Despite wholescale
destruction on three
occasions, a surprising number
of the abbey buildings survive,
casting light on the lives of the
canons of Dryburgh.
investigating
dryburgh abbey
Information for Teachers
investigating historic sites
dryburgh abbey
Timeline
1120 Founding of
Premonstratensian order
in France
1150 Dryburgh Abbey
founded by Hugh de
Moreville
1162 de Moreville dies as
a member of the Abbey
1322 Abbey razed by
retreating English troops
1330 Poem sent to the
king appealing for further
funds for rebuilding work
1385 Abbey devastated
by fire during invasion by
Richard II of England
1544 Abbey devastated a
third time during Wars of
‘Rough Wooing”
1560 Reformation Act
outlaws Catholicism;
canons convert to
Protestantism
1584 Only two canons
remain
1786 Abbey bought by
Earl of Buchan
1832 Sir Walter Scott
buried at Dryburgh
The beautiful ruins of Dryburgh
Abbey lie within a serene loop
of the River Tweed, surrounded
by parkland and mature trees.
Despite wholescale destruction
on three occasions, a surprising
number of the abbey buildings
survive, casting light on the lives of
the canons of Dryburgh.
Historical background
The abbey was founded in 1150 by
powerful landowner Sir Hugh de
Moreville, constable of Scotland. He
invited canons from Alnwick to establish
the first house of the Premonstratensian
order in Scotland, and in old age joined
the abbey himself as a novice.
The Premonstratensian order combined
the austerity of the Cistercian order
with the preaching commitments of the
Augustinians. They lived communally
like monks but also went out to serve
as priests in churches belonging to
Dryburgh. Their lives were tough and
unremitting; it’s perhaps no surprise
that their first act at Drybrugh was to
consecrate the cemetery.
In the early 14th century, the abbey was
badly burnt by the retreating troops of
Edward II. Rebuilding work followed,
supported by the Crown after Canon
Patrick presented a poem describing the
catastrophe to the Scottish court.
The abbey suffered a second time at
the hands of the English when it was
burnt again in 1385 during Richard II’s
invasion. The third and worst attack
came in 1544 during the Wars of the
‘Rough Wooing’ when the abbey and
village was laid waste by a party of 700.
Considering the scale of the destruction,
it is amazing that there were any canons
left by the time of the Reformation
in 1560. The eight surviving canons
hurriedly embraced the new religion
and abbey life lingered on in its new
form until 1600, by which time there
were no surviving canons.
In 1786 the abbey was bought by
enthusiastic antiquarian, the Earl of
Buchan. He conserved, excavated and
added his own ‘antique’ touches to the
abbey, and also planted many fine trees
on the site before being buried there in
1829. Three years later he was joined by
Sir Walter Scott, who had family links to
the site. A third famous internee is Earl
Haig, commander in chief of the British
forces in France during the First World
War.
1928 Field Marshall Earl
Haig buried at Dryburgh
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dryburgh abbey
Supporting learning
and teaching
Appropriate field trips are
an essential element of
delivering 5-14 Guidelines
for Environmental Studies:
Social Subjects People in
the Past. A visit to Dryburgh
Abbey would be particularly
appropriate for teachers
working on topics such as
•The Middle Ages
•The Reformation
As well as providing a
context for developing
skills and attitudes, a visit
supports the delivery
of all Knowledge and
Understanding strands from
levels B-E:
•People, events and
societies in the past
•Change and continuity,
cause and effect
•Time and historical
sequence
•The nature of historical
evidence
As the Curriculum for
Excellence develops, it is
clear that site visits such
as that outlined here are
ideally placed to assist in
the delivery of the four
capacities underpinning the
curriculum, i.e. developing:
•successful learners
•confident individuals
•responsible citizens
•effective contributors
Before the visit
Working on site
•It would be helpful if pupils had
an idea of some of the key terms
relating to abbey buildings and life
e.g. monastery, canon, abbot, lay
brothers, nave, tower, cloister,
altar, chapter, chapel, Reformation,
Mass, monk, tomb. These and other
terms could be collated into a class
dictionary.
