Crossraguel Abbey


Crossraguel Abbey is not within the boundaries of the burgh but it has always been looked upon by the townspeople as belonging to Maybole, even if it is in the Parish of Kirkoswald. The meaning of the name cannot be given with any certainty but most agree it means the Abbey of the Royal, or Regal, Cross. The abbey was founded by Duncan, Earl of Carrick, in 1244, in an age when many other monasteries were being built throughout Scotland. Duncan gave land and money to the monks of Paisley Abbey and asked them to build the monastery but they only erected a small chapel in the first instance and held on to quite a considerable balance of cash, which rather displeased the Earl. He went to law on the matter and the Bishop of Glasgow, who was appointed arbiter, found in his favour and ordained that the Paisley monks should build a proper monastery and that monks should be sent from Paisley Abbey to run it. Text from Maybole - Carrick's Capital. Photos contributed by Davie Law Large image 760387 │ Very large image 1024522


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Cors Regal (Crosraguel) Abbey - Scotland Artist: Hooper; Engraver: Saprrow. From the original description: Crosraguel Abbey stands in Carrick, one of the subdivisions of the Shire of Air, and in the parish of Kirkoswald, two miles from Maybole. This was a Cluniac abbey, founded y Duncan, son of Gilbert, Earl of Carrick, in the year 1244, as we were informed by the Chartulary of Paisley. There is a charter of King Robert Bruce to this place, which he therein calls Croceragmer de Terra Dungrelach, given at Berwick the eighteenth year of his reign, and also confirmation of all the churches and lands granted to it by Duncan Neil Robert, his father. more

Sketches of Crossraguel Abbey. Other pages on this site about Crossraguel Abbey. Maybole - Carrick's Capital: Crossraguel Abbey and Places of Interest about Maybole: Crossraguel Abbey . See also page on Undiscovered Scotland for more photos and text.

About two miles south of the town of Maybole, although included within the parish of Kirkoswald, stand the ruins of Crossraguel Abbey. It stands close by the wayside, in a natural hollow, down which runs a small burn. The highway in former times ran along the brow of the rising ground to the right, and crossed the line of turnpike a little farther on at a place called Willholm. It is from this rising ground that the best view of the abbey is to be obtained.

The text above is from the first introductory chapter of the book Crossraguel Abbey, written by Rev. Roderick Lawson in 1883. A portion of this book is now available for viewing in PDF format. Click here to view this file. ( About 1 meg in size)