Saddell Abbey

There is a one-lane road (paved!) down the east side of Kintyre. Only 13 km north of Campbeltown, we came to an evocative and moving ruin: Saddell Abbey.

. Saddell Abbey was founded in the late 1100s by Somerled (progenitor of the MacDonald Lords of the Isles), or by his son, Reginald. The Cistercian "Grey Monks" worked these lands until the late 1400s, by which time the MacDonald Power had been broken by the King of Scotland. The Grey Monks left, and the Abbey, and its lands, were granted to the Bishopric of Argyll.



Aside from the stone remains scattered through a park like area, there is (within a well built shelter ) a very fine collection of grave slabs. Originally they marked graves of knights, bishops and monks.

Skipness Castle on Kintyre

Skipness Castle overlooks Kilbrannan Sound. During the wretched 17th century Wars, most of the Highland castles were destroyed, dismantled, altogether razed to the ground. Skipness avoided this fate through the efforts of its guardian who begged and pleaded, and claimed that it was in fact, his personal home.

You can find an extended essay about Skipness on my Knapdale People site. This time, we walked down to the shore to look at the St. Brendan chapel. St Brendan is famous for his voyages into the North Atlantic, and therefore was a special favorite of sailors. At the "Skipness Castle" page, I include a short bio of this Brendan.

a very healthy Highland lady!

Tarbet, Monday, 17th September, 1838:

... Nothing particular in Court except the account which a worthy sempstress of Campbeltown, a witness, gave of her habits. For above twenty-five years she has scarcely ever been in bed after five. The first thing she does after dressing is, to go to a rock about a mile off, and take a large draught of sea water. She then proceeds about another mile, in a different direction, where she washes the taste of this out by a large daught of fresh water, after which she proceeds home, and about half-past six puts on the tea-kettle and breakfasts.

This is a healthy and romantic seeming morning. And therefore I regret to add that it was proved that three of four times a week, the rest of the day is given to whiskey, a result of early rising which will delight Jeffrey*, to whom morning, except before going to bed, is horrid.

(from Circuit Journeys; and "Jeffrey" was a friend of Cockburn's)

introducing Lord Cockburn

Lord Cockburn (1779 - 1854), besides being a very substantial leader of mid 19th century Scottish society, was also the judge during the Arichonan Affray trial. Thus, in the hope that he said something off the record about that trial, I borrowed his book, "Circuit Journeys" published after his death in 1889.

Well, he doesn't say a thing about Arichonan. But it turns out that he has a LOT to say about Scotland, and the people therein. I am therefore going to put quotes from this book in this blog, whenever I find a gem I think you will enjoy.

The portrait of Lord Cockburn that I am using is from the cover of "Lord Cockburn: selected letters" edited by Alan Bell (John Donald, 2005.) The original, by Sir John Watson Gordon, can be found in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh.