Kilwinning Abbey facts for kids
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | Tironensian |
| Established | circa 1162 - 1168 |
| Disestablished | 1592 |
| Mother house | Kelso Abbey |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Richard de Morville |
Kilwinning Abbey is an old, ruined abbey right in the middle of Kilwinning, a town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It was once a very important religious place.
Contents
History of Kilwinning Abbey
How the Abbey Started
Kilwinning Abbey was a home for Benedictine monks who followed the Tironensian order, named after Tiron in France. The abbey was built to honor Saint Winning and the Virgin Mary. It was founded sometime between 1162 and 1188, with monks coming from Kelso Abbey. We're not entirely sure who paid for it, but it might have been Richard de Morville, a powerful lord and Constable of Scotland, possibly with help from King William the Lion.
The abbey was quite far away in western Scotland, so not many records about it have survived. Many of its important papers were lost or destroyed. In 1571, some records were supposedly taken away by a "furious horseman" after an attack on the abbey.
Abbots and Leaders of the Abbey
The abbots were the main leaders of Kilwinning Abbey. They were like the bosses of the monastery. Some famous abbots include Rainer (around 1190), William Bunsh (who died in a battle in 1513), and Gavin Hamilton (the last abbot before the abbey changed).
After the Scottish Reformation, the abbey's lands and money were often managed by "commendators." These were people, usually from powerful families, who took control of the abbey's wealth. For example, Hugh, the third Earl of Eglinton, became a commendator in 1552.
How the Abbey Made Money
Kilwinning Abbey was very wealthy! It earned money from many places, not just the churches in Kilwinning. It owned lands at Monkcastle and Monkredding, and had income from thirteen other churches in the area. Monkcastle was even a country home for the abbots.
The monks also had large farms called Granges, like the one at Beith. This meant they were very involved in farming. Records show they produced a lot of cheese – 268 in one year! They might have also mined coal to make sea salt.
All this wealth made the abbey a target for powerful families. In 1512, the Earls of Glencairn and Angus even tried to force Abbot William Bunsh to resign!
The Abbey's Destruction
Kilwinning Abbey faced attacks and damage over the years. In 1513, the Earls of Glencairn and Angus plundered it. Later, in the 1540s, supporters of George Wishart caused more damage.
The biggest changes happened during the Scottish Reformation. In 1559, the Earl of Glencairn led a raid where pictures, statues, books, and other religious items were taken outside and burned. In 1562, Alexander, Earl of Glencairn, attacked the abbey again, possibly encouraged by John Knox, a leader of the Reformation. Knox famously said, "Pull down the nests and the rooks will fly away," meaning destroy the religious buildings and the monks will leave.
However, the abbey didn't just fall into ruin because of these attacks. Many old religious buildings, like Kilwinning Abbey, became ruins because they no longer had enough money to maintain them. The buildings were too large for the smaller parish churches that replaced them. Over time, wind, weather, and people taking stones for other buildings caused most of the damage.
Timothy Pont, who visited in the early 1600s, said the abbey was "solid and grate" with a "fair steiple of 7 score foote of height" (about 140 feet tall) that was still standing. This suggests the abbey was destroyed in stages, with people taking stones for new buildings, especially for the Montgomeries of Eglinton.
The last abbot, Archbishop Gavin Hamilton, died in 1571. By 1603, the lands and titles of Kilwinning Abbey, along with its 16 churches, were bought by Hugh, the 5th Earl of Eglinton.
Ardeer Legend
There's a sad story about the murder of the Earl of Eglinton's wife by Nigellus, the Abbot of Kilwinning Abbey, in the 1500s. The Earl, who supported John Knox, didn't believe in the abbey's miracles and stopped paying money to the monks. In revenge, the abbot supposedly had the Countess kidnapped and starved to death in a ruined building on Ardeer.
The Earl searched for her but never found her. People reported hearing a woman's screams near the waves at Ardeer. Years later, the last monk of Kilwinning Abbey supposedly confessed to the crime, finally revealing what happened to the Countess.
What Happened to the Abbey Buildings?
After the main abbey buildings were destroyed, the Earls of Eglinton used parts of the old abbey, like the Abbot's home, as a family house. Lady Mary Montgomerie lived there in the 1600s.
Many stones from the abbey were used to build Eglinton Castle and its deer park wall. The dovecot (a building for doves) at Eglinton Country Park might also have come from the abbey and has carvings from it. The stables at Eglinton Castle were definitely built from stones taken from the Abbot's old home.
Part of the abbey's old church was used as the local parish church. But in 1775, it was torn down, and the Earl of Eglinton built a new Abbey church on the same spot, using stones from the old abbey. This is why the church walls look a bit uneven.
Some parts of the abbey still stand as ruins today and are a popular place for visitors in Kilwinning. The rebuilt tower now has a museum inside.
What Archaeology Tells Us
Archaeological digs suggest that the abbey was built around an even older church from the 1150s. The main part of the abbey, called the nave and transept, was very wide. It was also unique in Scotland because it had two tall towers at the western end that stood separately from the main building. One of these towers fell down quite early on.
Digs have also found parts of the chapter house (where monks met) and a passageway from the 1180s. A large archway from around 1190 has unique carvings of what are believed to be Adam and Eve.