Pupils should be encouraged to look
for physical evidence. In addition to the
points for discussion included in this
pack, useful starting points are:
•The abbey has changed dramatically
over the years. Discuss with pupils
how and why buildings change.
Discuss how wind and weather
can affect a building as well as the
deliberate destruction following the
Reformation.
•How was the abbey protected
against intruders?
•Can you see any ways in which the
abbey has changed?
•What evidence is there for daily life?
Pupils can record by:
•Taking notes.
•The role and extent of the power
of the Church in medieval times is
hard for today’s children to grasp.
Research into everyday life at this
time will help show its influence
– for example, the paying of teinds
or tithes to the local church.
•Making quick drawings.
•Taking photographs.
•Using tape-recorders to describe
what they see, hear, feel and smell.
•Discuss and research what it would
have been like to live in a monastery
or convent. Investigate the everyday
lives of monks and nuns. Further
information can be found on the
accompanying fact file. If possible,
make contact with a contemporary
monk or nun to discuss how they
live today and what their motivation
is. Please note that at Dryburgh the
inmates were technically canons
rather than monks, though their
lives would have been very like
monks’.
•Help pupils gain a clearer grasp of
the time scale by making a time
line with them, counting back the
centuries and then marking on key
events. This could be added to after
the visit.
•What materials were used to
construct the abbey? Where did they
come from? Why have some survived
and not others?
On the Historic Scotland website:
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
education_unit teachers can find
additional resources to help with work
on site, These include compiling an
Evidence Record and a My Impressions
Record.
Suggestions for follow-up work
Following the visit pupils can pool their
findings in groups to create a fuller
record of the abbey and the lives of
the people who worked there. This
could form the basis for a range of
presentation activities, for example:
•A poster, leaflet or guide book for
future visitors.
•A slide show with commentary of
their visit.
•Imaginative writing based on the
lives of the canons at the abbey.
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dryburgh abbey
Canon Fact File
Daily Programme
A canon’s life was
dedicated to serving god
and his day was structured
around a programme of
prayers and services. The
programme might be as
follows:
0130 Prayers followed
by sung service
Nocturns
0330 Matins prayers.
Back to bed.
0600 Prime prayers
– first mass of the
day.
Change into day
shoes.
Meeting in
chapter house
to conduct any
abbey business,
hear confession of
sins and to sort out
work for the day.
Spiritual work
followed the
meeting.
0800 Terce prayers and
sung mass
0900 Reading
1130 Sext prayers
1200 Main meal of the
day. Rest and
private prayer.
1430 None prayers.
Physical work
1730 Supper
1800 Vespers. Change
into night shoes.
1930 Light supper,
followed by
Compline service.
2015 Bed time
How was the abbey organised?
Who were the canons of
Dryburgh Abbey?
The abbey at Dryburgh was a
community of Premonstratensian
canons. This order was established in
about 1120 by St Norbert, who set up
his reformed model of the Benedictine
order in France, at Premontre. To start
the community there had to be thirteen
canons, representing Christ and the
twelve disciples, sent out from another
abbey. In the case of Dryburgh, the
founding canons came from Alnwick
in Northumbria. There were four other
Premonstratensian abbeys in Scotland,
at Whithorn, Holywood, Tongland and
Fearn .
Canons were usually adults who entered
the order of their own free will and
tended to come from better-off local
families. The canons dedicated their
lives to opus dei – the work of god, a
ceaseless round of prayer and at least in
the early days, of manual labour. They
lived a life of poverty, chastity and strict
obedience to the rules of the order. The
canons themselves wore rough, undyed
white ‘habits’ and so were often known
as the ‘White Canons’. The majority of
the canons spent much of their lives
within the abbey, devoting themselves
to a formal round of worship and abbey
works, though many of the brothers
would often leave the abbey to preach
in abbey churches.
At the head of the abbey was the
Abbot, responsible for the overall
spiritual life of the monastery.
