Fail Monastery
Encyclopedia
Fail Monstery, occasionally known as Failford Abbey, had a dedication to 'Saint Mary', and was located at Fail (NS 42129 28654) on the bank of the Water of Fail, Parish of Tarbolton near the town of Tarbolton
, South Ayrshire
. Most of the remaining monastery ruins were removed in 1952.
In Scotland the order had friarys at Aberdeen
; Berwick
; Dirleton
; Dunbar
; Houston (East Lothian); Peebles
; and Scotlandswell. Kettins in Angus, only a parish church, was however appropriated to the Trinitarian friars.
The monastery originally lay within the civil and ecclesiastical Parish of Barnweil or Barnwell, which was suppressed in 1673, its lands joining the Parishes of Craigie
and Tarbolton. Founded about 1252, the monastery was partially destroyed by fire in 1349. Two thirds of the monastery's income was ordered to be spent on redeeming Christian slaves and as a consequence and also as an order, the Trinitarians buildings were not overly ornate.
Although Tarbolton was twice subject to the jurisdiction of the monks of Fail, it did not remain with them, but remained an independent rectory. In 1429 Tarbolton was erected into a prebend or canonry of Glasgow Cathedral
. Barnweil, a vicarage of the monks of Fail, was annexed partly to Tarbolton, and partly to Craigie in 1653. The church ruins, which stood near to an old castle of the same name, have been allowed to go to total ruin.
The principal of Trinitarian monasterys was called the 'Minister' and as head of the order in Scotland, had a seat in the Scottish Parliament. In 1343 John was the Minister of the House of the Holy Trinity and he persuaded, by the gift a white horse, John de Graham, Lord of Tarbolton, to revoke his gift of the rights of patronage to the kirk of Tarbolton and the lands of Unthank. John stole the white horse back and the agreement was nullified
In 1368 John Stewart, Earl of Carrick and Lord of Kyle-Stewart confirmed a charter of 1338 made by John of Grame, Lord of Tarbolton, conveying the rights of patronage and advowson of Tarbolton Church to God and the house of Faleford, the minister and brothers, and their successors of the order of holy Trinity and Captives... Hugh of Eglintoun, Lord of that Ilk and others bore witness.
In 1642 William Hunter was the ruling Elder.
The parish churches of Barnweill
, Symington
, and Galston
in old Kyle, Torthorwald in old Dumfriesshire, and Inverchoalan in old Argylshire, belonged to the Monastery of Fail. Saint Anne's Well, Monk Muir and the Monk Road within the parish of Galston evoke links with the Monastery of Fail. At Symington it is recorded that The church of Symonstoun was granted to the convent which was founded at Feil, or Faile, in Kyle, during the year 1252, and it continued to belong to that convent until the Reformation. The cure was served by a vicar pensioner who had a settled income and a glebe, and the minister and brothers of Faile enjoyed the remainder of the tithes and revenues.
The monks of Melrose
held extensive lands in the area and were in close competition with the Friars of Fail for lands and income.
In the reign of Robert II
(1316–1390) the patronage of the 'Kirk of Fail' was granted to James de Lindsay of Crawforde and in 1470 James de Quhit of Fale is mentioned. In 1562 Robert Cuninghame was the Minister of Fail.
It is recorded in 1562 that the Laird of Lamont, such was his contempt for the Minister of Fail, had paid no rent for six years.
The character of the friars is recalled in these lines -
Another version expands the details of the friars way of life -
A Crown petition
In 1459 King James II and his Queen, Mary of Gueldress submitted a petition to suppress the order of Trinitarian Friars and to pass their churches and revenues to the Trinity Collegiate Church and Hospital in Edinburgh. The given reason was that thw friars were evil, unclean, and unfit to continue observance of their rule. The public outcry was such that the petition was refused, however an echo of substance in the allegations is derived from the above quoted rhyme.
, is said to have been at Fail when William Wallace
was imprisoned by the English in 1305.
of the convent lived outside.
