List of oldest buildings in Scotland
By council area
Table:
Building

Image

Location

Council area

Year Built

Use

Notes

St Machar's Cathedral

Old Aberdeen

Aberdeen City

1440

Church

The nave and its two western towers were built between 1422 and 1440.[128][Note 3]

Kildrummy Castle

Kildrummy

Aberdeenshire

c. 1250

Castle

Built mid 13th century, possibly by Gilbert de Moravia and fell under siege in 1306 during the Wars of Independence.[105][106]

Brechin Cathedral Round Tower

Brechin

Angus

1012

Round Tower

The tower probably predates the cathedral itself.[84][85]

Glebe cairn

Kilmartin Glen

Argyll and Bute

1700 BC

Tomb

An early Bronze Age structure with two stone cists.[38][39]

Clackmannan Tower

Clackmannan

Clackmannanshire

Late 14th century

Tower house

L-plan tower house extended in the 15th century.[131][Note 4]

Sweetheart Abbey

New Abbey

Dumfries and Galloway

Founded 1273

Abbey

A Cistercian monastery founded in 1275 by Dervorguilla of Galloway.[125]

St Mary's Tower

Nethergate

Dundee City

1495

Church

Also known as "The Old Steeple"[135] and described as "the oldest surviving building in Dundee".[136]

Mauchline Castle

Mauchline

East Ayrshire

1450

Former grange

Built by Andrew Hunter, abbot of Melrose Abbey.[137][138]

Bardowie Castle

Bardowie, between Bearsden, Milngavie, and Torrance

East Dunbartonshire

1566

Castle

16th-century tower with later additions.[139]

Dirleton Castle

Dirleton

East Lothian

1240

Castle

The de Vaux towers are the oldest extant structures.[103][104]

Mearns Castle

Newton Mearns

East Renfrewshire

Post 1449

Tower house

Restored and now used by a local church.[140]

St Margaret's Chapel

Edinburgh Castle

City of Edinburgh

1130

Chapel

The oldest building in Edinburgh.[91]

Tappoch Broch

Torwood

Falkirk

3rd century

Broch

Likely post dates Roman occupation of nearby Antonine Wall.[72][73]

St Rule's Tower

St Andrews

Fife

1123

Priory

Constructed by the Culdees prior to the granting of the church to the Augustinian order.[87]

Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow

Glasgow

1150

Cathedral

Large cathedral in Glasgow City Centre[141]

Grey Cairns of Camster

Upper Camster

Highland

3000 BC or older

Tomb

A group of three cairns.[16][17]

Newark Castle

Port Glasgow

Inverclyde

1478

Castle

The original castle had a tower house within a barmkin entered through a large gatehouse.[142]

Crichton Castle

Crichton

Midlothian

Late 14th century

Tower house

The tower is the oldest section, with later additions.[143][144]

Pluscarden Abbey

Elgin

Moray

Founded 1230

Monastery

Originally Valliscaulian, now a Benedictine House.[116]

Barpa Langass

North Uist

Na h-Eileanan Siar

3000 BC

Tomb

The best preserved chambered cairn in the Hebrides.[21][22]

Based on the provided table and the supporting text listed.

Answer the following question: What is the name of the building in the council area that includes the towns of Dalkeith , Bonnyrigg and Penicuik ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