However, he was often absent, away
meeting potential benefactors or in
meetings with the Parliament and the
monarch. Below him were a number
of other office bearers, known as the
obedientaries. The Prior was the abbot’s
deputy, responsible for the day to
day organization and discipline of the
monastery. Below him were office
bearers with other responsibilities as
follows: Sacristan – church furnishings;
Precentor – church services: Cellarar –
food, drink and fuel; Kitchener – cooking;
Fraterer – the running of the refectory,
crockery, table linen; Chamberlain
– housekeeping including care for
clothes; Almoner – distribution of charity
to the needy. Other jobs included
responsibility for the sick, for visitors
and so on
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dryburgh abbey
What was it like to be a canon?
Monasteries were generally wealthy
organizations, often receiving patronage
and donations from the crown and
noble families. This meant that the
inmates of a monastery were free from
the many usual insecurities of medieval
life. Having said that, the life of the
canons was founded on austerity and
frugality, although certain abbots ended
up living comfortable lives in houses
separate from the abbey altogether.
Their lives were communal and
controlled to an extent which is hard
for us to imagine today. They slept in
their habits in order to be ready for
night services and even when sleeping
followed the Rule about how their arms
should be folded. Canons were required
to keep total silence – apart from the
sung prayers – between Compline and
Prime. Outwith those hours there were
occasions when quiet speech was
permitted in certain areas of the Abbey.
Second only in importance to prayer
was the daily Chapter meeting. At this
meeting, canons read a chapter from
their order rule book, the guidebook for
their communal life. Any administrative
issues were also discussed here and
canons were able to confess their sins
and be disciplined accordingly.
Work ranged from gardening and crafts
to copying manuscripts. Basic chores
were carried out by servants.
Food was generally vegetarian and
frugal, consisting mainly of bread,
vegetables and eggs. Fish was served
on a Friday and important visitors
would be offered meat on other days.
After washing their hands outside the
refectory, the canons would file through
in silence; grace would be said, a gong
would sound and then the meal could
begin. Throughout the main meal a
canon would read from a religious text.
Meals were eaten in silence; however
sign languages evolved to enable canons
to request certain items.
Aside from seasonal variations and
annual religious events, life was
punctuated by certain domestic rituals
or events. Every week the canons would
wash each others feet in a ritual known
as the maundy. Every three weeks or
so there would be communal head
shaving to maintain the tonsure, the
characteristic shaven pate surrounded
by a fringe of hair. Three times a year
canons went to the infirmary to be bled
by leeches – thought at the time to be
cleansing.
The number of canons at Dryburgh was
small and members of the community
would live together for a long time. The
closeness of the community and the
tranquility and serenity of the routine
- at least in peace time - provided a
secure environment in the service of
god, which was certainly attractive to a
select number.
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dryburgh abbey
On the trail of the
canons of Dryburgh
Plan of Dryburgh Abbey
Our suggested tour route
focuses on features which
highlight aspects of the
lives of the canons in the
monastery. It takes in nine
locations, marked on the
plan to the right:
1. The West Door
2. The Abbey Church
3. The North Transept
and Presbytery
4. The Dormitory
5. The Cloister
6. The Chapter House
7. The Warming Room
and Novice’s Room
6
7
3
2
8
8. The Dining Room
5
9. The Gatehouse
Background information
is given in the pack
for each location. It
is written in simple
language so that it can
be read aloud to pupils
if desired. Also included
are suggested questions
for discussion.The focus
is on encouraging pupils
to interpret the building
and deduce what they
can from clues they see
around them.
4
9
1
Ideally divide your class
into groups of about ten.
Allow about fortyfive minutes for the
suggested tour.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education
dryburgh abbey
Did you know...
When a man or boy
became a canon, he was
given special clothing to
wear – a simple woollen
robe called a habit. The
canons here always wore
undyed woollen habits
so they were sometimes
called the White Canons.
First view of the abbey
Tour notes: On the trail of the
Canons of Dryburgh
Outside Dryburgh Abbey
Walk through the ticket office, down the path past the useful plan of the abbey. Stop
by the gravestones, where you get your first proper view of the abbey.
Setting the scene. This can be read to pupils.
