Abbeys & priories · Central Scotland
Dryburgh Abbey
Dryburgh Abbey — category A listed building in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Tweedbank · 7.7 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Dryburgh Abbey is an abbey, priory, or monastic site in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1101. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Affiliated with Catholicism. Managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Wikidata describes it as: "category A listed building in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 55.5755°, -2.6491°.
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Heritage listing
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November (Martinmas) 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland. The arrival of the canons along with their first abbot, Roger, took place on 13 December 1152. It was burned by English troops in 1322, after which it was restored only to be again burned by Richard II in 1385, but it flourished in the fifteenth century. It was finally destroyed in 1544, briefly surviving until the Scottish Reformation, when it was given to the Earl of Mar by James VI of Scotland.
From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.
From Historic Environment Scotland
Learn a little of the Dryburgh Abbey history and discover highlights of a visit to this remarkably complete medieval ruin by the River Tweed. Contact us today for more information.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Dryburgh Abbey, near Dryburgh on the banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish Borders, was nominally founded on 10 November (Martinmas) 1150 in an agreement between Hugh de Morville, Constable of Scotland, and the Premonstratensian canons regular from Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland. The arrival of the canons along with their first abbot, Roger, took place on 13 December 1152. It was burned by English troops in 1322, after which it was restored only to be again burned by Richard II in 1385, but it flourished in the fifteenth century. It was finally destroyed in 1544, briefly surviving until the Scottish Reformation, when it was given to the Earl of Mar by James VI of Scotland. It is now a designated scheduled monument and the surrounding landscape is included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. David Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan bought the land in 1786. Sir Walter Scott and Douglas Haig are buried in its grounds. Their respective tomb and headstone, along with other memorials, are collectively designated a Category A listed building.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Description
The Premonstratensian order was founded by St Norbert of Xanten who was firstly a canon at Xanten Cathedral. Unhappy with the way of life of his fellow canons, he left the Rhine lands for the diocese of Laon, in the north of France where the reforming Bishop Bartholomew was transforming his see into one that was more apostolic. Bartholomew persuaded Norbert to form a canonical order at Prémontré, in Aisne in 1120 and while the order was Augustinian in form, the canons wore the white habit and not the black. They followed an austere monastic life but had a duty to preach and teach to those on the outside of the monastery walls. The Premonstratensians took on many of the methods of the…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 55.5755, -2.6491
- District
- Scottish Borders
- Postcode
- TD6 0BA
- Parliamentary constituency
- Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
- Established
- 1101
- Nearest railway station
- Tweedbank — 7.7 km
- Official site
- www.historicenvironment.scot
Sources
- wikidata: Q1261598 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Dryburgh Abbey (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Dryburgh Abbey spring.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Dryburgh Abbey?
- Dryburgh Abbey is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode TD6 0BA).
- When was Dryburgh Abbey built?
- Built or established in 1101.
- Who runs Dryburgh Abbey?
- Dryburgh Abbey is operated by Historic Environment Scotland.
- Is Dryburgh Abbey a listed building?
- Dryburgh Abbey is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- How do I get to Dryburgh Abbey?
- The nearest railway station is Tweedbank, about 7.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode TD6 0BA.