Showing posts with label St Augustine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St Augustine. Show all posts

Tuesday 5 July 2022

Skulferatu #75 - Cambuskenneth Abbey, Cambuskenneth, Stirling


While out and about in Stirling I decided to take a walk from the city centre out to Cambuskenneth.  This peaceful village is situated on land almost encircled by the River Forth and is dominated by the tower of the abbey that stands there.  The tower being pretty much all that is left of the abbey, the rest having long ago fallen down with the stone being taken for housing and other buildings nearby and in Stirling.

 

A photo of an old stone tower, Cambuskenneth Abbey Bell Tower, standing in an area of grass with a stone archway and trees on the right hand side.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Cambuskenneth Abbey Bell Tower

 

A photo of an old stone archway and a fenced off area which encloses the burial ground for Cambuskenneth Abbey.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Archway into the burial ground

 

A view over green fields to a low, tree covered hill with a tower, the Wallace Monument, standing on it.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
View from the abbey grounds to the Wallace Monument

 

A view from the abbey grounds over a wooden fence and gate to a green field and hills in the background.   Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
View from the abbey grounds

 

A photo of the two remaining walls of an old stone building that was the Cambuskenneth Abbey dovecot.   Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Remains of the abbey dovecot

 

A photo of two pigeons nesting in a hole in the old stone wall that was part of the Cambuskenneth Abbey dovecot.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Pigeons nesting in the dovecot

 

The abbey was founded in 1147 by King David I for the monks of the Order of St Augustine, who came from Arras, in the province of Artois in France.  Under the King’s protection the abbey became very rich with donations from those seeking his favour.  The King also decreed that ‘half the skins and tallow of all the beasts slain for the King’s use at Stirling’ be donated to the abbey.

 

The abbey soon became an economic powerhouse with properties across Scotland.  It was granted the fishing rights for the River Forth and also controlled the salt making industry along the river.  This enabled it to trade in a much desired staple of the day, dried and salted fish.  Much of this was sold in the locality while some made its way to foreign markets.  This was a nice little earner for the abbey and boosted their finances somewhat.

 

A view through the trees of the bell tower of Cambuskenneth Abbey.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
View of the Bell Tower

 

A view through the trees of the bell tower of Cambuskenneth Abbey.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
View of the Bell Tower

 

Between 1303 and 1304, the armies of King Edward I of England invaded Scotland and the abbey at Cambuskenneth was one of many to be pillaged.  The lead was taken from its roof, the ornaments and the precious manuscripts were stolen, and the abbey buildings set on fire.  However, its fortunes soon recovered and in 1314, after his victory at the Battle of Bannockburn, Robert the Bruce held the first of many parliaments at the abbey.  During the 14th Century parliaments were held so often at the abbey that one of the buildings became known as Parliament Hall.

 

In 1385 the abbey was again pillaged and vandalised, this time by the armies of King Richard II in a series of revenge attacks for Scottish border raids.  However, as previously the abbey quickly overcame its misfortune making quite a bit of cash from burying the wealthy and privileged within its grounds.  Those buried there being assured of a holy resting place for their mortal remains and that prayers would be said for the salvation of their souls. 

 

In 1487, King James III of Scotland paid a small fortune to have his wife, Margaret of Denmark, buried there.  For those of you worried that this may have been a misogynistic act to rid himself of an unwanted spouse let me reassure you that she was dead at the time of her burial, having succumbed to illness a few days before.  A short time later, in June 1488, the King himself was buried there, murdered after fleeing from defeat by a rebel army at the Battle of Sauchieburn.  Excavations in 1864 uncovered the royal tomb and the skeletal remains of two bodies, believed to be those of Margaret and James, were found in coffins beneath a slab of stone.  Queen Victoria then paid for a new tomb, positioned where the high altar once stood. 

 

A photo of a stone, coffin like structure which is the tomb of King James III & Margaret of Denmark.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
The tomb of King James III & Margaret of Denmark

 

A view of the tomb of King James III & Margaret of Denmark.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
The tomb of King James III & Margaret of Denmark

 

A drawing of Cambuskenneth Abbey and Tomb of King James III from Shearer’s Guide to Stirling.
Cambuskenneth Abbey and Tomb of King James III from Shearer’s Guide to Stirling, etc.

 

After the Reformation the abbey fell into disuse and a large portion of the lands and the abbey itself were given to John Erskine, the Earl of Mar.  He had much of the abbey pulled down and the stones from it used to construct a nice, new house for himself and his family, this being Mar's Wark, the ruins of which can be found on St John Street in Stirling.

 

A view of the old stone bell tower of Cambuskenneth Abbey.   Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
View of the Bell Tower

 

A view of the old stone bell tower of Cambuskenneth Abbey.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
View of the Bell Tower

 

A photo of two carved faces or grotesques on the wall of Cambuskenneth Bell Tower.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Bell Tower grotesques

 

A photo of two carved faces or grotesques on the wall of Cambuskenneth Bell Tower.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Bell Tower grotesques

 

A photo of a carved figure or grotesque on the wall of Cambuskenneth Bell Tower.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Bell Tower grotesque

 

After wandering around the abbey ruins and enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the site I was caught in a sudden downpour and took shelter in the tower.  Then a few minutes later when a bright, hot sun was once again beating down I went back out and left a Skulferatu in a gap in the crumbling cement and stone of the abbey’s foundations. 

 

A photo of a small, ceramic skull (Skulferatu 75) being held up with Cambuskenneth Abbey Bell Tower in the background.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Skulferatu #75

 

A photo of a small, ceramic skull (Skulferatu 75) lying amongst the stone and crumbling cement of the foundations of one of the abbey buildings.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Skulferatu #75 in abbey foundations

 

A photo of a small, ceramic skull (Skulferatu 75) lying amongst the stone and crumbling cement of the foundations of one of the abbey buildings.  Photograph by Kevin Nosferatu for the Skulferatu Project.
Skulferatu #75 in abbey foundations

 

Google Map showing location of Skulferatu #75
Map showing location of Skulferatu #75

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are –

 

Latitude 56.123423

Longitude -3.917658

 

I used the following sources for information on Cambuskenneth Abbey –

 

Information Boards at the Site

 

Bell the Cat; or Who Destroyed the Scottish Abbeys

By John Jamieson

1902

 

Shearer's guide to Stirling, Dunblane, Callander, the Trossachs and Loch Lomond, Killin, Loch Tay, Loch Awe, Crianlarich, and Oban

R S Shearer & Son

1895

 

The Illustrated London News – Oct 6, 1866

 

Undiscovered Scotland – Cambuskenneth Abbey

Cambuskenneth Abbey