This monastery, whose abbots once possessed regal sway over nearly the
whole of Carrick, now stands a solitary deserted ruin in a small
sequestered valley, about two miles from Maybole, on the road leading by
Kirkoswald to Girvan. The monastic buildings, although much ruined, are
still of considerable extent, and comprise, besides the church, more
remains of ecclesiastical and domestic structures than are usual in our
Scottish religious establishments. This has probably arisen from the
quiet and secluded nature of the site, as well as from the protection
afforded by the powerful Earls of Carrick.
The chartulary of the abbey is lost, but many of the scattered charters
have been collected and printed by the Ayrshire and Galloway
Archæological Association, and edited by Mr. F. C. Hunter Blair, 1886.
From these and the introductory chapter most of the following historical
notes are gleaned.
The abbey was founded by Duncan, Earl of Carrick, in the end of the
twelfth century. By him lands and churches were granted to the Abbey of
Paisley, on condition that the monks should found a monastery in his
province of Carrick, after their own Order of Cluny, to which the said
endowments should be handed over. These conditions were evaded by the
monks of Paisley, who contented themselves with erecting a cell at
Crosraguel, and kept the rest of the revenue to themselves. Such conduct
was naturally complained of by the earl, and it was decided by William
de Bondington, Bishop of Glasgow, that a monastery should be forthwith
erected at Crosraguel. Earl Duncan is said to have superintended the
erection of the structure, in which case it must have been in progress
between 1244, the date of the bishop’s decision, and 1250, when the earl
died. In 1265 the Pope confirmed the “Scriptum de Crosragmol” of Bishop
Bondington.
Additional grants were made to the abbey by Earl Nigel, the successor of
the founder. The church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The monks were
of the Order of Cluny, in France. This order was first introduced into
England at Wenlock, in Shropshire, whence monks were brought to Paisley
Abbey by Walter, first Steward of Scotland. The ecclesiastics of that
convent, being the superiors of Crosraguel, naturally colonised it with
monks of their own order of Cluniacs.
During the fourteenth century the abbey is much associated with the
history of the Bruces. The romantic marriage of the father of King
Robert to the Countess of Carrick established the family in the earldom.
The countess and her husband were benefactors of the abbey, and their
neighbouring Castle of Turnberry became a protection to the monks.
During Edward’s invasion, in 1296, Henry de Percy was appointed Sheriff
of Ayr. In 1306 he held Turnberry Castle, and a letter, dated by him
from Crosraguel, asking for two engines of war to be sent to him, shows
that siege operations were in contemplation.
During this disturbed period of Scottish history it seems probable that
this abbey, like many other similar institutions throughout the country,
suffered from the effects of war. The buildings show that the original
structure of the monastery has been demolished, and that new edifices
were erected in the fifteenth century; and it is supposed that this
reconstruction was rendered necessary by the damage caused during the
English invasion. When the kingdom became settled, after the War of
Independence, King Robert granted a charter to the abbey, confirming the
endowments of Earl Duncan; and in 1329-30, gifts from the royal purse,
for the repair of the monastery, are noted in the Exchequer Rolls. The
king was lavish in benefactions to the abbey. In 1324 he presented it
with lands, and, as a mark of special favour, he erected the domains of
the abbey into a barony. Shortly after the accession of David II. the
abbot received the king’s penny for three years (amounting to £100, 1s.
10d.) to assist him in the repair of the buildings.
Under the Stewart kings Crosraguel still continued to receive the royal
favour. In 1374 Robert II. confirmed the Crown charters of Robert I.;
and in 1404 the great Crosraguel charter was granted by Robert III.
confirming all the abbey lands and property to be held for ever in free
regality. By this charter the abbot was raised into the position of an
absolute sovereign over all the abbey possessions, which comprised
nearly the whole of the southern division of Ayrshire. The abbey
continued to occupy a high position during the fifteenth century. The
abbot was in favour at Court, and was employed on special missions and
diplomatic services.
In 1460 the Abbot Colin, a man of some eminence, was elected. He devoted
much care to the church and buildings, which he found in a dilapidated
condition, and is believed to have built the existing chapter house. He
died in 1491.
Abbot David obtained a confirmation of the special rights of the abbey
from the Archbishop of Glasgow, and, in 1515, procured a special
dispensation from inspection by the Archbishop of St. Andrews, who was
delegated by the Pope to visit every monastery in Scotland, and to
punish the “excess and enormity of the brethren dwelling therein.”
