Lincluden Collegiate Church
Encyclopedia
Lincluden Collegiate Church, known earlier as Lincluden Priory or Lincluden Abbey, is a ruined religious house, situated to the north of the Royal Burgh
of Dumfries
, Scotland
. Situated in a bend of the Cluden Water, at its confluence with the River Nith
, the ruins are on the site of the Bailey
of the very early Lincluden Castle, as are those of the later Lincluden Tower. This religious house was founded circa. 1160 and was used for various purposes, until its abandonment around 1700. The remaining ruins are protected as a category A listed building, and as a scheduled monument.
(d.1174) who had co-ruled Galloway
with his brother Gille Brigte
. Uchtred did not have the benefit of the relative peace of his father's reign in Galloway. Fergus of Galloway
(d.1161) had founded such establishments such as Soulseat Abbey
, St Mary's Isle Priory
, Dundrennan Abbey
, the foundation at Kirkcudbright
(Kirk of St. Cuthbert) and re-established the foundation at Whithorn
, the historic community of St Ninian. Uchtred's focus of power was in eastern Galloway, while his brother's was in the west, their reigns were marked by turbulent relationships between themselves, the Irish Kings of Ailech
, the King of Scots, William the Lyon, and the King of England, Henry II
. Lincluden was the only monastic house that Uchtred would found, meeting his death at the hand of his brother in 1174.
Prior to the foundation of Lincluden, there had been only been houses of Monks in Galloway, Uchtred's new house was the first nunnery within the Lordship. The first intake of religieuses were probably Cluniac sisters from France or England, later being supplemented by local novices.
consisting of a Provost
and twelve Canons
.
Following the capture of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas at Battle of Homildon Hill, and his later capture at the Battle of Shrewsbury
, the Earl spent some time as a prisoner of Henry IV of England
where he struck up a friendship with the King. This is evidenced by an open letter of the 20th April 1408 from Henry to all his northern castellans. This forbids them, should they enter Scotland for military purposes, from harming or damaging persons or property pertaing to the College of Lincluden for a period of three years.
Earl Archibald and his successors spent a great of money on ornamenting the church, and there are many fine armorial carvings still within the ruins. Still extant is the tomb of Princess Margaret, Countess of Douglas and Duchess of Touraine, the daughter of Robert III of Scotland
and wife of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas.
Royal burgh
A royal burgh was a type of Scottish burgh which had been founded by, or subsequently granted, a royal charter. Although abolished in 1975, the term is still used in many of the former burghs....
of Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Situated in a bend of the Cluden Water, at its confluence with the River Nith
River Nith
The River Nith is a river in South West Scotland.-Source, flow and mouth:The Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire, more precisely between Prickeny Hill and Enoch Hill, 7 km East of Dalmellington...
, the ruins are on the site of the Bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
of the very early Lincluden Castle, as are those of the later Lincluden Tower. This religious house was founded circa. 1160 and was used for various purposes, until its abandonment around 1700. The remaining ruins are protected as a category A listed building, and as a scheduled monument.
Foundation
The foundation of the priory is accredited to UchtredUchtred, Lord of Galloway
Uchtred mac Fergusa was Lord of Galloway from 1161 to 1174, ruling jointly with his half-brother Gille Brigte...
(d.1174) who had co-ruled Galloway
Lords of Galloway
The Lords, or Kings of Galloway ruled over Galloway, in south west Scotland, for a large part of the High Middle Ages.Many regions of Scotland, including Galloway and Moray, periodically had kings or subkings, similar to those in Ireland during the Middle Ages. The Scottish monarch was seen as...
with his brother Gille Brigte
Gille Brigte, Lord of Galloway
Gille Brigte or Gilla Brigte mac Fergusa of Galloway , also known as Gillebrigte, Gille Brighde, Gilbridge, Gilbride, etc., and most famously known in French sources as Gilbert, was Lord of Galloway of Scotland...
. Uchtred did not have the benefit of the relative peace of his father's reign in Galloway. Fergus of Galloway
Fergus of Galloway
Fergus of Galloway was King, or Lord, of Galloway from an unknown date , until his death in 1161. He was the founder of that "sub-kingdom," the resurrector of the Bishopric of Whithorn, the patron of new abbeys , and much else besides...
(d.1161) had founded such establishments such as Soulseat Abbey
Soulseat Abbey
Saulseat or Soulseat Abbey was a Premonstratensian monastic community located in Wigtownshire, Galloway, in the Gaelic-speaking south-west of Scotland. It was regarded as the first and the senior Premonstratensian house in the Kingdom of Scotland...