St Machar 's Cathedral ( or , more formally , the Cathedral Church of St Machar ) is a Church of Scotland church in Aberdeen , Scotland . It is located to the north of the city centre , in the former burgh of Old Aberdeen . Technically , St Machar 's is no longer a cathedral but rather a high kirk , as it has not been the seat of a bishop since 1690 .
Old Aberdeen is part of the city of Aberdeen in Scotland . Old Aberdeen was originally a separate burgh , which was erected into a burgh of barony on 26 December 1489 . It was incorporated into adjacent Aberdeen by Act of Parliament in 1891 . It retains the status of a community council area . The town 's motto is concordia res parvae crescunt ( through harmony , small things increase ) .
Aberdeen ( /ˌæbərˈdiːn/ ( listen ) ; Scots : Aiberdeen , listen ( help·info ) ; Scottish Gaelic : Obar Dheathain [ opəɾ ˈɛ.ɛɲ ] ; Latin : Aberdonia ) is a city in northeast Scotland . It is Scotland 's third most populous city , one of Scotland 's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom 's 39th most populous built-up area , with an official population estimate of 196,670 for the city of Aberdeen and 227,560 for the local council area . During the mid-18th to mid-20th centuries , Aberdeen 's buildings incorporated locally quarried grey granite , which can sparkle like silver because of its high mica content . Since the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1970s , Aberdeen has been known as the off-shore oil capital of Europe . The area around Aberdeen has been settled for at least 8,000 years , when prehistoric villages lay around the mouths of the rivers Dee and Don . The city has a long , sandy coastline and a marine climate , the latter resulting in chilly summers and mild winters . Aberdeen received Royal burgh status from David I of Scotland ( 1124-1153 ) , transforming the city economically . The city has two universities , the University of Aberdeen , founded in 1495 , and Robert Gordon University , which was awarded university status in 1992 , making Aberdeen the educational centre of north-east Scotland . The traditional industries of fishing , paper-making , shipbuilding , and textiles have been overtaken by the oil industry and Aberdeen 's seaport . Aberdeen Heliport is one of the busiest commercial heliports in the world and the seaport is the largest in the north-east of Scotland . Aberdeen used to host the Aberdeen International Youth Festival , a major international event which attracted up to 1000 of the most talented young performing arts companies but the council ended funding in 2017 and the festival was wound up in 2018 . In 2015 , Mercer named Aberdeen the 57th most liveable city in the world , as well as the fourth most liveable city in Britain .
Kildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy , in Aberdeenshire , Scotland . Though ruined , it is one of the most extensive castles dating from the 13th century to survive in eastern Scotland , and was the seat of the Earls of Mar . It is owned today by Historic Environment Scotland and is open to the public as a scheduled ancient monument with gardens that are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland .
Kildrummy ( Scottish Gaelic : Cionn Droma ) is a hamlet in Aberdeenshire , Scotland near the River Don , 7 miles west of Alford . The hamlet 's primary school closed in 2003 . Its church was built in 1805 . Nearby Kildrummy Castle has a long history dating back to at least the 14th century . The site of Brux Castle is also about 1.5 miles ( 2.4 km ) away .
Aberdeenshire ( Scots : Aiberdeenshire ; Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Obar Dheathain ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland . It takes its name from the County of Aberdeen which has substantially different boundaries . The Aberdeenshire council area includes all of the area of the historic counties of Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire ( except the area making up the City of Aberdeen ) , as well as part of Banffshire . The county boundaries are officially used for a few purposes , namely land registration and lieutenancy . Aberdeenshire Council is headquartered at Woodhill House , in Aberdeen , making it the only Scottish council whose headquarters are located outside its jurisdiction . Aberdeen itself forms a different council area ( Aberdeen City ) . Aberdeenshire borders onto Angus and Perth and Kinross to the south , Highland and Moray to the west and Aberdeen City to the east . Traditionally , it has been economically dependent upon the primary sector ( agriculture , fishing , and forestry ) and related processing industries . Over the last 40 years , the development of the oil and gas industry and associated service sector has broadened Aberdeenshire 's economic base , and contributed to a rapid population growth of some 50% since 1975 . Its land represents 8% of Scotland 's overall territory . It covers an area of 6,313 square kilometres ( 2,437 sq mi ) .
Gilbert de Moravia ( died 1245 ) , later known as Saint Gilbert of Dornoch , or Gilbert of Caithness , was the most famous Bishop of Caithness and founder of Dornoch Cathedral . His name may suggest that he came from the semi-Gaelicized family of Flemish origin who were Lords of Duffus , and who during Gilbert 's episcopate would create the Earldom of Sutherland under Gilbert 's possible cousin , William de Moravia , 1st Earl of Sutherland .
The First War of Scottish Independence was the initial chapter of engagements in a series of warring periods between English and Scottish forces lasting from the invasion by England in 1296 until the de jure restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton in 1328 . De facto independence was established in 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn . England attempted to establish its authority over Scotland while the Scots fought to keep English rule and authority out of Scotland . The term War of Independence did not exist at the time . The war was given that name retroactively many centuries later , after the American War of Independence made the term popular .
Brechin Cathedral dates from the 13th century . As a congregation of the Church of Scotland , which is Presbyterian , the church is not technically a cathedral , in spite of its name . It is in the Pointed style , but suffered maltreatment in 1806 at the hands of restorers , whose work was subsequently removed during the restoration completed in 1902 . The western gable with its flamboyant window , Gothic door and massive square tower , parts of the ( much truncated ) choir , and the nave pillars and clerestory are all that is left of the original edifice . The modern stained glass in the chancel is reckoned amongst the finest in Scotland . The Cathedral is a category A listed building and the attached Round Tower is a scheduled monument .
Brechin ( /ˈbriːxɪn/ ; Scottish Gaelic : Breichinn ) is a town and former Royal burgh in Angus , Scotland . Traditionally Brechin was described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese ( which continues today as an episcopal seat of the Scottish Episcopal Church ) , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era . Nevertheless , the designation is often used , with examples being the City of Brechin and District Community Council , City of Brechin and Area Partnership , City of Brechin Civic Trust and Brechin City Football Club .
Angus ( Scottish Gaelic : Aonghas ) is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland , a registration county and a lieutenancy area . The council area borders Aberdeenshire , Dundee City [ disambiguation needed ] and Perth and Kinross . Main industries include agriculture and fishing . Global pharmaceuticals company GSK has a significant presence in Montrose in the north of the county . Angus was historically a county , known officially as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1928 , bordering Kincardineshire to the north-east , Aberdeenshire to the north and Perthshire to the west ; southwards it faced Fife across the Firth of Tay ( essentially the same border as today minus Dundee ) . It remains a registration county and a lieutenancy area . In 1975 some of its administrative functions were transferred to the council district of the Tayside Region , and in 1995 further reform resulted in the establishment of the unitary Angus Council .
Irish round towers ( Irish : Cloigtheach ( singular ) , Cloigthithe ( plural ) - literally bell house ) are early medieval stone towers of a type found mainly in Ireland , with two in Scotland and one on the Isle of Man . As their name Cloigtheach indicates , they were originally bell towers , though they may have been later used for additional purposes . Generally found in the vicinity of a church or monastery , the door of the tower faces the west doorway of the church . In this way , it has been possible to determine without excavation the approximate site of lost churches , where the tower still exists .
Kilmartin Glen is an area in Argyll not far from Kintyre . It has the most important concentration of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in mainland Scotland .
Argyll and Bute ( Scottish Gaelic : Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bòd , pronounced [ ɛrˠəˈɣɛːəlˠ̪ akəs̪ ˈpɔːtʲ ] ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area . The administrative centre for the council area is in Lochgilphead .
