Dryburgh Abbey

May 20, 1999.Reading time less than 1 minute.

This beautiful Premonstratensian abbey on the banks of the Tweed is set in a lovely garden with large trees and grassy expanses among the ruins.

Melrose Abbey

May 20, 1999.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A mostly-ruined Cistercian abbey in Melrose, founded in the 12th century, it is one of my favorite ruins in all of Scotland

Jedburgh Abbey

May 20, 1999.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A 12th century Augustinian Abbey in the largest town between Edinburgh and England

Torthorwald Tower

May 21, 1999.Reading time 1 minute.

A small, crumbling tower in a farmer’s field, from the 14th century

Sanquhar

May 21, 1999.Reading time 4 minutes.

A lovely, tree-filled ruin near Sanquhar, along the Southern Upland Way

Hermitage

May 21, 1999.Reading time 3 minutes.

Four towers, connected with walls, make this fortress an impregnable cube of stone

Caerlaverock

May 21, 1999.Reading time 9 minutes.

My favorite castle in Scotland — a triangular, multi-towered ruin with not one, but two moats!

Sweetheart Abbey

May 21, 1999.Reading time less than 1 minute.

If there is a more picturesque abbey in Scotland, I don’t know what it is. Sweetheart abbey is a fabulous ruin set in a grassy churchyard that is almost too green to be real

Kilwinning Abbey

May 22, 1999.Reading time 1 minute.

This is a child abbey from Kelso abbey, also a Tironensian foundation from the 12th century. It is possible that the abbey was never finished, and it was left to ruin in the 16th century.

Dundonald

May 22, 1999.Reading time 4 minutes.

A massive fortified towerhouse built for Robert II in the 14th century