaining burgh status in 1862, Govan became Scotland's fifth largest burgh. Before being absorbed into the city of Glasgow in 1912. Formerly divided into Meikle Govan and Little Govan, the latter came to be known as the Gorbals. With the decline of shipbuilding in the 20th century, the Govan Initiative was established in 1986 to boost the economy and attract new housing. Local tradition survives in the form of the annual Govan Old Fair and the Govan Old Victualling Society, said to be the oldest co-operative Society in the UK.


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