The Bronze Age is a historical period that was characterized by the use of bronze , and in some areas proto-writing , and other early features of urban civilization . The Bronze Age is the second principal period of the three-age Stone-Bronze-Iron system , as proposed in modern times by Christian Jürgensen Thomsen , for classifying and studying ancient societies . An ancient civilization is defined to be in the Bronze Age either by producing bronze by smelting its own copper and alloying with tin , arsenic , or other metals , or by trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere . Bronze itself is harder and more durable than other metals available at the time , allowing Bronze Age civilizations to gain a technological advantage . Whilst terrestrial iron is naturally abundant , its high melting point of 1,538 °C ( 2,800 °F ) placed it out of reach of common use until the end of the second millennium BC . Tin 's low melting point of 231.9 °C ( 449.4 °F ) and copper 's relatively moderate melting point of 1,085 °C ( 1,985 °F ) placed them within the capabilities of the Neolithic pottery kilns , which date back to 6000 BC and were able to produce temperatures greater than 900 °C ( 1,650 °F ) . Copper-tin ores are rare , as reflected in the fact that there were no tin bronzes in Western Asia before trading in bronze began in the third millennium BC . Worldwide , the Bronze Age generally followed the Neolithic period , with the Chalcolithic serving as a transition . Although the Iron Age generally followed the Bronze Age , in some areas ( such as Sub-Saharan Africa ) , the Iron Age began as early as 2500 BC . Bronze Age cultures differed in their development of the first writing . According to archaeological evidence , cultures in Mesopotamia ( cuneiform script ) and Egypt ( hieroglyphs ) developed the earliest viable writing systems .
Clackmannan Tower is a five-storey tower house , situated at the summit of King 's Seat Hill in Clackmannan , Clackmannanshire , Scotland . It was built in the 14th century by King David II of Scotland and sold to his cousin Robert Bruce in 1359 . It is a designated scheduled ancient monument .
Clackmannan ( /klækˈmænən/ listen ( help·info ) ; Scottish Gaelic : Clach Mhanainn , perhaps meaning Stone of Manau ) , is a small town and civil parish set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland . Situated within the Forth Valley , Clackmannan is 1.8 miles ( 2.9 km ) south-east of Alloa and 3.2 miles ( 5.1 km ) south of Tillicoultry . The town is within the county of Clackmannanshire , of which it was formerly the county town , until Alloa overtook it in size and importance . According to a 2009 estimate the population of the settlement of Clackmannan is 3,348 residents .
Clackmannanshire ( /klækˈmænənˌʃɪər , -ʃər/ ( listen ) ; Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Chlach Mhannainn ) is a historic county and council area in Scotland , bordering the council areas of Stirling , Fife and Perth & Kinross and the historic counties of Perthshire , Stirlingshire and Fife . The name is derived from three languages the first Scottish Gaelic : Clach meaning Stone , Mannan is a derivative of the Brythonic name of the Iron Age tribe the Manaw , who inhabited the area , and the English word shire . As Britain 's smallest historic county , it is often nicknamed The Wee County . When written , Clackmannanshire is commonly abbreviated to Clacks .
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure , built for defensive purposes as well as habitation . Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages , especially in mountainous or limited access areas , in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces . At the same time , they were also used as an aristocrat 's residence , around which a castle town was often constructed .
The Abbey of Dulce Cor , better known as Sweetheart Abbey ( Gd : An Abaid Ur ) , was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1275 in what is now the village of New Abbey , in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway , 8 miles ( 13 km ) south of Dumfries .
New Abbey is a village in the historical county of Kirkcudbrightshire in Dumfries and Galloway , Scotland . It is around 6 miles ( 10 km ) south of Dumfries . The summit of the prominent hill Criffel is 2.5 miles ( 4.0 km ) to the south . The village has a wealth of history including the ruined Cistercian abbey Sweetheart Abbey , founded by Lady Devorgilla in 1273 in memory of her husband John Balliol . She kept his embalmed heart close to her for the rest of her life . The monks named the abbey dulce cor ( sweet heart ) . The village has a watermill , the New Abbey Corn Mill . Loch Kindar has a crannog and the village has the remains of Kirk Kindar ( this was the parish church until just after 1633 when it was transferred to the refectory of the suppressed Sweetheart Abbey ) on an island located just outside the village . The village has a saw mill , a hotel , a village shop , a coffee shop , a primary school , a doctor 's surgery , a village hall , a bowling green , a football pitch - Maryfield Park ( home to Abbey Vale FC ) , a Church of Scotland church . A Roman Catholic church , St Mary 's , designed by the New Abbey born architect Walter Newall , closed in 2013 . It is now The Thomas Bagnall Centre with occasional retreats and Mass said here . Two burns flow through the village : the New Abbey Pow which runs into the River Nith Estuary and the Sheep Burn .
Dumfries and Galloway ( Scots : Dumfries an Gallowa ; Scottish Gaelic : Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh ) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands . It comprises the historic counties of Dumfriesshire , Stewartry of Kirkcudbright and Wigtownshire , the latter two of which are collectively known as Galloway . The administrative centre is the town of Dumfries . Following the 1975 reorganisation of local government in Scotland , the three counties were joined to form a single region of Dumfries and Galloway , with four districts within it . Since the Local Government etc . ( Scotland ) Act 1994 , however , it has become a unitary local authority . For lieutenancy purposes , the historic counties are largely maintained with its three lieutenancy areas being Dumfries , Wigtown and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright . To the north , Dumfries and Galloway borders East Ayrshire , South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire ; in the east the Borders ; and to the south the county of Cumbria in England and the Solway Firth . To the west lies the Irish Sea .
The Cistercians ( /sɪˈstɜːrʃənz/ ) officially the Order of Cistercians ( Latin : ( Sacer ) Ordo Cisterciensis , abbreviated as OCist or SOCist ) , are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict . They are also known as Bernardines , after the highly influential Bernard of Clairvaux ( though that term is also used of one of the Franciscan Orders in Poland and Lithuania ) ; or as White Monks , in reference to the colour of the cuccula or white choir robe worn by the Cistercians over their habits , as opposed to the black cuccula worn by Benedictine monks . The term Cistercian ( French Cistercien ) , derives from Cistercium , the Latin name for the village of Cîteaux , near Dijon in eastern France . It was in this village that a group of Benedictine monks from the monastery of Molesme founded Cîteaux Abbey in 1098 , with the goal of following more closely the Rule of Saint Benedict . The best known of them were Robert of Molesme , Alberic of Cîteaux and the English monk Stephen Harding , who were the first three abbots . Bernard of Clairvaux entered the monastery in the early 1110s with 30 companions and helped the rapid proliferation of the order . By the end of the 12th century , the order had spread throughout France and into England , Wales , Scotland , Ireland , Spain , Portugal , Italy , Scandinavia and Eastern Europe . The keynote of Cistercian life was a return to literal observance of the Rule of St Benedict . Rejecting the developments the Benedictines had undergone , the monks tried to replicate monastic life as it had been in Saint Benedict 's time ; indeed in various points they went beyond it in austerity . The most striking feature in the reform was the return to manual labour , especially agricultural work in the fields , a special characteristic of Cistercian life . The Cistercians also made major contributions to culture and technology in medieval Europe : Cistercian architecture is considered one of the most beautiful styles of medieval architecture ; and the Cistercians were the main force of technological diffusion in fields such as agriculture , hydraulic engineering , and metallurgy . The original emphasis of Cistercian life was on manual labour and self-sufficiency , and many abbeys have traditionally supported themselves through activities such as agriculture and brewing ales .
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics , monks or nuns , whether living in communities or alone ( hermits ) . A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may be a chapel , church , or temple , and may also serve as an oratory , or in the case of communities anything from a single building housing only one senior and two or three junior monks or nuns , to vast complexes and estates housing tens or hundreds . A monastery complex typically comprises a number of buildings which include a church , dormitory , cloister , refectory , library , balneary and infirmary . Depending on the location , the monastic order and the occupation of its inhabitants , the complex may also include a wide range of buildings that facilitate self-sufficiency and service to the community . These may include a hospice , a school , and a range of agricultural and manufacturing buildings such as a barn , a forge , or a brewery . In English usage , the term monastery is generally used to denote the buildings of a community of monks . In modern usage , convent tends to be applied only to institutions of female monastics ( nuns ) , particularly communities of teaching or nursing religious sisters . Historically , a convent denoted a house of friars ( reflecting the Latin ) , now more commonly called a friary . Various religions may apply these terms in more specific ways .
