1275, Founded by Lady Devergoil.
Sweetheart Abbey, a beautiful structure, stands a little westward of the mouth of the Nith in a lovely and sheltered nook at the base of Criffel, the most southerly mountain in Scotland. Only the church, a fine cruciform building with a central saddleback tower of 92 feet, and part of the chapter-house are now left. In the aisle of the south transept (the only part of the abbey that is roofed) is a groined wall with shields for bosses, on one of which are the abbey arms. A beautiful rose window at the east end of the church is by far the most interesting remaining feature of the abbey. The church, as it was after its foundation, does not seem to have been of much importance either ecclesiastically or politically and has therefore scarcely any history attached to its name. The abbey was founded in 1275 by Lady Devergoil, wife of John Baliol and mother of the Scottish king of that name, who also built the bridge and monastery at Dumfries. It was called at first New Abbey in contradistinction to the old abbey at Dundrennan. Its name, however, was changed later to Sweetheart because of a story told about its foundress and her husband. The Lady Devergoil was supposed to have had her husband’s heart embalmed and enclosed in an ivory box, and at the lady’s death this box was placed inside her tomb. Over the tomb may be seen this epitaph in Latin—
“In Dever-gill a sibil sage doth lie as
Mary contemplative, as Martha pious,
To her, O deign High King! best to impart
Whom this stone covers with her husband’s heart.”
The ruins of the abbey were repaired in 1852 by means of a subscription raised among the gentry of the district, and augmented by a grant from Parliament.
[PAISLEY (Mitred Cluniac)]
1164, Founded as a Priory by Walter Fitzalan—Dedicated to SS. James, Mirin and Milburga—1219, raised to the rank of an Abbey—1307, Burned by the English—1561, Pillaged at the Reformation.
The largest and most important of Scottish abbeys is to be found near the greatest manufacturing centre of the country. Of Paisley Abbey, a house of great historical interest and very large and beautiful in its proportions, the only remains now standing are the nave and transept of the church and the adjoining Lady chapel. The transept is an interesting ruin, but the nave is entire and is still used as the church of the abbey parish, after having been restored at great price. The interior is of magnificent altitude, exhibiting three tiers of arches, partly pointed and partly semicircular, with cinque foiled arches formed within them. Many quaint images and inscriptions are to be seen on its walls, one of which, relating to George Schaw, the abbot, who in 1485 built a large wall to enclose the buildings and the land belonging to them—
“Then call it ye Abbot Georg of Schawe,
Ablone yio abbaye qart mak yis way,
A thousand four hundred yheyr
Auchty and fyve the date but veir
(Pray for his salvation)
That made yis noble foundacion.”
The line in brackets is not quite intelligible but it is supposed to be “Pray for his salvation.”
The great western door, which is pointed and deeply recessed, with rich mouldings, is surmounted by three windows with superb tracery. The Lady chapel to the south is interesting on account of its echoes, which, owing to recent alterations, are not so pronounced as formerly. In this part of the chapel, generally called the sounding aisle, is the tomb of Margory Bruce, wife of Robert Bruce, and mother of the founder of the abbey. The cloisters, 68 feet square, were also on the south side of the abbey, but the domestic buildings have almost disappeared. The abbey, founded by Walter, the first of the Stuarts, in 1164, was tenanted by a colony of Cluniac monks from Shropshire. At that time the area of the abbey grounds was about one mile, the space unoccupied by the church and other buildings being used as orchard and park land.