A big building project happened in the 1230s, possibly finished by one of the de Morville daughters. The two towers and the west transept seem to have been added in the 1250s.
Abbey Treasure Legend
Legend says that the abbey's valuable treasures, like the "Black Book," gold candlesticks, crosses, silver cups, and bells, were never found. People believe they were hidden in a secret vault beneath the abbey buildings and are still there today. Another story says they were hidden on one of the small islands (called crannogs) in Ashgrove or Stevenston Loch.
Kilwinning Abbey Tower
The Earl of Eglinton used the old abbey tower as a prison. Its bells were rung to call people together for the king's service or during wars. In 1649, a woman named Bessie Graham was imprisoned in the tower for witchcraft. She was later burned at the stake on Corsehill Moor.
The remaining northern tower stood until 1814. It was struck by lightning in 1809, causing a lot of damage. It was eventually deemed unsafe and blown up with gunpowder, just as repairs were about to start. One wall collapsed with a huge crash, like an earthquake! The bells had been removed just before this.
New plans were quickly made for a replacement tower. The new 103-foot-high clock tower was finished on November 12, 1816.
Today, the tower is owned by North Ayrshire Council. It has a heritage center that opened in 1995, showing local history, including the abbey and tower, and famous poets like Robert Burns.
The Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers, which dates back to 1483, is also featured. They still meet regularly, including their annual "papingo" shoot. This event, said to be the oldest archery competition in the world, involves shooting at a wooden bird hanging from the clock-tower.
Saint Winning
Saint Winning's Cross
An old cross, possibly from the abbey, was once on the main street. It's likely the Mercat Cross, and a modern copy stands there today.
Another piece of an ancient cross, called Saint Winning's Cross, is said to have been put up at the first church built by Saint Winning. Miracles were believed to happen there.
A part of this cross is now in the North Ayrshire Heritage Centre. It has beautiful carvings, including a double-beaded pattern and a scene of David with a harp, David on horseback, and a lamb being attacked by a lion. This carving might show good fighting evil.
Saint Winning's Well
This well is said to have formed from Saint Winning's tears. In the 1860s, it still provided clean water. However, it was destroyed when the Glasgow and South Western Railway was built.
A legend says that a well blessed by the saint miraculously flowed red for eight days during important times, like wars, in 1184.
Masons and the Abbey
The abbey has a special connection to Freemasonry. People believe that skilled foreign masons, helped by Scottish masons, built the abbey. These foreign masons were called "Freemasons" because they could travel without needing permission from a lord. They are said to have brought their traditions to Scotland.
It's even said that Robert the Bruce attended a masonic festival at Kilwinning after the Battle of Bannockburn. The Tironensian monks were known for their amazing stonework and architecture.
Secret Tunnels and Burials
There are persistent rumors of a two-mile-long secret tunnel from Kilwinning Abbey that goes under the River Garnock and Lugton Water all the way to Eglinton Castle. There's no real proof, but it might be linked to the underground burial vault of the Montgomerie family or the abbey's old sewer system. Another tunnel is rumored to go from the abbey to Monkredding House.
Many important people were buried at Kilwinning Abbey, including several Earls of Eglinton. Their burial vaults were there until 1961 when they were removed because they were unsafe.
Abbey Mills
The abbey owned several mills. One was the Bridgend mill on the River Garnock. Another was the modern-day Dalgarven Mill, which was then called the Walkmylne of Groatholm.
Images for kids
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The entrance to the ruins of Montgreenan Castle, the 'Bishop's Palace'
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The Abbot's seal
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The Court Hill of the Abbots of Kilwinning near Beith
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Kilwinning Abbey ruins in the 19th century
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Kilwinning Abbey ruins in 1789
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The Oxenward Barn, constructed from abbey stone, but long since demolished
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A Mason's Mark on a stone from the old deer park wall, suggesting that the stones came from old Kilwinning Abbey
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The site of Goldcraigs freestone quarry, a source of the abbey building stone.
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Stonework from the abbey reused in an Eglinton Estate building at Benslie
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The old estate offices and stables built from the masonry of the old abbot's dwelling
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Ornamental entrance doorway
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The Lylston Row. Possibly built from the abbey ruins.
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The abbey resembled Glasgow Cathedral.
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A possible Green Man from the abbey now at the Eglinton Doocot
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The Adam & Eve carvings
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The Merry Monk on the clocktower
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Inside the old abbey transept looking towards the tower
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Archway into the fallen tower
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The Eglinton doocot prior to restoration. The local council had used it as a vehicle store.
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The Doocot - the Kilwinning facing end
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The restored doocot (dovecot)
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Medieval carving on the doocot, originally from Kilwinning Abbey
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The main Dalgarven Mill buildings
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Launch of archaeological dig in August 2010
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The public and VIPs at the launch of the archaeological dig in August 2010
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The Eglinton Loft within the Abbey church
See Also
- Drukken Steps
- Abbot of Kilwinning, for a list of abbots and commendators
- The Lands of Montgreenan - details of the murder of Alexander Cunninghame, commendator of the abbey.
- Eglinton Country Park - details of the abbey doocot, etc.