In 1565, Robert Cunninghame, minister of Fail, granted a charter to J. Cunninghame Esq that conveyed to him the lands of Brownhill, and the farms of the Fail estate. William Wallace, brother of Sir Hugh Wallace of Craigie Castle appears to have then acquired the patronage of the monastery. He died in 1617.
The Wallace family of nearby Craigie
carried out repairs the Ministers dwelling, converting it into more of a defensive structure, known locally as the 'Fail Castle' and marked as such on some of the contemporary maps.
In August 1618 Walter Whyteford was granted the Monastery of Fail in place of William Wallace; this grant was ratified by Parliament in 1621. The Whitefords also had properties at Blaiquharn (previously Whiteford) and Dunduff Castle
near Dunure
.
Blaeu's map of 1654 shows a fairly extensive wooded area around Feil Abbey (sic) with a pale
around three sides and the final boundary as the Water of Fail.
The immunities derived from the monastery passed into the hands of the Earls of Dundonald and in 1690, William, Earl of Dundonald, was served heir to his father, John Earl of Dundonald, in the beneficies of Failford, spiritually as well as temporalily.
The buildings were repaired after passing into the ownership of the Wallace family, and for a time became known as Fail Castle; the former monastery was allowed to fall derelict again after the time of the Laird of Whytford.
In the 1860s the lands of Fail were held by Edward H. Blair of Dunskey and Brounehill, second son of Sir D. Hunter Blair of Blairquhan. The ruins consisted at this time of a gable and part of a side-wall of the 'castle'.
, residence owners of the ruins at that time.
In the mid 1960s some 'decorated slabs' are recorded as having been found beneath the floor of the cottage on the 'Castle' site and three skeletons were uncovered in shallow graves to the east; they were reburied near the site without any further investigation taking place.
Paterson records a ballad of this title by the local historian, Joseph Train, published in 1814, in which Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie is out hunting with the Laird of Fail and the pair come across a house in which the wife is brewing ale. The wife serves Sir Thomas a drink, however she is terrified of the Laird who looks like the Devil and refuses him entry; accusing him of causing her milk cow to die, bewitch her child, her churn to tip over, and her dog to die. The Laird responds by taking a 'pin' and reciting a charm he placed it above the doorway, resulting in a spell that forced the wife to dance and sing uncontrollably. The workers return from the fields and they too are in turn bewitched as they pass under the 'pin', until the Laird removes it and is invited to drink by the relieved householders.
One story relates that the laird one day looked out of the upper south window of the castle and saw twenty sets of ploughs at work. He bet a considerable amount of money that he could stop them all in their tracks. At first eighteen of the ploughs stopped, however two carried on without ceasing and the laird lost his bet. It is said that afterwards it was noted that the two ploughs that did not stop had a twig of Rowan or Mountain Ash tree attached, known for protection against the evil eye.
Another story involves a man who was leading an ass laden with crockery. The laird, who had a friend with him, offered for a wager to make the man break all his crockery in pieces. The bet was taken, and immediately the man stopped, unloaded the ass, and seemed to allow all of the stock to fall, smashing into shards. The laird's betting partner asked why he had acted this way and the man replied that he had seen the head of a large black dog growling out of each of the dishes ready to devour him.
The 'warlock' laird probably died near the close of the 17th century, and on his deathbed he is said to have warned those around present not to stay in the castle after his body was carried out; and he also told them not to bury him until after the harvest was in, because on the day he was laid to rest a disastrous storm would cause widespread damage. The tenants did the best they could, however the body was rapidly decaying and the burial was essential, even though the harvest was only half-finished. The moment the body, on the funeral day, had left Fail Castle, the castle roof collapsed and the wind scattered corn sheaves around like chaff, damage resulting throughout the area.
's head of water, redundant. Fail Mill stood on the rivulet of the Water of Fail nearby and survived into the 20th century. This mill may have originally belonged to the monastery and was powered by the Townend Burn and Fail Loch
above it, acting as a millpond and more of an area prone to flooding than a permanent loch.