•More than 800 years ago, a group of monks were invited by a rich landowner to
come here from the north of England to set up an abbey. They were a special kind
of monk called a canon. They built the abbey and spent all their lives here, praying
to God, studying and spending a lot of time in church. They also went out to
preach in churches owned by the abbey.
•The abbey was attacked three times when England and Scotland were at war. Each
time parts of the abbey were burnt down and each time the canons had to raise
money to build the abbey up again. The abbey buildings that we see today are a
mixture of buildings. Some parts are much older than other parts. We can still see
some buildings today which give us clues about the canons and how they spent
their lives.
•The abbey stopped being used about 400 years ago. A lot of it has rotted away
now. People took the stones to make other buildings. It used to be one of the
grandest and most beautiful buildings around – but now you will have to use your
imaginations to rebuild it.
Continue down the path and stop at the ruins of the West Door.
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dryburgh abbey
Location 1: The West Door
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•This grand door was where important visitors would enter the church on special
occasions. Ordinary people would come in through a little door at the left hand
side of the church. There used to be a strong wooden door here too.
•The walls here are very lumpy. They used to be covered with smooth, flat stones.
The West Door
Teacher prompts
What can you see on the door which shows us that it was a special doorway?
Desired pupil responses
Many arches, decoration.
There used to be a wooden door here. What do you think happened to it?
Look inside the church for where the doorway for the ordinary people was. Rotted or stolen to be burnt.
What do you think happened to the smooth, flat stones on the wall? Taken for use in other buildings.
Why do you think this was a good place for an abbey? Close to river for water.
On its own –peaceful.
Site of doorway can be seen just
inside the church on the left side
of the nave.
Walk through the gate. Stand on the stone flagged path.
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dryburgh abbey
Location 2: The Abbey Church
Did you know...
The first time the abbey
was burnt down, it was
by Edward II’s English
army on their way back
to England in 1322. The
story goes that the abbey
bells were ringing out to
celebrate that the army
was leaving... and this
caught the attention of
the troops. They turned
around, marched to the
abbey and set fire to the
place.
Site of Merelles Board
Remains of pillars in nave
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•We’re now standing in the church – the most important building for the canons.
They spent a lot of time here – they attended eight church services every day!
They believed that praying to God would help people go to heaven after they
died. People donated money and land to the abbey to try and make sure they
went to heaven, and to ask the canons to pray for them too.
•The church was built in a cross shape. The long part of the cross was called the
nave. We are standing in the nave of the church. This was where ordinary people
would be allowed to stand in the church. It was separated from where the canons
worshipped by a stone screen with wooden carving. Can you find a line of stones
on the grass going across the nave? This shows where this screen used to be.
Teacher prompts
Look at the drawing of the abbey on the information board. This is what it might have looked like seven hundred years ago. Compare the picture with what you can see now. What is still the same? What is different?
Desired pupil responses
Same: bottom of pillars can be
seen, the line of stones marking
the position of the screen, the
remains of some of the arches
further down the church.
Different: no roof, no tile floor, no
carved stalls, no windows, no
monks etc.
Can you see the remains of the pillars
which held up the roof in the nave?
How many pairs of pillars can you see?
6 pairs.
On the left of the nave there is a low metal railing. Can you see a board game scratched on to the stone? The game is
called merelles or Nine Man’s Morris. What game does it look a bit like? Who do you think played the game?
Game looks a bit like noughts and
crosses.
On the right hand side of the nave, look for two little cubby holes in the wall. These were used for rinsing the silver plates
used in church services. These basins were
called piscinae. Can you see where the water used to drain? Two piscinae can be seen, one
either side of the screen line.
Probably carved by the stone
masons and builders who built
the abbey, rather than the monks.
Drainage holes in centre.
Walk up the Nave to the North Transept, the part to the left which still has a roof.
Piscina in south wall of nave
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dryburgh abbey
Location 3: The North Transept and Presbytery
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•The canons spent a lot of time in the abbey worshipping with other monks, but
they spent some time praying privately too. There were separate little chapels
with their own altars for this. You can still see the chapel area in the North
Transept. After the canons left the abbey, the chapel was used as a burial place for
important local people.
