Glenluce Abbey

On a road trip to the Mull of Galloway, I noticed a signpost to Glenluce Abbey. As a lover of ruinous castles, abbeys and priories, I couldn't resist a quick detour to visit the Glenluce Abbey. Although the abbey has restricted access due to fallen masonry, it is still well worth a visit, as there is still much to see and it is in such a peaceful spot.

Glenluce Abbey was built around 1191 by Lochlann (Roland) Lord of Galloway. He asked the Cistercian monks of Dundrennan Abbey to set up a smaller Abbey in Glenluce.

The first designated Abbot would have arrived with twelve Cistercian monks who cleared the site in preparation for building the abbey. They built the east end of the church first, to give themselves somewhere to pray. The rest of the church and the domestic buildings followed. Once built, the monks occupied the abbey for around 400 years.

The church is the most important part of the abbey. It is constructed on the north side of the site, so that the height of the wall did not cast a shadow over the rest of the abbey. At the north of the church, there is a grave slab dedicated to Robert Gordon of Lochinvar, who died in 1548, and on the south wall, there is a 17th century panel containing the coat of arms of Thomas Hay of Park and his wife Janet Hamilton.

The chapter house was built around 1500, and is the best preserved part of the abbey. This is where meetings took place and business was conducted. The windows were restored in the 1900s. Its interior is around 7.3m square, and has a vaulted ceiling. Part of the original tiled floor remains, as does a stone bench that runs around the wall. The Abbot's stall was in the centre of the east wall between the pair of windows, which were restored in the 1900s. Above the chapter house was the accommodation for the fifteen resident monks.

As well as the chapter house and monks' accommodation, the east range contained cellars and latrines (toilets). The south side of the cloisters (covered walkway) is the refectory (dining room) and the kitchen. To the west of the cloisters, was the accommodation for the lay brothers who tended the land and livestock.

Most abbeys used a well for water, but Glenluce Abbey had a network of clay pipes in the foundations. You can see these pipes as you walk around the Abbey, as some of the trenches where they were laid have been exposed.

Among the famous visitors to Glenluce Abbey included; Robert the Bruce, James IV and Mary Queen of Scots.

The abbey was a victim of a series of disputes between the Scottish Lords, which were brought to an end in 1519, when Walter Mallen became the commander of the Abbey.

In 1544, the Abbot was expelled by the Earl of Cassilis, and the monks were evicted and spent a year in Maybole.

The Abbey was invaded twice between 1545 and 1546, once by Earl of Cassilis and then by John Gordon of Lochinvar. In the end, Walter Mallen resigned in favour of James Gordon, the brother of John Gordon of Lochinvar.

On the death of James Gordon, in about 1560, John Gordon of Lochinvar took occupation of the abbey, and its life as an active monastery came to an end.

Lochinvar removed himself in 1561, and handed the Abbey over to Gilbert Kennedy (Earl of Cassilis). Kennedy persuaded one of the monks to counterfeit the necessary signatures to a deed conveying the Abbey and lands to him, and then to ensure he wasn't discovered, he had the monk killed and the assassin hanged. Nice chap!!!

The monks who accepted that it was no longer an active abbey were allowed to live out their days there, the last dying in 1602.

In 1561, Thomas Hay (a protégé of the Earl of Cassilis), took possession of the buildings and remained as commander until he died in 1580, when it passed to Gilbert Moncrief. In 1581, Gilbert Moncrief resigned the post to Laurence Gordon of Lochinvar.

Part of the site was then converted into a house before being re-acquired by the church in 1619 used as a manse (a clergy house for a minister), and thereafter fell into ruin.

The ruins were partly restored in 1898 by the Glasgow architect Peter MacGregor Chalmers.

Glenluce Abbey passed into State care in 1933. The ticket office has an exhibition of clay pipes, and the visitor centre has a display of decorative floor tiles and metal items recovered from various digs on the site.

The site is now a Scheduled Monument, managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Although it has restricted access, it is still worth visiting. Hopefully, the work and inspections will be carried out soon, and we can revisit the abbey and update the photographs.