William Muir was the tenant of the Mill of Fail at the time of Robert Burns's residence at Mossgiel Farm.
A felstone
axe, carefully polished and measuring 10 x 3 inches was found near in the 19th century near the monastery (NS 421 286).
The monks of Fail are said to have built Torthorwald Church in the 13th century.
John Speed's map of 1610 clearly marks Fail Abbey amongst the relatively small number of placenames marked.
Fail Monastery may have been attached to Paisley Abbey.
George Henry Hutton (d. 1827), a soldier and amateur antiquary, visited Fail in October 1800 and produced three drawings of the ruins.
Barnweil church was dedicated to the Holy Rood
.
The road from Ayr to Hamilton and Edinburgh passed through Fail as shown on Roy's map of 1747-55.
The Fail Well was a spring of fine water located on the roadside.
The name of the nearby Spitalside Farm strongly suggests a connection with a monastic hospital as the monks were obliged to take and help the sick.
Melrose Abbey had lands at Mauchline
and a monk's road ran there via Redwrae, Long Wood, Mossbog, Ladyyard and Skeoch.
The hamlet of Failford takes its name from the lands around the monastery, near the head of the Fail.
Ladeside near Crosshands may have been a place of great age for workmen discovered an old coal pit shaft with stone built walls. The depth when the pit was laid open was 12 fathoms, and the pit bing made a slope in the roadway. The monks of Fail Monastery were reputed to have mined coal more or less on the outskirts of their lands and this could have been one of their ancient workings.
Tarbolton
Tarbolton is a village in South Ayrshire, Scotland.- Meaning of place-name :Tarbolton has been suggested as having one of three meanings:...
, South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire
South Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway....
. Most of the remaining monastery ruins were removed in 1952.
History
Other spelling variations for the monastery are 'Valle' (1307), 'Faleford' (1368), 'Feil' (1654), 'Feill' (1732), 'Faill' or 'Ffele' References refer loosely to both monks and friars and the establishment is sometimes marked on maps as a priory.The Trinitarians
Also known as the 'Red Friars', or 'Mathurines' from the monastery of Saint Mathurin in Paris. The monks were charged with the duty of saving captives from slavery and as such, were called 'Fratres de Redemptione Captivorum' or 'The Father's of Redemption'. The monks either paid the ransom of Christians or purchased pagan captives to exchange for Christians. The monks wore a white outer garment with a red and blue cross on the shoulder or over the breast. The monks were not permitted to ride horses and had to use asses for transport.In Scotland the order had friarys at Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
; Berwick
Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed is a border town in the north of England.Berwick may also refer to:- England :*Berwick Street Market, London*Berwick, Sussex**Berwick railway station*Berwick St John, Wiltshire...
; Dirleton
Dirleton
Dirleton is a village and parish in East Lothian, Scotland approximately east of Edinburgh on the A198. It contains . Dirleton lies between North Berwick , Gullane , Fenton Barns and the Yellowcraigs nature reserve, Archerfield Estate and the Firth of Forth...
; Dunbar
Dunbar
Dunbar is a town in East Lothian on the southeast coast of Scotland, approximately 28 miles east of Edinburgh and 28 miles from the English Border at Berwick-upon-Tweed....
; Houston (East Lothian); Peebles
Peebles
Peebles is a burgh in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders, lying on the River Tweed. According to the 2001 Census, the population was 8,159.-History:...
; and Scotlandswell. Kettins in Angus, only a parish church, was however appropriated to the Trinitarian friars.
Fail Monastery
William Aiton records that the monastery was established by John de Graham, Lord of Tarbolton in 1252, however Love regards Andrew Bruce as being the founder.The monastery originally lay within the civil and ecclesiastical Parish of Barnweil or Barnwell, which was suppressed in 1673, its lands joining the Parishes of Craigie
Craigie
-Places:Australia*Craigie, Western Australia, a suburb of PerthScotland*Craigie, Ayrshire, a small village in East Ayrshire,*Craigie Castle, Ayrshire*Scottish feudal Barony of Craigie, a feudal barony in Dundee-People:...
and Tarbolton. Founded about 1252, the monastery was partially destroyed by fire in 1349. Two thirds of the monastery's income was ordered to be spent on redeeming Christian slaves and as a consequence and also as an order, the Trinitarians buildings were not overly ornate.