Dervorguilla of Galloway ( c. 1210 - 28 January 1290 ) was a 'lady of substance ' in 13th century Scotland , the wife from 1223 of John , 5th Baron de Balliol , and mother of John I , a future king of Scotland . The name Dervorguilla or Devorgilla was a Latinisation of the Gaelic Dearbhfhorghaill ( alternative spellings , Derborgaill or Dearbhorghil ) .
Dundee Parish Church ( St Marys ) is located in the east section of Dundee 's City Churches , the other being occupied by the Steeple Church . Both are congregations in the Church of Scotland , although with differing styles of worship . Dundee played an important role in the Reformation , and John Knox asserts in his History of the Reformation that the first face of a public church Reformed was that of St Mary 's in Dundee , by 1556 . The church dates back to 1190 , when it was founded by David , Earl of Huntingdon , brother of William the Lion , King of Scots . The original buildings have not survived . In 1303 the church was burnt by an invading English army . Following a further invasion in 1547 the church was burnt down again . In the late Middle Ages , Dundee 's was the largest parish church in Scotland with the Old Steeple , built in the 1470s during the Provostship of George Spalding , the tallest tower . In 1841 three of the City Churches were again destroyed by fire . Two were rebuilt , the South Church or St Paul 's and the East Church or St Mary 's . St Mary 's , now known as Dundee Parish Church ( St Mary 's ) was rebuilt being completed in 1844 to the design of William Burn . In 1847 the rebuilt South Church was reopened under the name St Paul 's ( South ) Church .
Dundee ( /dʌnˈdiː/ ( listen ) ; Scottish Gaelic : Dùn Dè or Dùn Dèagh [ ˈt̪uːn tʲeː ] ) is Scotland 's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom . The mid-year population estimate for 2018 was 148,750 , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or 6,420/sq mi , the second-highest in Scotland . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay , which feeds into the North Sea . Under the name of Dundee City ( officially the City of Dundee ) , it forms one of the 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland . Historically part of Angus , the city developed into a burgh in the late 12th century and established itself as an important east coast trading port . Rapid expansion was brought on by the Industrial Revolution , particularly in the 19th century when Dundee was the centre of the global jute industry . This , along with its other major industries gave Dundee its epithet as the city of jute , jam and journalism . Today , Dundee is promoted as One City , Many Discoveries in honour of Dundee 's history of scientific activities and of the RRS Discovery , Robert Falcon Scott 's Antarctic exploration vessel , which was built in Dundee and is now berthed at Discovery Point . Biomedical and technological industries have arrived since the 1980s , and the city now accounts for 10% of the United Kingdom 's digital entertainment industry , including mobile app development and gaming . Dundee has two universities - the University of Dundee and the Abertay University . In 2014 Dundee was recognised by the United Nations as the UK 's first UNESCO City of Design for its diverse contributions to fields including medical research , comics and video games . A unique feature of Dundee is that its two professional football clubs , Dundee F.C .
Mauchline ( /ˈmɒxlɪn/ ; Scottish Gaelic : Maghlinn ) is a town and civil parish in East Ayrshire , Scotland . In the 2001 census Mauchline had a recorded population of 4,105 .
East Ayrshire ( Scots : Aest Ayrshire ; Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Àir an Ear ) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland . It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway , East Renfrewshire , North Ayrshire , South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire . The headquarters of the council are located on London Road , Kilmarnock . With South Ayrshire and the mainland areas of North Ayrshire , it formed the former county of Ayrshire . The wider geographical region of East Ayrshire has a population of 122,100 at the last 2011 census , making it the 16th-largest local authority in Scotland . Spanning a geographical area of 1,262 km2 ( 487 sq mi ) , East Ayrshire is the 14th-largest local authority in Scotland in terms of geographical area . The majority of the population of East Ayrshire live within and surrounding the main town , Kilmarnock , having a population of over 46,000 people at the 2011 census . Other large population areas in East Ayrshire include Cumnock , the second-largest town in terms of population and area , and smaller towns and villages such as Stewarton , Darvel and Hurlford .
Monastic granges were outlying landholdings held by monasteries independent of the manorial system . The first granges were owned by the Cistercians and other orders followed . Wealthy monastic houses had many granges , most of which were largely agricultural providing food for the monastic community . A grange might be established adjacent to the monastery but others were established wherever it held lands , some at a considerable distance . Some granges were worked by lay-brothers belonging to the order , others by paid labourers . Granges could be of six known types : agrarian , sheep or cattle farms , horse studs , fisheries and industrial complexes . Industrial granges were significant in the development of medieval industries , particularly iron working .
St Mary 's Abbey , Melrose is a partly ruined monastery of the Cistercian order in Melrose , Roxburghshire , in the Scottish Borders . It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks at the request of King David I of Scotland , and was the chief house of that order in the country until the Reformation . It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose . Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument . The east end of the abbey was completed in 1146 . Other buildings in the complex were added over the next 50 years . The abbey was built in the Gothic manner , and in the form of a St. John 's Cross . A considerable portion of the abbey is now in ruins . A structure dating from 1590 is maintained as a museum open to the public . Alexander II and other Scottish kings and nobles are buried at the abbey . A lead container believed to hold the embalmed heart of Robert the Bruce was found in 1921 below the Chapter House site ; it was found again in a 1998 excavation . This was documented in records of his death .
Bardowie Castle is located 2 kilometres ( 1.2 mi ) east of Milngavie , in East Dunbartonshire , Scotland . The A-Listed building overlooks Bardowie Loch .
Bardowie is a hamlet in East Dunbartonshire located within the civil parish of Baldernock . It is 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) from Milngavie and 4 miles ( 6.4 km ) from Strathblane . Along with other settlements in Baldernock , it was part of Stirlingshire until 1975 , when Bardowie became part of the Strathclyde region . In 1996 another reorganisation placed Bardowie in East Dunbartonshire . The 1795 Richardson Thomas map of the town of Glasgow & country seven miles around refers to Bardowie as Barduie . Despite being a hamlet , Bardowie is a conservation village . There are no plans to build any more houses in Bardowie . [ citation needed ]
Bearsden ( /ˌbɛərzˈdɛn/ ( listen ) ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire , Scotland , on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow . Approximately 6 miles ( 10 km ) from Glasgow City Centre , the town is effectively a suburb , and its housing development coincided with the 1863 introduction of a railway line . The town was named after Bearsden railway station , which was named after a nearby cottage . Bearsden was ranked the seventh-wealthiest area in Britain in a 2005 survey and has the least social housing of any town in Scotland . The Roman Antonine Wall runs through the town , and the remains of a military bath house can be seen near the town centre . In 1649 , the first New Kilpatrick parish church was built , which became the centre of administration for the area . The town 's official Gaelic name Cille Phàdraig Ùr ( meaning new church of Patrick ) reflects the name of the parish . By the early 20th century , a town had grown up with large townhouses , primarily occupied by wealthy commuter business workers . Further development of more affordable housing has increased the population of the town to approximately 28,000 . Formerly a burgh , the town now has local government being the responsibility of East Dunbartonshire Council , but until 2011 , the council had some departmental offices at Boclair House in Bearsden .
