Glasgow's St Mungo: Who was he and how is he linked to the city crest?

Here's what you need to know:

Who was St Mungo?

Born in the early 6th Century at Culross in Fife, he was the illegitimate son of Urien, Prince of Cumbria and Thenew (later known as Enoch), daughter of the King of Lothian. He trained as a priest at the monastery of St Serf at Culross where he was renamed Mungo, meaning 'dear friend'.

Also known as St Kentigern, Mungo finished his training around 550AD and visited the home of a dying holy man named Fergus, who died on the night that Mungo arrived. Mungo placed his body on a cart connected to two wild bulls, commanding them to convey it to the place ordained by the Lord.

The bulls stopped at a place then known as Cathures where Fergus was buried. Mungo named the spot Glasgui which translates as 'dear green place'; and established a church on the site which is now occupied by Glasgow Cathedral. Mungo died in 614AD, having lived an austere and holy life. He was canonised and became the Patron Saint of Glasgow with a feast day on January 13.

Glasgow's Coat of Arms

How is he connected to the City Crest and what is on the Coat of Arms?

The bird that never flew

This refers to the wild robin which St Serf, St Mungo's old master, tamed. It was accidentally killed by some of his disciples who blamed St Mungo. He took the dead bird in his hands and prayed over it. It was restored to life and flew chirping to its master.

The tree that never grew

While it might now be an oak tree, according to the legend, the story centred on a hazel branch. 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 envious 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.

The bell that never rang

It is believed that the bell was given to St Mungo by the Pope but there is no record as to how he obtained it. In the 15th Century St Mungo's Bell had become a notable institution in Glasgow. In 1450, John Stewart the first Provost of Glasgow left an endowment to have the bell tolled throughout the city to call the inhabitants to pray for his soul. The City Treasurers' accounts for 1578 show an entry of two shillings "for one tong to Sanct Mungowis Bell" but it remained a mystery as to what happened to the bell. A replacement was purchased by the magistrates in 1641 and this bell still exists in the People's Palace.

The fish that never swam

The fish with a ring in its mouth is a salmon and the ring was a present from Hydderch Hael, King of Cadzow, to his Queen Languoreth.

The Queen gave the ring to a knight and the suspicious King took it from him while he slept during a hunting party and threw it into the River Clyde. On returning home, the King demanded the ring and threatened Languoreth with death if she could not produce it.

She turned to the Knight who could not help and then confessed to St Mungo who sent one of his monks to fish in the river, instructing him to bring back the first fish caught. This was done and St Mungo extracted the ring from its mouth. The scene is represented on the counter seal of Bishop Wyschard, made around 1271.