Although Tarbolton was twice subject to the jurisdiction of the monks of Fail, it did not remain with them, but remained an independent rectory. In 1429 Tarbolton was erected into a prebend or canonry of Glasgow Cathedral
Glasgow Cathedral
The church commonly known as Glasgow Cathedral is the Church of Scotland High Kirk of Glasgow otherwise known as St. Mungo's Cathedral.The other cathedrals in Glasgow are:* The Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew...
. Barnweil, a vicarage of the monks of Fail, was annexed partly to Tarbolton, and partly to Craigie in 1653. The church ruins, which stood near to an old castle of the same name, have been allowed to go to total ruin.
The principal of Trinitarian monasterys was called the 'Minister' and as head of the order in Scotland, had a seat in the Scottish Parliament. In 1343 John was the Minister of the House of the Holy Trinity and he persuaded, by the gift a white horse, John de Graham, Lord of Tarbolton, to revoke his gift of the rights of patronage to the kirk of Tarbolton and the lands of Unthank. John stole the white horse back and the agreement was nullified
In 1368 John Stewart, Earl of Carrick and Lord of Kyle-Stewart confirmed a charter of 1338 made by John of Grame, Lord of Tarbolton, conveying the rights of patronage and advowson of Tarbolton Church to God and the house of Faleford, the minister and brothers, and their successors of the order of holy Trinity and Captives... Hugh of Eglintoun, Lord of that Ilk and others bore witness.
In 1642 William Hunter was the ruling Elder.
The parish churches of Barnweill
Barnweill Church
Barnweill Church is a ruined pre-reformation kirk situated on rising ground on the slopes of Barnweill Hill, Parish of Craigie, South Ayrshire, Scotland; about 3km from Tarbolton. The church was known locally as the "Kirk in the Wood". It lies about 170m North North-East of Kirkhill Farm...
, Symington
Symington, South Ayrshire
Symington is a conservation village in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located in Symington Parish, covering 0.41sq Km, and lies close to the A77 road from Ayr to Glasgow...
, and Galston
Galston
Settlements named Galston:* Galston, East Ayrshire, is a town near Kilmarnock in Scotland * Galston, New South Wales, is a town near Sydney in AustraliaPersons named Galston:* William Galston, American philosopher and politician....
in old Kyle, Torthorwald in old Dumfriesshire, and Inverchoalan in old Argylshire, belonged to the Monastery of Fail. Saint Anne's Well, Monk Muir and the Monk Road within the parish of Galston evoke links with the Monastery of Fail. At Symington it is recorded that The church of Symonstoun was granted to the convent which was founded at Feil, or Faile, in Kyle, during the year 1252, and it continued to belong to that convent until the Reformation. The cure was served by a vicar pensioner who had a settled income and a glebe, and the minister and brothers of Faile enjoyed the remainder of the tithes and revenues.
The monks of Melrose
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
held extensive lands in the area and were in close competition with the Friars of Fail for lands and income.
In the reign of Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
(1316–1390) the patronage of the 'Kirk of Fail' was granted to James de Lindsay of Crawforde and in 1470 James de Quhit of Fale is mentioned. In 1562 Robert Cuninghame was the Minister of Fail.
It is recorded in 1562 that the Laird of Lamont, such was his contempt for the Minister of Fail, had paid no rent for six years.
