St Mungo and Glasgow’s Coat of ArmsPeople have lived in Glasgow

since before the Iron Age and the Damonii Celts inhabited the west of Scotland.

People came to live on the land to build settlements where Glasgow now stands because this was the point at which the great River Clyde could be forded.

The fording point is where the Molindinar Burn runs into the Clyde. The Molindinur Burn off Duke Street

After the Romans left Britain, Glasgow became part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde with its capital 15 miles downstream at Dumbarton.

Glasgow was still a village but over the years it grew larger and larger. The people of Glasgow worshipped the old Celtic Gods until the arrival of Christianity

In the 6th century AD a Christian monk

called Mungo came to the Strathclyde area to try to convert the people to Christianity.

Mungo built his church next to the Molindinar Burn.

However; he had to leave Glasgow because King Morken of Strathclyde did not want his people converted to Christianity.

It is said Saint Mungo then travelled to Rome to visit the Pope.

A new King called Rydderch Hael,

invited Mungo to return and eventually he came back to the shores of the Clyde. The name Glasgow comes from this time: Clas-gu meaning the 'dear family'.

A great community of Christians grew up around the place where Mungo taught the messages from the Bible.

Saint Mungo was also known as Saint Kentigern but one of his early teachers, Saint Serf, gave him the name of Mungo which means ‘dear one’.

Saint Mungo lived a long life and he had a church built at the side of the Molindinar Burn.

The present Cathedral in Glasgow is the fourth to be built on the site of Mungo's seventh century wooden church.

Tomb and Chapel of Saint Mungo in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral.

It is said that during a sermon Saint Mungo said ’Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word.’

This became Glasgow’s City motto. Over the course of time this motto was shortened to ‘Let Glasgow Flourish.’

There is a story told about Saint Mungo called the 'Life of Saint Mungo‘.

In it he performed four religious miracles in Glasgow.

The following verse is used to remember Mungo's four miracles:

Here is the bird that never flewHere is the tree that never grewHere is the bell that never rangHere is the fish that never swam

Here is the Bird That Never Flew ~ tells the story of a wild robin that was tamed by Saint Serf, Mungo’s teacher. It was accidentally killed by some of his students who blamed it on Mungo. He took the dead bird in his hands and prayed, bringing it back to life, whereupon it flew back to its master.

Here is the Tree That Never Grew ~ As a boy in the monastery Mungo was left in charge of the holy fire in the refectory. He fell asleep and some of the other boys, being jealous of him, put out the fire. When he woke and found what had happened, Mungo broke off some frozen branches from a hazel tree and caused them to burst into flames by praying over them.

Here is the Bell That Never Rang ~ This part of the poem is about a special bell Saint Mungo is said to have brought back with him from Rome from the Pope. By the fifteenth century St Mungo’s handbell had become a notable Glasgow symbol. Handbells were common in the Celtic church and were used to call the people to worship.

Here is the Fish That Never Swam ~ The King of Strathclyde had given his wife a ring as a present. But the Queen gave it to a knight who promptly lost it. Some versions of the story say that the King took the ring while the knight was asleep and threw it in the river. The King then demanded to see the ring – threatening death to the Queen if she could not produce it. The knight confessed to Saint Mungo who sent a monk to catch a fish in the river Clyde. When this was brought back, Saint Mungo cut open the fish and found the ring.

Saint Mungo is the Patron Saint of Glasgow. Next time you are walking through town look for the Glasgow City Coat of Arms. Tell your teacher where you have seen it ~ 100 house points for every sharp eyed Glaswegian child.