Milngavie ( /mɪlˈɡaɪ/ ( listen ) mil-GHY ; Scots : Mulguye , Scottish Gaelic : Muileann-Gaidh ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire , Scotland . It is on the Allander Water , at the northwestern edge of Greater Glasgow , and about 6 miles ( 10 km ) from Glasgow city centre . It neighbours Bearsden . Milngavie is a commuter town , with much of its working population travelling to Glasgow to work or study . The town is served by Milngavie railway station on the North Clyde Line of the SPT rail network , which links it to Central Glasgow . The town was formerly served by routes 13 and 14 of the once extensive Glasgow tramway system . Tramway services in Milngavie were withdrawn in 1956 ; the entire system was dismantled by September 1962 . The town is a very popular retirement location , with an unusually high proportion of elderly . In the 2001 census the town had a population of 12,795 in 5,256 households . The Milngavie and Bearsden Herald , owned by Johnston Press , is a weekly newspaper that covers local events from the schools , town halls , community and government in the area . The paper was established in 1901 and is printed every Wednesday , to be sold on Thursdays . Currently the town is perhaps best known as the start of the West Highland Way long distance footpath which runs northwards for 95 miles ( 153 km ) to the town of Fort William .
Torrance is a village in East Dunbartonshire , Scotland , located 8 miles ( 13 km ) north of the Glasgow city centre . Torrance used to mainly consist of farmland . The village was once famous as a resting place for workers on their way to the Campsie Fells 4 miles ( 6.4 km ) north . The Forth and Clyde Canal has a wharf nearby at Hungryside , and the A807 runs along its southern edge . The village has an active community charity whose aims are to improve the village facilities .
East Dunbartonshire ( Scots : Aest Dunbartanshire ; Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Ear ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland . It borders the north-west of the City of Glasgow and contains many of the suburbs of Glasgow as well as many of the city 's commuter towns and villages . East Dunbartonshire also shares borders with North Lanarkshire , Stirling and West Dunbartonshire . The council area covers parts of the historic counties of Dunbartonshire , Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire . The council area was formed in 1996 , as a result of the Local Government etc . ( Scotland ) Act 1994 , from the former Bearsden and Milngavie district and most of the former Strathkelvin district ( all areas except Chryston and Auchinloch , which became part of North Lanarkshire council area ) , within the wider Strathclyde region .
Dirleton Castle is a medieval fortress in the village of Dirleton , East Lothian , Scotland . It lies around 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) west of North Berwick , and around 19 miles ( 31 km ) east of Edinburgh . The oldest parts of the castle date to the 13th century , and it was abandoned by the end of the 17th century . Begun in around 1240 by John De Vaux , the castle was heavily damaged during the Wars of Scottish Independence , when it was twice taken by the English . In the 14th century , Dirleton was repaired by the Haliburton family , and it was acquired by the Ruthvens in 1505 . The Ruthvens were involved in several plots against Mary , Queen of Scots , and King James VI , and eventually forfeited the castle in 1600 . Dirleton ceased to be a residence , although Oliver Cromwell was forced to besiege the castle to flush out a band of mosstroopers ( marauders ) , during the Third English Civil War in 1650 . The damaged castle was then acquired by John Nisbet , Lord Dirleton , who decided to build a new country house on the nearby Archerfield Estate . The Nisbet family of Dirleton continued to maintain the castle 's gardens , before handing Dirleton into state care in 1923 . The ruins and gardens are now maintained by Historic Environment Scotland . Dirleton Castle stands on a rocky outcrop , at the heart of the rich agricultural lands of the barony of Dirleton , and guards the coastal approach to Edinburgh from England , via the port of North Berwick . The ruins comprise a 13th-century keep , and a 16th-century house which the Ruthvens built adjacent .
Dirleton is a village and parish in East Lothian , Scotland approximately 20 miles ( 32 km ) east of Edinburgh on the A198 . It contains 7,500 acres ( 30 km2 ) . Dirleton lies between North Berwick ( east ) , Gullane ( west ) , Fenton Barns ( south ) and the Yellowcraigs nature reserve , Archerfield Estate and the Firth of Forth ( north ) . Gullane parish was joined to Dirleton parish in 1612 by an Act of Parliament because Golyn ( as it was anciently spelt ) is ane decaying toun , and Dirleton is ane thriven place .
East Lothian ( /ˈloʊðiən/ ; Scottish Gaelic : Lodainn an Ear ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland , a historic county , registration county and lieutenancy area . The county was also known as Haddingtonshire . In 1975 , the historic county was incorporated for local government purposes into Lothian Region as East Lothian District , with some slight alterations of its boundaries . The Local Government etc . ( Scotland ) Act 1994 later created East Lothian as one of 32 modern council areas . East Lothian lies south of the Firth of Forth in the eastern central Lowlands of Scotland . It borders Edinburgh to the west , Midlothian to the south-west and the Scottish Borders to the south . Its administrative centre and former county town is Haddington while the largest town is Musselburgh . Haddingtonshire has ancient origins and is named in a charter of 1139 as Hadintunschira and in another of 1141 as Hadintunshire . Three of the county 's towns were designated as royal burghs : Haddington , Dunbar , and North Berwick . As with the rest of Lothian , it formed part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Bernicia and later the Kingdom of Northumbria . Popular legend suggests that it was at a battle between the Picts and Angles in the East Lothian village of Athelstaneford in 823 that the flag of Scotland was conceived .
Mearns Castle is a 15th-century tower house in Newton Mearns , East Renfrewshire , to the south of Glasgow , Scotland . It is a Category A listed building . The castle has been restored and is now part of the Maxwell Mearns Castle Church . It also gives its name to nearby Mearns Castle High School .
Newton Mearns ( Scottish Gaelic : Baile Ùr na Maoirne [ ˈpalə ˈuːɾ nə ˈmɯːrˠɲə ] ) is an affluent suburban town and the largest settlement in East Renfrewshire , Scotland . It lies 7 miles ( 11 km ) southwest of Glasgow City Centre on the main road to Ayrshire , 410 feet ( 125 m ) above sea level . It has a population of approximately 22,636 , stretching from Whitecraigs and Kirkhill in the northeast to Maidenhill in the southeast , to Westacres and Greenlaw in the west and Capelrig/Patterton in the northwest . It is part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation . Its name derives from being a new town of the Mearns ( from Scottish Gaelic a ' Mhaoirne meaning a stewartry ) .
East Renfrewshire ( Scots : Aest Renfrewshire ; Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Rinn Friù an Ear ) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland . Until 1975 it formed part of the county of Renfrewshire for local government purposes along with the modern council areas of Renfrewshire , North Ayrshire and Inverclyde . Although no longer a local authority area , Renfrewshire still remains the registration county and lieutenancy area of East Renfrewshire . The East Renfrewshire local authority was formed in 1996 , as a successor to the Eastwood district , along with Barrhead , which came from Renfrew district . Its longest border is with East Ayrshire , followed by the City of Glasgow , then Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire , followed by its extremely short border with North Ayrshire .
St Margaret 's Chapel , in Edinburgh Castle , is the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh , Scotland . An example of Romanesque architecture , it is a category A listed building . It was constructed in the 12th century , but fell into disuse after the Reformation . In the 19th century the chapel was restored and today is cared for by the St Margaret 's Chapel Guild .
Edinburgh Castle is a historic fortress which dominates the skyline of Edinburgh , the capital city of Scotland , from its position on the Castle Rock . Archaeologists have established human occupation of the rock since at least the Iron Age ( 2nd century AD ) , although the nature of the early settlement is unclear . There has been a royal castle on the rock since at least the reign of David I in the 12th century , and the site continued at times to be a royal residence until 1633 . From the 15th century , the castle 's residential role declined , and by the 17th century it was principally used as military barracks with a large garrison . Its importance as a part of Scotland 's national heritage was recognised increasingly from the early 19th century onwards , and various restoration programmes have been carried out over the past century and a half . As one of the most important strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland , Edinburgh Castle was involved in many historical conflicts from the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century to the Jacobite rising of 1745 . Research undertaken in 2014 identified 26 sieges in its 1100-year-old history , giving it a claim to having been the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world . Few of the present buildings pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century when the medieval defences were largely destroyed by artillery bombardment . The most notable exceptions are St Margaret 's Chapel from the early 12th century , which is regarded as the oldest building in Edinburgh , the Royal Palace and the early-16th-century Great Hall , although the interiors have been much altered from the mid-Victorian period onwards . The castle also houses the Scottish regalia , known as the Honours of Scotland and is the site of the Scottish National War Memorial and the National War Museum of Scotland . The British Army is still responsible for some parts of the castle , although its presence is now largely ceremonial and administrative . Some of the castle buildings house regimental museums which contribute to its presentation as a tourist attraction .
