Another Day, Another Abbey
Jun. 15th, 2010 07:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
endlessraritiesI spent the day in Kilwinning Main Street, so naturally when I had a couple of minutes free I took a little stroll into the abbey to take some photographs.
There's not much left of Kilwinning Abbey. My last visit to an abbey was to Dundrennan Abbey in Dumfries and Galloway. Tucked away in the back of beyond, Dundrennan had survived remarkably well through the centuries.
Kilwinning Abbey sits in the middle of a busy Ayrshire town. Nicely worked building stone has been at a premium for centuries, and sadly, the abbey's fabric has suffered heavily from predation by the local community and landowners since the Reformation in 1560. A significant amount has, for example, gone into the modern parish church, built in the late eighteenth century and worthy of a post in its own right.
The abbey still survives as an attractive ruin. Here's some views:-
The abbey tower,shown below, is a relatively modern restoration. The original was toppled in the modern period and restored thanks to the intervention of one of the Earls of Eglinton, whose family had long been associated with the abbey:-
The target for the archery competition - the 'papingo' - is hung from this tower. I really must go and see this event sometime - I've always meant to!
Some more views below:-
There's not much left of Kilwinning Abbey. My last visit to an abbey was to Dundrennan Abbey in Dumfries and Galloway. Tucked away in the back of beyond, Dundrennan had survived remarkably well through the centuries.
Kilwinning Abbey sits in the middle of a busy Ayrshire town. Nicely worked building stone has been at a premium for centuries, and sadly, the abbey's fabric has suffered heavily from predation by the local community and landowners since the Reformation in 1560. A significant amount has, for example, gone into the modern parish church, built in the late eighteenth century and worthy of a post in its own right.
The abbey still survives as an attractive ruin. Here's some views:-
The abbey tower,shown below, is a relatively modern restoration. The original was toppled in the modern period and restored thanks to the intervention of one of the Earls of Eglinton, whose family had long been associated with the abbey:-
The target for the archery competition - the 'papingo' - is hung from this tower. I really must go and see this event sometime - I've always meant to!
Some more views below:-
Altogether, it was a very pleasant day, in a rather nice location! And tomorrow, I'll be back in the office...