The character of the friars is recalled in these lines -
"The Friars of Fail drank berry-brown ale, The best that ever was tasted, The Monks of Melrose made gude kael, On Fridays, when they fasted." |
Another version expands the details of the friars way of life -
"The Friars of Fail, Gat never oure hard eggs or oure thin kale; For they made their eggs thin wi' butter, And their kale thick wi'bread; And the Friars of Fail they made guid kale On Fridays when they feasted, And they never wanted gear enough, As lang as their neighbour' lasted. |
A Crown petition
In 1459 King James II and his Queen, Mary of Gueldress submitted a petition to suppress the order of Trinitarian Friars and to pass their churches and revenues to the Trinity Collegiate Church and Hospital in Edinburgh. The given reason was that thw friars were evil, unclean, and unfit to continue observance of their rule. The public outcry was such that the petition was refused, however an echo of substance in the allegations is derived from the above quoted rhyme.
Thomas the Rhymer
William Wallace's biographer, Thomas the RhymerThomas the Rhymer
Thomas Learmonth , better known as Thomas the Rhymer or True Thomas, was a 13th century Scottish laird and reputed prophet from Earlston . He is also the protagonist of the ballad "Thomas the Rhymer"...
, is said to have been at Fail when William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
was imprisoned by the English in 1305.
"Thomas Rimour in to the Fail was than, With the mynystir, quilk was a worthie man: He wyst off to that religious place. |
The dissolution of the monastery
The lords of Council ordered the destruction of the monastery in 1561, however two poor men still lived in the convent in 1562 while four old beidmenBeadsman
Bedesman, or beadsman was generallya pensioner or almsman whose duty it was to pray for hisbenefactor....
of the convent lived outside.
In 1565, Robert Cunninghame, minister of Fail, granted a charter to J. Cunninghame Esq that conveyed to him the lands of Brownhill, and the farms of the Fail estate. William Wallace, brother of Sir Hugh Wallace of Craigie Castle appears to have then acquired the patronage of the monastery. He died in 1617.
The Wallace family of nearby Craigie
Craigie Castle, Ayrshire
Craigie Castle in the old Barony of Craigie, is a ruined fortification situated about southeast of Kilmarnock and southeast of Craigie village, in the Parish of Craigie, South Ayrshire, Scotland....
carried out repairs the Ministers dwelling, converting it into more of a defensive structure, known locally as the 'Fail Castle' and marked as such on some of the contemporary maps.
The castle
Circa 1617 William Wallace, grandson of Sir Hugh Wallace of Craigie, expected to inherit the property from his father, also William Wallace, known as Minister of Fail, the commendator. He listed the monastery lands as the manor place of Failford and the gardens known as the West Yaird, Neltoun Yaird, Gardine Yaird, Yeister Yaird, and Kirk Yaird.In August 1618 Walter Whyteford was granted the Monastery of Fail in place of William Wallace; this grant was ratified by Parliament in 1621. The Whitefords also had properties at Blaiquharn (previously Whiteford) and Dunduff Castle
Dunduff Castle, South Ayrshire
Dunduff Castle, South Ayrshire is a restored stair-tower situated on the hillside of Brown Carrick Hills above the Drumbane Burn, and overlooking the sea above Dunure, Parish of Maybole, Scotland.-History:...
near Dunure
Dunure
Dunure is a small village in the South Ayrshire area of Scotland. Located on the coast of the Firth of Clyde, Dunure is near to Maybole.-The villages:...
.
Blaeu's map of 1654 shows a fairly extensive wooded area around Feil Abbey (sic) with a pale
Pale
-Color:*Pale, an adjective meaning of a light shade or hue; approaching white*Paleness , a relative lightness of color*Pale, a variance of human skin color, especially:**Pallor, a symptom of low oxygen content in blood or avoidance of sunlight...
around three sides and the final boundary as the Water of Fail.
The immunities derived from the monastery passed into the hands of the Earls of Dundonald and in 1690, William, Earl of Dundonald, was served heir to his father, John Earl of Dundonald, in the beneficies of Failford, spiritually as well as temporalily.
The buildings were repaired after passing into the ownership of the Wallace family, and for a time became known as Fail Castle; the former monastery was allowed to fall derelict again after the time of the Laird of Whytford.
In the 1860s the lands of Fail were held by Edward H. Blair of Dunskey and Brounehill, second son of Sir D. Hunter Blair of Blairquhan. The ruins consisted at this time of a gable and part of a side-wall of the 'castle'.
