Scottish abbeys and priories - Richard Fawcett

The medieval abbeys and priories are among the most inspiring buildings ever built on Scottish soil. But, with a few exceptions ' Iona and the Border abbeys of Melrose and Jedburgh are the most obvious ' they are not nearly as widely known as they deserve. Richard Fawcett brings to life the rich and varied history and architecture of Scotland's monastic orders, explaining the early monasteries, the twelfth-century revival under King David I, the layout of the monastic buildings, the impact of the Reformation and the visible remains of most monastic sites. Apart from describing, and illustrating, in detail such highlights as Dunfermline, St Andrews and Arbroath, the author covers the many other foundations of for the monks, canons and friars of Scotland. The reader will also learn of orders ' the Tironensians and the Valliscaulians ' virtually unknown in England, and will discover that Iona's contribution to the Christianisation of Britain was more permanent than that of St Augustine in Kent.