Tour
Lindores Abbey in The Kingdom of Fife
Newburgh,
in north Fife, on the banks of the River Tay, has had a
settlement or a village on the present site from a period
much earlier than the end of the twelfth century, but it
was at this time that the village grew in importance, due
to the founding of Lindores Abbey.
Perhaps the most important and historic event ever witnessed
at Lindores Abbey was the meeting here in 1306 of three
puissant knights, Sir Gilbert Hay of Errol, Sir Neil Campbell
of Lochaw, and Sir Alexander Seton, and the sealing before
the high altar of the vow they made to " defend the King
Robert Bruce and his crown to the last of their blood and
fortunes. "
William Wallace was also here when he stole hither out of
Black Earnside Wood for water for his wounded men. And in
Newburgh tradition, the Clatchard Craig, which faces the
Abbey with a sheer cliff of two hundred feet, is pointed
to as the stone whereon he whetted his great two-handed
sword !
Lindores Abbey, which was once a wealthy Abbey, older and
more famed than Balmerino, is now deserted and in ruins.
Yet, Kings Warriors and Statesman who had a considerable
part to play in Scottish history have frequented this ancient
site. Brave men have walked here. Brave words have
been spoken here, and for centuries men worshipped and praised
God in this now inconspicuous site.
David, Duke of Rothesay, the ill-fated heir to the throne
was quickly buried here in 1401 after having been put to
death in Falkland Palace. For many years James the ninth
and last of the line of the " Black Douglases, " found retirement
here.
David, Earl of Huntingdon, was the founder of this Benedictine
House of the Tyronesian Order, which was colonised by monks
from Kelso at the end of the 12th century and dedicated
to St Mary and St Andrew in gratitude for the taking
of Ptolemais in Palestine. Other visitors were William the
Lyon; the second and third Alexanders, one of whom brought
interdict on Lindores and Scotland through his quarrel with
the Pope, while the other had his son and heir buried
here.
Edward I, the " Hammer of the Scots, " was here in 1296.
Lindores also saw David II, many Stuart sovereigns, including
of course, Mary. Before her visit, and angry Dundee mob
had, in 1543, assailed the abbey, ejecting the monks and
destroying much of the furnishings.
The most famous Abbot was the great theologian and inquisitor
Lawrence, one of the founders of St Andrews University.
The village of Newburgh was erected into a burgh-of-barony
by Alexander III, in 1266 in favour of the Abbot and Convent
of Lindores. In 1457 it was converted into a royal burgh.
In 1631 Charles I, confirmed the ancient royal charter,
but the burghers never exercised their right of sending
a member to the Scottish Parliament. In the wall of a building
in Newburgh High Street, and facing north, is an interesting
relic of Lindores Abbey. It shows a badge with a shield
above surmounted by a crosier or pastoral staff. The badge
is the same as was borne by the ancient Earls of Warwick
- namely the bear and ragged staff. The stone must have
at one time been part of the Abbey's decorations or the
Abbot's residence.
The bear in the stone harks back to the time of Arthur and
the Round Table. One of his knights was Arthgal, whose name
in the British language was Arsh or Narsh, signifying a
bear. The ragged staff is attributed to Morvidus, an earl
of the same family remarkable for his courage and skill,
who slew a formidable giant by means of a young tree, which
by his great strength he had torn up for the task.
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