Edinburgh ( /ˈɛdɪnbərə/ ( listen ) ; Scots : Edinburgh ; Scottish Gaelic : Dùn Èideann [ ˈt̪uːn ˈeːtʲən̪ˠ ] ) is the capital of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas . Historically part of the county of Midlothian ( interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921 ) , it is located in Lothian on the Firth of Forth 's southern shore . Recognised as the capital of Scotland since at least the 15th century , Edinburgh is the seat of the Scottish Government , the Scottish Parliament and the supreme courts of Scotland . The city 's Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland . The city has long been a centre of education , particularly in the fields of medicine , Scots law , literature , philosophy , the sciences and engineering . It is the second largest financial centre in the United Kingdom ( after London ) and the city 's historical and cultural attractions have made it the United Kingdom 's second most popular tourist destination attracting 1.75 million visits from overseas in 2016 . Edinburgh is Scotland 's second most populous city and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom . The official population estimates are 488,050 ( 2016 ) for the Locality of Edinburgh ( Edinburgh pre 1975 regionalisation plus Currie and Balerno ) , 518,500 ( 2018 ) for the City of Edinburgh , and 1,339,380 ( 2014 ) for the city region . Edinburgh lies at the heart of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region comprising East Lothian , Edinburgh , Fife , Midlothian , Scottish Borders and West Lothian . The city is the annual venue of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland . It is home to national institutions such as the National Museum of Scotland , the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish National Gallery . The University of Edinburgh , founded in 1582 and now one of four in the city , is placed 20th in the QS World University Rankings for 2020 .
Torwood ( Scottish Gaelic : Coille Tor ) is a small village located 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) north-northwest of Larbert , 4 miles ( 6.4 km ) north-west of Falkirk and 6 miles ( 9.7 km ) south-southeast of Stirling . Torwood lies within the Falkirk Council area of Scotland . The population recorded in the 2011 UK Census was 245 . The A9 road between Bannockburn and Camelon runs through the village . Torwood Has 3 streets : Castle Crescent , Forester Gait & Glen Road . Glen Road leads on to Torwood Castle , Quarry and Broch .
Falkirk Council ( /ˈfɔːlkɜːrk/ ) is one of 32 unitary authority council areas of Scotland . It was formed on 1 April 1996 from the exact boundaries of Falkirk District Council by way of the Local Government etc . ( Scotland ) Act 1994 . Prior to 1975 the majority of the council area was part of the county of Stirlingshire , and a small part , namely Bo'ness and Blackness , was part of the former county of West Lothian . The council area borders with North Lanarkshire , Stirling and West Lothian , and , across the Firth of Forth to the northeast , Clackmannanshire and Fife . The council is led by the SNP which gained 12 seats in the 2017 Council Election . The incumbent leader of is councillor Cecil Meiklejohn ; the provost is Billy Buchanan and the deputy provost is Ann Ritchie . Focurc is a language or dialect spoken in villages of the area , closely related to Scots .
The Antonine Wall , known to the Romans as Vallum Antonini , was a turf fortification on stone foundations , built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland , between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde . Representing the northernmost frontier barrier of the Roman Empire , it spanned approximately 63 kilometres ( 39 miles ) and was about 3 metres ( 10 feet ) high and 5 metres ( 16 feet ) wide . Lidar scans have been carried out to establish the length of the wall and the Roman distance units used . Security was bolstered by a deep ditch on the northern side . It is thought that there was a wooden palisade on top of the turf . The barrier was the second of two great walls created by the Romans in Great Britain . Its ruins are less evident than those of the better-known Hadrian 's Wall to the south , primarily because the turf and wood wall has largely weathered away , unlike its stone-built southern predecessor . Construction began in AD 142 at the order of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius , and took about 12 years to complete . Antoninus Pius never visited Britain , whereas his predecessor Hadrian had done so . Pressure from the Caledonians may have led Antoninus to send the empire 's troops further north . The Antonine Wall was protected by 16 forts with small fortlets between them ; troop movement was facilitated by a road linking all the sites known as the Military Way . The soldiers who built the wall commemorated the construction and their struggles with the Caledonians with decorative slabs , twenty of which survive .
The Cathedral of St Andrew ( often referred to as St Andrews Cathedral ) is a ruined cathedral in St Andrews , Fife , Scotland . It was built in 1158 and became the centre of the Medieval Catholic Church in Scotland as the seat of the Archdiocese of St Andrews and the Bishops and Archbishops of St Andrews . It fell into disuse and ruin after Catholic mass was outlawed during the 16th-century Scottish Reformation . It is currently a monument in the custody of Historic Environment Scotland . The ruins indicate that the building was approximately 119 m ( 390 ft ) long , and is the largest church to have been built in Scotland .
St Andrews ( Latin : S. Andrea ( s ) ; Scots : Saunt Aundraes ; Scottish Gaelic : Cill Rìmhinn ) is a town on the east coast of Fife in Scotland , 10 miles ( 16 km ) southeast of Dundee and 30 miles ( 50 km ) northeast of Edinburgh . St Andrews has a recorded population of 16,800 in 2011 , making it Fife 's fourth largest settlement and 45th most populous settlement in Scotland . The town is home to the University of St Andrews , the third oldest university in the English-speaking world and the oldest in Scotland . According to some rankings , it is ranked as the second best university in the United Kingdom , behind Cambridge . The University is an integral part of the burgh and during term time students make up approximately one third of the town 's population . [ citation needed ] The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle . There has been an important church in St Andrews since at least the 747 AD when it was mentioned in the Annals of Tigernach , and a bishopric since at least the 11th century . [ citation needed ] The settlement grew to the west of St Andrews cathedral with the southern side of the Scores to the north and the Kinness burn to the south . The burgh soon became the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland , a position which was held until the Scottish Reformation . The famous cathedral , the largest in Scotland , now lies in ruins . St Andrews is also known worldwide as the home of golf . This is in part because The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews , founded in 1754 , which until 2004 exercised legislative authority over the game worldwide ( except in the United States and Mexico ) .
Fife ( /faɪf/ , Scottish English : [ fɐi̯f ] ; Scottish Gaelic : Fìobha ; Scots : Fife ) is a council area and historic county of Scotland . It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth , with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross ( i.e . the historic counties of Perthshire and Kinross-shire ) and Clackmannanshire . By custom it is widely held to have been one of the major Pictish kingdoms , known as Fib , and is still commonly known as the Kingdom of Fife within Scotland . Fife is one of the six local authorities part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland city region . It is a lieutenancy area , and was a county of Scotland until 1975 . It was very occasionally known by the anglicisation Fifeshire in old documents and maps compiled by English cartographers and authors . A person from Fife is known as a Fifer . Fife was a local government region divided into three districts : Dunfermline , Kirkcaldy and North-East Fife . Since 1996 the functions of the district councils have been exercised by the unitary Fife Council . Fife is Scotland 's third largest local authority area by population . It has a resident population of just under 367,000 , over a third of whom live in the three principal towns of Dunfermline , Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes .
The Culdees ( Irish : Céilí Dé , lit . Spouses of God ) were members of ascetic Christian monastic and eremitical communities of Ireland , Scotland , Wales and England in the Middle Ages . Appearing first in Ireland and subsequently in Scotland , attached to cathedral or collegiate churches , they lived in monastic fashion though not taking monastic vows .
Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine , written about 400 by Augustine of Hippo . There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th-13th centuries :