During the forty years prior to the Reformation the abbey enjoyed the
protection of the Earl of Carrick, two eminent members of the family
being about that time abbots in succession to each other. At this period
the right of appointment to vacant benefices was gradually passing into
the hands of the Crown, and by 1550 that change was completed.
In those troublous times the Church was felt to be in danger, and Abbot
William Kennedy, who had acted as guardian to the young Earl Cassilis,
who was then abroad, wrote to him to return to Scotland to look after
the interests of the abbey. At the same time the Archbishop of Glasgow
sent all his possessions to Crosraguel, as to a place of safety. These
consisted of embroidered vestments, gold and silver plate, jewels, and a
library of books of great value.
Abbot William was succeeded by his nephew, Quintin Kennedy (1547-64), an
ardent champion of the Church, whose contest with Knox at Maybole in
1562 is well known. It is thought that he was the first abbot to occupy
the abbots’ tower, a fortified pele which stands at the south-east
corner of the grounds. Gilbert M‘Brayar, one of the monks, is said to
have made many “sumptuous additions” to the monastery. These were
probably domestic structures in the cloister, whose ruins are still
traceable.
In 1561 an Act was passed by the Privy Council suppressing “Idolatori
and all monumentis thairof,” and Arran, Glencairn, and Argyle were
despatched to the West to carry the Act into execution. Amongst the
other demolitions executed by them was the casting down of part of
Crosraguel.
Ten years before the Reformation leases of church lands were frequently
granted to nobles and other powerful individuals who were able to
protect them. Thus, in 1564, the whole benefice of Crosraguel was
leased to the Earl of Cassillis for 700 marks (£466, 13s. 4d.) Under his
protection the monks continued to occupy the monastery till 1592,
probably later than any other abbey in Scotland.
In 1570 occurred the famous “roasting of the abbot.” The Earl of
Cassillis had resolved to get the whole property of the abbey into his
hands, and endeavoured, by torturing Allan Stewart, the abbot, to force
him to surrender the titles of the lands of the abbey, and he thus
succeeded, in consideration of a large sum, in becoming sole proprietor
of the regality. The abbot survived, but was maimed for life. He
disposed of every shred of the monastic property, and died in 1587. The
annexation to the Crown took place the same year. The possessions had
been gradually disposed of by Queen Mary and her son to numerous
retainers. George Buchanan received a pension out of the revenues, and
King James intended to restore the abbey as a residence for his son
Henry.
In 1617 the whole benefice was annexed to the Bishopric of Dunblane, in
order to provide a suitable support for the bishop. On the overthrow of
Episcopacy, in 1689, the revenues were annexed to the Crown; and now the
sole relic of the great regality of Crosraguel is the small plot of
ground enclosing the ruins.
The abbey buildings (Fig. 813) have been of considerable extent, and
still comprise, besides the remains of the church and cloisters, with
the usual ecclesiastical buildings surrounding them, an outer court to
the south-west, with a picturesque gatehouse, pigeon-house, and other
domestic structures. There was also an eastern courtyard, which
contained the abbot’s hall, and the adjoining tower or keep, the
infirmary, &c. The whole precincts were enclosed with a high wall, which
included an extensive garden. The small burn which flows along the south
side is believed to have fed fish-ponds in the neighbourhood. The church
(Fig. 813) is a simple oblong structure, consisting of choir and nave,
without aisles and without transepts. It would appear, however, from
excavations carried out by the Ayrshire and Galloway Archæological
Association, that the original church of the thirteenth century
contained a north and south transept, some traces of the foundations of
which were disclosed. A few other relics of this earlier church are
observable in the base of the western part of the nave, in traces of the
jambs of the western doorway and the jambs of the north doorway of the
nave; but the remainder of the church has been entirely rebuilt, chiefly
on the old foundations.
It is thought by Mr. Morris, who illustrates and describes the abbey in
the publication of the above Association, that part of the older
building is traceable in the wall between the choir and the sacristy,
where vaulting shafts exist on the sacristy side in such a position as
not to be available in the present structure (Fig. 814). From this fact
he forms the deduction that these shafts and the wall they are attached
to are part of the original church. He is further of opinion that the
part of the ancient church
[Illustration: FIG. 813.--Crosraguel Abbey. Plan.]