The final destruction of the monastery and castle
The remains of Fail Monastery were removed and used as foundations for buildings and the runway at Prestwick Airport in 1952; some of the rubble was however collected and used to form a grotto on the north side of Annbank's Roman Catholic church. possibly the ruins had become unacceptably dangerous.The ruins prior to 1952
Prior to the remains being dismantled, the ruins were mainly of a rectangular building, with three walls remaining, about 40 feet high. This building was probably the 16th-century tower or 'manor-house', originally the 'domus' of the head of the monastery and laterly the home of the commendator or Laird of Fail. The tower is said to have comprised at least three principal storeys. In 1875 Adamson observed that the ruins in 1875 consist of a gable and part of a side wall--in a stackyard near Fail toll.Surviving remains
The surviving ruins are near the Fail Castle cottage across from Fail Mains, and these comprise a fragment of wall (22m long and up to 1.3m high) revetting the break of the slope at the foot of the garden, 25m south of the cottage; below ground level a second wall is detectable, running towards the north for over 23m at a right angle to the other wall. Building alterations have uncovered 'incised slabs' and structural foundations.Archaeological finds
In 1852 road improvements unearthed a sandstone sarcophagus of a probable 14th century date, measuring two feet wide and eighteen inches deep, with a section cut out specifically for the head. The lid was intact and bore the coat of arms in an armorial panel of Cunningham quartered with those of Hunter. This lid was taken to Blairquhan CastleBlairquhan Castle
Blairquhan is a Regency-era castle near Maybole in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is the historic home of the Hunter-Blair Baronets and remains in the family's possession...
, residence owners of the ruins at that time.
In the mid 1960s some 'decorated slabs' are recorded as having been found beneath the floor of the cottage on the 'Castle' site and three skeletons were uncovered in shallow graves to the east; they were reburied near the site without any further investigation taking place.
The Warlock Laird of Fail
The last and only layman Laird of Fail, lived at Fail Castle, the new name for the old Minister's dwelling, and was said by the superstitious and somewhat uneducated locals to be a Warlock. Walter Whiteford is likely to have been the name of this despised individual, Educated abroad, Walter spoke foreign languages, and was indeed eccentric in both appearance and behaviour, leading to the many stories that surround his life. He was not a peer or baron and was therefore simply styled 'Laird' of Fail.Paterson records a ballad of this title by the local historian, Joseph Train, published in 1814, in which Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie is out hunting with the Laird of Fail and the pair come across a house in which the wife is brewing ale. The wife serves Sir Thomas a drink, however she is terrified of the Laird who looks like the Devil and refuses him entry; accusing him of causing her milk cow to die, bewitch her child, her churn to tip over, and her dog to die. The Laird responds by taking a 'pin' and reciting a charm he placed it above the doorway, resulting in a spell that forced the wife to dance and sing uncontrollably. The workers return from the fields and they too are in turn bewitched as they pass under the 'pin', until the Laird removes it and is invited to drink by the relieved householders.
One story relates that the laird one day looked out of the upper south window of the castle and saw twenty sets of ploughs at work. He bet a considerable amount of money that he could stop them all in their tracks. At first eighteen of the ploughs stopped, however two carried on without ceasing and the laird lost his bet. It is said that afterwards it was noted that the two ploughs that did not stop had a twig of Rowan or Mountain Ash tree attached, known for protection against the evil eye.
Another story involves a man who was leading an ass laden with crockery. The laird, who had a friend with him, offered for a wager to make the man break all his crockery in pieces. The bet was taken, and immediately the man stopped, unloaded the ass, and seemed to allow all of the stock to fall, smashing into shards. The laird's betting partner asked why he had acted this way and the man replied that he had seen the head of a large black dog growling out of each of the dishes ready to devour him.