Glasgow Cathedral , also called the High Kirk of Glasgow or St Kentigern 's or St Mungo 's Cathedral , is the oldest cathedral on mainland Scotland and is the oldest building in Glasgow . Since the Reformation the cathedral continues in public ownership , within the responsibility of Historic Environment Scotland . The congregation is part of the established Church of Scotland 's Presbytery of Glasgow and its services and associations are open to all . The cathedral and its kirkyard are at the top of High Street , at Cathedral Street . Immediately neighbouring it are Glasgow Royal Infirmary , opened in 1794 , and the elevated Glasgow Necropolis , opened in 1833 . Nearby are the Provand 's Lordship , Glasgow 's oldest house and its herbal medical gardens , the Barony Hall ( Barony Church ) , University of Strathclyde , Cathedral Square , Glasgow Evangelical Church ( North Barony Church ) , and St Mungo Museum .
Glasgow ( /ˈɡlæzɡoʊ/ , also UK : /ˈɡlɑːzɡoʊ , ˈɡlɑːsɡoʊ/ , US : /ˈɡlæsɡoʊ , ˈɡlæskoʊ/ ; Scots : Glesga [ ˈɡlezɡə ] ; Scottish Gaelic : Glaschu [ ˈkl̪ˠas̪əxu ] ) is the most populous city in Scotland , and the third most populous city in the United Kingdom , as of the 2017 estimated city population of 621,020 . Historically part of Lanarkshire , the city now forms the Glasgow City council area , one of the 32 council areas of Scotland ; the local authority is Glasgow City Council . Glasgow is situated on the River Clyde in the country 's West Central Lowlands . It is the fifth most visited city in the UK . Inhabitants of the city are referred to as Glaswegians or , informally , as Weegies . Glasgow is also known for the Glasgow patter , a distinct dialect of the Scots language that is noted for being difficult to understand by those from outside the city . Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement on the River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Scotland , and tenth largest by tonnage in Britain . Expanding from the medieval bishopric and royal burgh , and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in the fifteenth century , it became a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the eighteenth century . From the eighteenth century onwards , the city also grew as one of Great Britain 's main hubs of transatlantic trade with North America and the West Indies . With the onset of the Industrial Revolution , the population and economy of Glasgow and the surrounding region expanded rapidly to become one of the world 's pre-eminent centres of chemicals , textiles and engineering ; most notably in the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry , which produced many innovative and famous vessels . Glasgow was the Second City of the British Empire for much of the Victorian era and Edwardian period , although many cities argue the title was theirs . In the late 19th and early 20th centuries , Glasgow 's population grew rapidly , reaching a peak of 1,127,825 people in 1938 .
Upper Camster is a small hamlet , which lies at the source of the Camster Burn , 4 miles north of Lybster , in Caithness , Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland . The Grey Cairns of Camster are two large Neolithic chambered cairns located about quarter of a mile north of Upper Camster . The cairns , which are considered to be examples of the Orkney-Cromarty type of chambered cairn , were constructed in the third or fourth millennium BC in a desolate stretch of boggy peat-covered moorland in the Flow Country of Caithness .
Highland ( Scottish Gaelic : A ' Ghàidhealtachd , pronounced [ ˈkɛːəl̪ˠt̪əxk ] ; [ a ] Scots : Heilan ) is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in the United Kingdom . It was the 7th most populous council area in Scotland at the 2011 census . It shares borders with the council areas of Aberdeenshire , Argyll and Bute , Moray and Perth and Kinross . Their councils , and those of Angus and Stirling , also have areas of the Scottish Highlands within their administrative boundaries . The Highland area covers most of the mainland and inner-Hebridean parts of the historic counties of Inverness-shire and Ross and Cromarty , all of Caithness , Nairnshire and Sutherland and small parts of Argyll and Moray .
Newark Castle is a well-preserved castle sited on the south shore of the estuary of the River Clyde in Port Glasgow , Inverclyde , Scotland , where the firth gradually narrows from the Firth of Clyde and navigation upriver is made difficult by shifting sandbanks . For centuries this location was used to offload seagoing ships , and led to the growth of Port Glasgow close to the castle on either side and to the south . When dredging techniques made the Clyde navigable as far as Glasgow the port became a shipbuilding centre , and the castle was surrounded by shipyards . Ferguson Shipbuilders , the last shipyard on the lower Clyde , stands close to the west of the castle , but the shipyards to the east were removed around the 1980s and new landscaped areas formed to the east of Newark Castle , opening up scenic views of the castle and across the Clyde from a new bypass road .
The origins of Port Glasgow go back to the construction by Sir George Maxwell between 1450 and 1477 of the New Werke of Finlastoun , which became Newark Castle . At a good anchorage near the castle , a small fishing hamlet known as Newark formed , like other scattered hamlets along the shores of the River Clyde . After 1589 the village of Greenock formed just under 4 miles ( 6 kilometres ) to the west of Newark , and gradually became a market town with growing fishing and sea trade , although it had only a jetty in the bay to unload ships . Since seagoing ships could not go further up the Clyde due to sandbanks , the Glasgow merchants such as the Tobacco Lords wanted harbour access , but got into arguments with Greenock over harbour dues and warehouses . They put a bid in for the Easter Greenock estate for a harbour , but were outbid and the lands became the Barony of Cartsburn . They then negotiated with Sir Patrick Maxwell of Newark Estate , and in 1668 he agreed to lease the City of Glasgow 13 acres ( 5.3 hectares ) of land to the west of the castle , for payment of 1,300 merks and an annual feu duty of four merks . Construction of piers and breakwaters enclosing the harbour began promptly , and Newport Glasgow was constituted as a free port . Trade prospered quickly , and by 1710 Newport Glasgow had the principal Clyde custom house , initially in Customhouse Lane , then after 1754 in a new building constructed on the west quay of the harbour . Through that century the town became known simply as Port Glasgow . Ships , mostly owned by Glasgow merchants , imported tobacco , sugar , rum , cotton and mahogany from the Americas , as well as timber , iron and hemp from the Baltic . These goods were then taken by road to Glasgow , as was market garden produce from farms around Port Glasgow . A change began in 1773 when the Lang Dyke was constructed to deepen the upper river , and ships increasingly went upriver straight to Glasgow .
Inverclyde ( Scots : Inerclyde , Scottish Gaelic : Inbhir Chluaidh , pronounced [ iɲiɾʲˈxlˠ̪uəj ] , mouth of the Clyde ) ; is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland . Together with the East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire council areas , Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire , which currently exists as a registration county and lieutenancy area - located in the west central Lowlands . It borders the North Ayrshire and Renfrewshire council areas , and is otherwise surrounded by the swamp Firth of Clyde . Inverclyde was formerly one of nineteen districts within Strathclyde Region , from 1975 until 1996 . Prior to 1975 , Inverclyde was governed as part of the local government county of Renfrewshire , comprising the burghs of Greenock , Port Glasgow and Gourock , and the former fifth district of the county . Its landward area is bordered by the Kelly , North and South Routen burns to the south west ( separating Wemyss Bay and Skelmorlie , North Ayrshire ) , part of the River Gryfe and the Finlaystone Burn to the south-east . It is one of the smallest in terms of area ( 29th ) and population ( 28th ) out of the 32 Scottish unitary authorities . Along with the council areas clustered around Glasgow it is considered part of Greater Glasgow in some definitions , although it is physically separated from the city area by open countryside and does not share a border with the city . The name derives from the extinct barony of Inverclyde ( 1897 ) conferred upon Sir John Burns of Wemyss Bay and his heirs .
Barmkin , also spelled barmekin or barnekin , is a Scots word which refers to a form of medieval and later defensive enclosure , typically found around smaller castles , tower houses , pele towers , and bastle houses in Scotland , and the north of England . It has been suggested that etymologically the word may be a corruption of the word barbican . The barmkin would have contained ancillary buildings , and could be used to protect cattle during raids . Examples of places which had barmkins include Halton Castle , Cheshire , Smailholm Tower , Scottish Borders , and Crichton Castle , Midlothian .
