Churches, Cathedrals and Abbeys
Whether you are religious or not, there is some spectacular architectiure to be found in the many Churches, Cathedrals and Abbeys of Scotland. Whist many are just ruins, there are some fantastic complete sites to visit if you are staying at Craigend.
St Brides Church - Douglas - This late 14th century church now in the care of Historic Scotland is now the Mausoleum of the Black Douglases and contains the tomb of the Good Sir James Douglas who carried Robert the Bruce's heart on crusade. Today only the Choir which was reroofed in the 19th century and the South Aisle of the Nave remain along with a 16th century pencil shaped clock tower housing the oldest working clock in Scotland reputedly gifted by Mary Queen of Scot's. This is literally 10 minutes from Craigend and can be viewed together with the Heritage museum and the remains of Castle Dangerous. There is no website for this church
Glasgow Cathedral - Glasgow - Glasgow Cathedral is built on the site where St Kentigern, or Mungo, the first bishop within the ancient British kingdom of Strathclyde, was thought to have been buried in AD 612. The present cathedral was built during the 13th to 15th centuries. It is the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the 1560 Reformation virtually complete., and is absolutely stunning. If you are in Glasgow, you must stop and see this. Website Glasgow Cathedral
Melrose Abbey - Merose - Melrose Abbey is a magnificent ruin on a grand scale with lavishly decorated masonry. It is probably the most famous Abbey in Scotland. The Abbey is thought to be the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s heart, marked with a commemorative carved stone plaque within the grounds. Visitors can also visit a small museum housing a display of artefacts found within the abbey. Website Melrose Abbey
Rosslyn Chapel - Roslin, Lothian - Previously popular mainly to tourists interested in architecture, history and religion, after being used in the Da Vinci Code as the setting for the novel's plot climax, Rosslyn Chapel has achieved worldwide fame and now attracts massive attention and visitor numbers. And all tourists come to Rosslyn for one thing, to find the Holy Grail as part of their Da Vinci Code tour. The Chapel is located in Roslin, a small village just 7 miles from Edinburgh. Roslyn means 'point of the waterfall' in Scottish Gaelic according to some, or 'ancient knowledge down the line' according to others. Centuries of history changed its name into Roslin and is the home of Rosslyn Chapel -- not Roslyn Chapel -- and Rosslyn Castle. Website Rosslyn Chapel
