Ghost of Water Row
Water Row has always been at the heart of Govan – It’s a route to a crossing of water. Since pre Christian times, there have been successive layers of crossing & inhabitation here. All have their stories....all have their ghosts.
Many remain buried awaiting investigation.
Steeped in history
Although Govan’s Raison D’etre is routed in the water, its desire line remained blocked with removal of the last regular ferry service. Little did we know in 2012 that in 2024 it will be reconnected via a bridge from Partick.
The Ghost of Water Row as it appeared in 2012 on the approximate footprint of the original Ferry Inn building, distilled the nature of pre heavy industrial human inhabitation and gave a nod to George Wyllie and his Paper Boat. Built in pale Scottish spruce - The Ghost was a considered distillation of four buildings that sat to the west of the now buried slipway at Water Row. It’s not a direct copy of the Ferry Inn or the Weaver’s cottages that were here from 1700 - 1912, but it said something of them… for them and for their inhabitants.
First gallery
An RIAS Prize for Architecture
The shuttles of Govan’s hand loom weavers stopped flying in early 1900 to make way for ship building and on the 5th November 1912, the burgh of Govan was subsumed by the city of Glasgow and much of its independence went with it. On the centenary of the loss and for 3 hours in the dark the ghost appeared and was considered by invited guests as part of an ancient assemblage of Church Palace + Ancient Fair. The pattern of the lace on the Ghost was taken from Flemish trade on the River Clyde. It’s known as ‘Guirlandes’ meaning garlands - representative of honour. The pattern was moved from hand looming to mechanised looming and remains in production by MYB textiles in Ayrshire to this day.
Human inhabitation today is represented by members of the showpeople community from two families; the Stringfellows & the Johnston’s. In taking their apparatus on the road from their traditional working yards, they represent hundreds of years of activity in and around the subject of Fair. Both here and in the East of the city of Glasgow, their tradition of manufacture, showmanship and honour continues.
The Ghost was mounted on a Lorry body and taken on a tour of Old Scottish Fairs throughout 2013 and 2014 and recorded the hopes and fears of a percentage of our Society currently facing huge prejudice.
It won an RIAS prize for Architecture in 2013
Second gallery