Crichton Castle is a ruined castle near the village of Crichton in Midlothian , Scotland . It is situated at the head of the River Tyne , 2 miles ( 3.2 km ) south of the village of Pathhead , and the same distance east of Gorebridge . Constructed as a tower house in the late 14th century , and it was expanded as power of the Crichton family grew . However , the Crichtons fell from favour in the later 15th century , and the castle passed to the Earls of Bothwell . Francis Stewart , 5th Earl of Bothwell , constructed the Italianate north range in the 1580s , featuring an elaborate diamond-patterned facade . After Bothwell was accused of witchcraft the castle fell into neglect . The ruins are now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland , and are open to the public . A mile to the south-west is Borthwick Castle , a 15th-century tower house that is still in use .
Crichton is a small village and civil parish in Midlothian , Scotland , around 2 miles ( 3 km ) south of Pathhead and the same distance east of Gorebridge . The second element of the name is clearly from the Old English word tūn 'farm , settlement ' . The first element is less certain , however , and could be from Gaelic crioch 'border ' or Cumbric craig 'rock ' . To the west of the village is the 15th-century parish church , formerly a collegiate church , established by William Crichton , 1st Lord Crichton , the Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1439 to 1453 . To the south of the church is Crichton Castle , begun in the late 14th century by William 's father John de Crichton and featuring a fine 16th-century Italianate courtyard façade . The civil parish has a population of 1,223 in 2011 .
Midlothian ( /mɪdˈloʊðiən/ ; Scottish Gaelic : Meadhan Lodainn ) is a historic county , registration county , lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government . Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands , bordering the City of Edinburgh , East Lothian and the Scottish Borders . Midlothian emerged as a county in the Middle Ages under larger boundaries than the modern council area , including Edinburgh itself - and also known as Edinburghshire until 1921 . It bordered West Lothian to the west , Lanarkshire , Peeblesshire and Selkirkshire to the south , and East Lothian , Berwickshire and Roxburghshire to the east . Traditional industries included mining , agriculture and fishing - although the modern council area is now landlocked . Under local government reforms in 1975 , Midlothian became a district council within the Lothian region and in 1996 the current unitary council area was created . It contains the towns of Dalkeith , Bonnyrigg and Penicuik , as well as a portion of the Pentland Hills Regional Park , Roslin Chapel and Dalkeith Palace .
Pluscarden Abbey is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery in the glen of the Black Burn , 6 miles south-west of Elgin , Moray , Scotland . It was founded in 1230 by Alexander II for the Valliscaulian Order . In 1454 , following a merger with the priory of Urquhart , Pluscarden Priory became a Benedictine House . The Scottish Reformation saw the decline of the priory , and by 1680 it was in a ruinous condition . Some work to arrest decay took place in the late 19th century . In 1948 , the priory became a house of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation of Benedictines , and restoration began at the hands of monks from Prinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire . In 1966 , the priory received its independence from the mother-house ; it was elevated to abbatial status in 1974 .
Elgin ( /ˈɛlɡɪn/ ; Scottish Gaelic : Eilginn , Scots : Ailgin ) is a town ( former cathedral city ) and formerly a Royal Burgh in Moray , Scotland . It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray . The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the floodplain where the town of Birnie is . There , the church of Birnie Kirk was built in 1140 and serves the community to this day . Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190 AD . It was created a royal burgh in the 12th century by King David I of Scotland , and by that time had a castle on top of the present day Lady Hill to the west of the town . The people of Elgin are collectively known as Elginites .
Moray ( /ˈmʌri/ MURR-ee ; Scottish Gaelic : Moireibh or Moireabh ; Latin : Moravia ; Old Norse : Mýræfi ) is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland . It lies in the north-east of the country , with coastline on the Moray Firth , and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland . Between 1975 and 1996 Moray , with similar boundaries , was a district of the then Grampian Region .
The Valliscaulian Order was a religious order of the Catholic Church . It was named after Vallis Caulium or Val-des-Choux , its first monastery , located in Burgundy . The order was founded at the end of the twelfth century and lasted until its absorption by the Cistercians in the eighteenth century .
The Benedictines , officially the Order of Saint Benedict ( Latin : Ordo Sancti Benedicti , abbreviated as OSB ) , are a monastic Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that follow the Rule of Saint Benedict . They are also sometimes called the Black Monks , in reference to the colour of the members ' religious habits . Despite being called an order , the Benedictines do not operate under a single hierarchy but are instead organised as a collection of independent monastic communities , with each community ( monastery , priory or abbey ) within the order maintaining its autonomy . Unlike other religious orders , the Benedictines do not have a superior general or motherhouse with universal jurisdiction . Instead , the order is represented internationally by the Benedictine Confederation , an organization that was set up in 1893 to represent the order 's shared interests .
Barpa Langass ( also known as Langass Barp or Langash Barp ; Scottish Gaelic : Barpa Langais [ ˈpaɾpə ˈl̪ˠaŋkɪʃ ] ) , is a Neolithic chambered cairn on the Isle of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland . It measures about 72 feet in diameter by 18 feet in height , and is around 5,000 years old . The roof is constructed of two massive slabs with a third slab superimposed . The entrance is at the east side . Although the structure has partially collapsed , it is still possible to enter one chamber . The antiquary Erskine Beveridge believed that a second and perhaps a third chamber exist . In or prior to 1911 , Dr Beveridge excavated within and near the cairn , and he found evidence of burnt burials as well as pieces of pottery ( some with patterned lines ) , wood ashes , burnt bones , a flint arrowhead , a scraper , and a piece of pierced talc . Barpa Langass is located at grid reference NF838657 ( 57°34′14″N 7°17′30″W / 57.57056°N 7.29167°W / 57.57056 ; -7.29167 ) ( 57.570581 , -7.291557 ) . It can be reached via footpath from the A867 about 5 miles southwest of Lochmaddy . Alternatively , one can park at the Langass Lodge Hotel , follow the footpath to the Pobull Fhinn stone circle , and then continue up Ben Langass to Barpa Langass .
North Uist ( Scottish Gaelic : Uibhist a Tuath ) is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland .
The Outer Hebrides ( /ˈhɛbrɪdiːz/ ; Scottish Gaelic : Na h-Eileanan Siar [ nə ˈhelanən ˈʃiəɾ ] ( listen ) or Na h-Eileanan an Iar [ nə ˈhelanən əˈɲiəɾ ] ( listen ) ) , also known as the Western Isles , Innse Gall ( islands of the strangers ) or the Long Isle/Long Island ( Scottish Gaelic : An t-Eilean Fada ) , is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland . [ Note 1 ] The islands are geographically coextensive with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar , one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland . They form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides , separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch , the Little Minch , and the Sea of the Hebrides . Scottish Gaelic is the predominant spoken language , although in a few areas English speakers form a majority . Most of the islands have a bedrock formed from ancient metamorphic rocks and the climate is mild and oceanic . The 15 inhabited islands have a total population of 26,830 and there are more than 50 substantial uninhabited islands . From Barra Head to the Butt of Lewis is roughly 210 kilometres ( 130 mi ) . There are various important prehistoric structures , many of which pre-date the first written references to the islands by Roman and Greek authors . The Western Isles became part of the Norse kingdom of the Suðreyjar , which lasted for over 400 years until sovereignty was transferred to Scotland by the Treaty of Perth in 1266 . Control of the islands was then held by clan chiefs , principal of whom were the MacLeods , MacDonalds , Mackenzies and MacNeils . The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities and it is only in recent years that population levels have ceased to decline . Much of the land is now under local control and commercial activity is based on tourism , crofting , fishing , and weaving .
The Hebrides ( /ˈhɛbrɪdiːz/ ; Scottish Gaelic : Innse Gall , pronounced [ ˈĩːʃə ˈkaul̪ˠ ] ; Old Norse : Suðreyjar ) comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of mainland Scotland . There are two main groups : the Inner and Outer Hebrides . These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic , and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive influences of Celtic- , Norse- , and English-speaking peoples . This diversity is reflected in the names given to the islands , which are derived from the languages that have been spoken there in historic and perhaps prehistoric times . The Hebrides are the source of much of Scottish Gaelic literature and Gaelic music . Today the economy of the islands is dependent on crofting , fishing , tourism , the oil industry , and renewable energy . The Hebrides have lower biodiversity than mainland Scotland , but there is a significant presence of seals and seabirds .