A gloriously sunny and warm day showed up today in the district of Argyleshire, commonly known as ‘Lorn’ or ‘Lorne’ and I decided to revisit the ruins of the Ardchattan Priory. The district, in very ancient times, was traditionally possessed by the MacDougals, a family in those days almost as powerful as the MacDonalds, ‘Lords of the Isles.’ The extremely tranquil ruins stand close to the north shore of Loch Etive some five miles inland from its mouth near the Connel Bridge. The priory was founded in 1231 by Sir Duncan MacDougall, of the family of the Lords of Lorn, for the monks of the Valliscaulian order. A priory for the same order had been established the previous year near Elgin by King Alexander II. It seems the MacDougall followed suit as a means of showing his loyalty for the King, but also to ease his own path to heaven. In 1308 it is believed that King Robert the Bruce held what is said to be the last Scottish Parliament ever conducted in Gaelic at the priory during a military expedition to Argyll.
There is a serenity about this site that gives you the feeling the ghosts of the monks are still abiding over it. The life of the monks was an austere one of silence punctuated several times a day with prayer. Several grave slabs are on display, one of the most interesting preserved in a large box. I only knew to lift the lid of the enormous box as I had visited the priory once before with my Scottish collaborator and he had discovered it.