[Illustration: FIG. 814.--Crosraguel Abbey. Sacristy, looking East.]
which he supposes has survived at this point formed the model on which
the restored building was designed. From the character of the design,
[Illustration: FIG. 815.--Crosraguel Abbey. Interior of Choir.]
this seems very doubtful. The three shafts referred to doubtless
indicate a change in the design at the date of the restoration in the
fifteenth century. The choir appears to have been erected, and a chapter
house contemplated (if not actually carried out) immediately to the
south of it, in the position formerly occupied by the south transept.
The three shafts were apparently erected at that time (say before 1450).
The bases of the shafts correspond in design with the bases of the
choir, and are clearly fifteenth century work. The walls of the chapter
house (afterwards changed into the sacristy) were evidently erected at
this time, as the usual stone seat of the chapter house still runs round
two of the sides. At a later date (towards the end of the fifteenth
century) a new range of buildings was erected on the east side of the
cloister. These consisted of a new chapter house, while that first
erected was converted into the sacristy. The new range was of less width
than the chapter house originally contemplated, and, therefore, new
vaulting shafts, spaced so as to suit the vaulting of the new width,
were introduced; and three of the old vaulting shafts were allowed to
remain, although two of them were no longer of use.
The architecture of the interior of the choir (Fig. 815) is peculiar,
and clearly indicates a structure of the fifteenth century. The
three-sided eastern apse is characteristic of the fifteenth century, and
is among the earliest examples of that form then introduced into
Scotland. Crosraguel obtained its great charter in 1404, and was, no
doubt, then in a very flourishing condition; and it seems likely that
the church was rebuilt soon after that period. The style of the
architecture corresponds with other buildings of that date in Scotland.
The windows, which have been filled with tracery (now, unfortunately,
all destroyed), show, in their remaining jambs, shafts, and arch
mouldings (especially in the apse), a character resembling Scottish
decorated work. The triple wall shafts which divide the bays are carried
down to decorated bases in the sanctuary only, the others being stopped
on a corbel at the level of the central string course (see Fig. 815).
The sedilia (Fig. 816) and piscina of the choir (see Fig. 815) are also
beautiful specimens of the decorated style. The buttresses of the choir
and apse (Fig. 817) are simple, and of an early type. The nave (Fig.
818) has windows on the north side only. Here, as already observed, a
few traces of the original church are found in the early forms of the
base mouldings and the shafts of the north doorway. The arch supported
by these shafts, and forming the upper part of the doorway, is of very
inferior design, and is evidently a very late restoration. The shafts
are sloped off at top, so as to fit a straight impost. The buttresses
also show relics of older work. One of the nave windows is filled with
tracery; but it is of peculiar design, having been constructed in
connection with the erection of a monument to Egidia Blair, Lady Row, a
benefactress of the abbey, who died in 1530. The engraved recumbent
stone over her grave, bearing her arms and name, still exists; but
scarcely a trace of the monument survives.
[Illustration: FIG. 816.--Crosraguel Abbey. Sedilia.]
The nave is divided from the choir by a wall, which has been erected in
the sixteenth century (the upper part is seen in Fig. 819), probably
when the monks required protection, or owing to their number having
become diminished, when so large a church was unnecessary. This central
wall partly blocks up one of the nave windows, thus showing that it was
an afterthought. It seems, however, to have been substituted for an
older wall, which may have contained an arch between the nave and
[Illustration: FIG. 817.--Crosraguel Abbey. Choir and Apse, from
South-East.]
[Illustration: FIG. 818.--Crosraguel Abbey. View from North-East.]
[Illustration: FIG. 819.--Crosraguel Abbey. Cloister, looking
North-East.]
choir. The nave, thus separated from the choir, was known as St. Mary’s
or the Virgin’s Aisle. The wall contained a wheel staircase, and is
crowned with a good double belfry, surmounted by a well-carved cross
(Fig. 820), containing hearts in the centre, and having each arm cut
into the form of a cross. This may possibly be in imitation of the
crossleted crosses of the Kennedy arms. The pointed doorway from the
nave to the choir is of good, simple design, and has been defended with
a strong sliding bar, the slot in the wall for which still exists.
[Illustration: FIG. 820.
Crosraguel Abbey.