"Rowan-tree and red thread Keep the devils frae their speed. |
The 'warlock' laird probably died near the close of the 17th century, and on his deathbed he is said to have warned those around present not to stay in the castle after his body was carried out; and he also told them not to bury him until after the harvest was in, because on the day he was laid to rest a disastrous storm would cause widespread damage. The tenants did the best they could, however the body was rapidly decaying and the burial was essential, even though the harvest was only half-finished. The moment the body, on the funeral day, had left Fail Castle, the castle roof collapsed and the wind scattered corn sheaves around like chaff, damage resulting throughout the area.
Water mills
The Duke of Portland abolished thirlage in mid-19th century, making Millburn Mill, and LochleaLochlea, South Ayrshire
Lochlea was situated in a a low lying area between the farms and dwellings of Lochlea and Lochside in the Parish of Tarbolton, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The loch was natural, sitting in a hollow created by glaciation. The loch waters ultimately drained via Fail Loch, the Mill Burn, and the Water of...
's head of water, redundant. Fail Mill stood on the rivulet of the Water of Fail nearby and survived into the 20th century. This mill may have originally belonged to the monastery and was powered by the Townend Burn and Fail Loch
Fail Loch
Fail Loch was situated in a low lying area near the old monastery of Fail in the Parish of Tarbolton, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The old Lochlea Loch lies nearby and its waters still feed into Fail Loch via the Mill Burn.-History:...
above it, acting as a millpond and more of an area prone to flooding than a permanent loch.
William Muir was the tenant of the Mill of Fail at the time of Robert Burns's residence at Mossgiel Farm.
Prehistory of the area
In the 1840s three kists were found about 5 ft under the surface when levelling the ground about a quarter of a mile north of the monastery (NS 421 286). Some urns were found containing bones. The area of the finds comprises gently undulating cultivated fields under cultivation.A felstone
Felsite
Felsite is a very fine grained volcanic rock that may or may not contain larger crystals. Felsite is a field term for a light colored rock that typically requires petrographic examination or chemical analysis for more precise definition...
axe, carefully polished and measuring 10 x 3 inches was found near in the 19th century near the monastery (NS 421 286).
Micro-history
A few records exist of a Parish called Balinclog and it has been suggested that the foundation of Fail Monastery led to the lands of Barnweil being granted to the new foundation and the remainder of the old parish lands, Barmuir, being incorporated into those of Tarbolton.The monks of Fail are said to have built Torthorwald Church in the 13th century.
John Speed's map of 1610 clearly marks Fail Abbey amongst the relatively small number of placenames marked.
Fail Monastery may have been attached to Paisley Abbey.
George Henry Hutton (d. 1827), a soldier and amateur antiquary, visited Fail in October 1800 and produced three drawings of the ruins.
Barnweil church was dedicated to the Holy Rood
Holyrood (cross)
The Holyrood or Holy Rood is a Christian relic considered to be part of the True Cross on which Jesus died. The word derives from the Old English rood, meaning a cross, or from the Scots haly ruid...
.
The road from Ayr to Hamilton and Edinburgh passed through Fail as shown on Roy's map of 1747-55.
The Fail Well was a spring of fine water located on the roadside.
The name of the nearby Spitalside Farm strongly suggests a connection with a monastic hospital as the monks were obliged to take and help the sick.
Melrose Abbey had lands at Mauchline
Mauchline
Mauchline is a town in East Ayrshire, Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a recorded population of 4105. It lies by the Glasgow and South Western Railway line, 8 miles east-southeast of Kilmarnock and 11 miles northeast of Ayr. It is situated on a gentle slope about 1 mile from the River Ayr,...
and a monk's road ran there via Redwrae, Long Wood, Mossbog, Ladyyard and Skeoch.
The hamlet of Failford takes its name from the lands around the monastery, near the head of the Fail.
Ladeside near Crosshands may have been a place of great age for workmen discovered an old coal pit shaft with stone built walls. The depth when the pit was laid open was 12 fathoms, and the pit bing made a slope in the roadway. The monks of Fail Monastery were reputed to have mined coal more or less on the outskirts of their lands and this could have been one of their ancient workings.