, St Mary's Isle Priory
St Mary's Isle Priory
St Mary's Isle Priory was a monastic house of Augustinian canons located on the Isle of Trail or St Mary's Isle in Galloway. It is alleged to have originated in an endowment of the island by King Fergus of Galloway in favour of Holyrood Abbey...
, Dundrennan Abbey
Dundrennan Abbey
Dundrennan Abbey, in Dundrennan, Scotland, near to Kirkcudbright, was a Cistercian monastery in the Romanesque architectural style, established in 1142 by Fergus of Galloway, King David I of Scotland , and monks from Rievaulx Abbey....
, the foundation at Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright
Kirkcudbright, is a town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.The town lies south of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie, in the part of Dumfries and Galloway known as the Stewartry, at the mouth of the River Dee, some six miles from the sea...
(Kirk of St. Cuthbert) and re-established the foundation at Whithorn
Whithorn Priory
Whithorn Priory is located in Wigtownshire, Galloway. It was founded about the middle of the twelfth century, in the reign of David I, by Fergus, Lord of Galloway, with Gille Aldan, Bishop of Galloway, for Premonstratensian Canons, referred colloquially in Britain as the White Canons.The canons of...
, the historic community of St Ninian. Uchtred's focus of power was in eastern Galloway, while his brother's was in the west, their reigns were marked by turbulent relationships between themselves, the Irish Kings of Ailech
Kings of Ailech
The Kings of Ailech belonged to the northern Uí Néill and took their name from the Grianán of Ailech , a hillfort on top of Greenan Mountain in modern County Donegal...
, the King of Scots, William the Lyon, and the King of England, Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. Lincluden was the only monastic house that Uchtred would found, meeting his death at the hand of his brother in 1174.
Prior to the foundation of Lincluden, there had been only been houses of Monks in Galloway, Uchtred's new house was the first nunnery within the Lordship. The first intake of religieuses were probably Cluniac sisters from France or England, later being supplemented by local novices.
Douglas Patronage
In the late 14th century the area became part of the fief of Archibald the Grim, Lord of Galloway, and latterly 3rd Earl of Douglas. The nuns at Lincluden had reputedly broken their vows of chastity and were guilty of licencious behaviour, Douglas with an eye on the revenues from the priory, sat in judgement over them and found them guilty. He dismissed the nuns from the priory. Pehaps penitent at the expulsion of the nuns, Earl Archibald ordered the construction of a new church to be built, and set up a CollegeCollege (canon law)
A college, in the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, is a collection of persons united together for a common object so as to form one body. The members are consequently said to be incorporated, or to form a corporation.-History:...
consisting of a Provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
and twelve Canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
.
Following the capture of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas at Battle of Homildon Hill, and his later capture at the Battle of Shrewsbury
Battle of Shrewsbury
The Battle of Shrewsbury was a battle fought on 21 July 1403, waged between an army led by the Lancastrian King, Henry IV, and a rebel army led by Henry "Hotspur" Percy from Northumberland....
, the Earl spent some time as a prisoner of Henry IV of England
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
where he struck up a friendship with the King. This is evidenced by an open letter of the 20th April 1408 from Henry to all his northern castellans. This forbids them, should they enter Scotland for military purposes, from harming or damaging persons or property pertaing to the College of Lincluden for a period of three years.
Earl Archibald and his successors spent a great of money on ornamenting the church, and there are many fine armorial carvings still within the ruins. Still extant is the tomb of Princess Margaret, Countess of Douglas and Duchess of Touraine, the daughter of Robert III of Scotland
Robert III of Scotland
Robert III was King of Scots from 1390 to his death. His given name was John Stewart, and he was known primarily as the Earl of Carrick before ascending the throne at age 53...
and wife of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas.
Sources
- Balfour Paul, Sir JamesJames Balfour PaulSir James Balfour Paul, KCVO was the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the officer responsible for heraldry in Scotland, from 1890 until the end of 1926....
. The Scots Peerage, IX Vols. Edinburgh 1907 http://www.openlibrary.org/details/chroniclesoflinc00mdowuoft - Fraser, Sir WilliiamWilliam Fraser (historian)Sir William Fraser, KCB, was a solicitor and notable expert in ancient Scottish history, palaeography, and genealogy....
The Douglas Book IV vols, Edinburgh 1885 http://www.archive.org/details/douglasbook01fras - MacDowall FSA, Willam. Chronicles of Lincluden- as an Abbey and College. Edinburgh 1886 http://www.openlibrary.org/details/chroniclesoflinc00mdowuoft