Tombs in North Transept
View west from Presbytery
Teacher prompts
There used to be wooden screens between the chapels. Can you see the holes in the
stone where the screens used to slot in to
the wall?
Desired pupil responses
Holes in pillars quite easy to see.
Look up. Part of the roof is still decorated. Can you see a carving of Jesus? In centre of western chapel roof.
Two very famous people are buried here – Sir Walter Scott who wrote famous books in the eighteen hundreds, and Earl Haig, who
commanded the British forces in the First World War. Can you find their tombstones? Sir Walter Scott – in the North
Transept chapel.
Earl Haig – simple stone just west
of the chapel.
Move up the church into the end section, the Presbytery.
•This end of the church is called the Presbytery. It used to be the most important
part of the church. This was where the canons celebrated Mass, the most
important church service. The main altar used to be here.
•The church was burnt down three times. Twice the canons built it up again, until
the third and final time. You will have to rebuild it in your imaginations! The roof
would have been brightly painted, the windows had colourful stained glass and
the floor was tiled in beautiful polished stone. There were carved wooden seats
and places for the canons to stand. There were gold and silver plates and cups
which they used in services – you can imagine these sparkling by candlelight. You
could hear the sound of the monks singing and chanting their prayers, and smell
candles and incense burning.
Walk over to the modern wooden steps leading to the Dormitory. Go up these steps.
floor.
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dryburgh abbey
Location 4: The Dormitory
Did you know...
Sometimes the monks
would fall asleep during
the night time services.
When this happened
one of the officials would
come and wave a lantern
in the sleeping monk’s
face to try and wake him
up!
Site of night stair
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•The canons started their day very early – at 1.30 in the morning! They would come
to church in the dark straight from their dormitory. You can see where the stairs
used to lead from the dormitory straight into the church. These stairs were called
the Night Stairs.
•The canons slept in one big room. Their beds were probably separated by wooden
screens or curtains.
•Later on this area was changed into a house for the person in charge of the abbey
– the commendator.
Teacher prompts
Look up towards the high window in the church. Can you see where the dormitory roof used to be? There might
have been another floor above the one
you’re standing on now. Desired pupil responses
Triangular roof shape clearly
visible beneath window.
Below the window, look for where some of the stones are cracked. What do you think happened to the stones to make
them crack? Cracked because of heat when
the abbey was set on fire.
Find where the day stair used to lead down. Why do you think they had a day stair as well as a night stair? At other end of dormitory from
night stair.
To avoid going into the church if
they didn’t need to.
Go back down the steps. Turn left at the bottom and go through an arch into the
Cloister.
View north from dormitory,
showing site of roof
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dryburgh abbey
Location 5: The Cloister
Did you know...
If you look low down to
the left of the door to
the chapter house, you
can see the words “hic
jacet Archibald’” – here
lies Archibald. It looks
very old, but in fact it
was carved there in the
seventeen-hundreds by a
later owner of the abbey,
the Earl of Buchan. He
really loved history and
liked to try and make the
abbey look and feel even
more ancient. Do you
think there’s anything
wrong with doing this?
Cloister from the dormitory
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•This area is called the cloister. It was where the canons lived and worked. There
used to be a covered alleyway all around the cloister. The canons could get to
every part of the abbey without going outside if the weather was bad.
•The grass in the middle used to be a herb garden called a garth. The canons also
had farms outside the abbey where they would grow other crops for food.
•This was also where the canons would read books and study for a time every day.
Some of them would also copy out books by hand, decorating them beautifully
with pictures and gold. It was the sunniest part of the abbey and was sheltered
too.
Teacher prompts
Look for the marks on the wall which show where the roof used to be.
What do you think used to slot into the holes in the wall? Desired pupil responses
Row of holes clearly visible.
Roof beams.
On the left of the steps as you come in
there is a big alcove in the wall. This
was probably a book case where the
service books which were used in
church were kept.
What do you think the big stone grooves in the middle were for?
Do you think the cupboard had a door?
Probably for shelves for the
books.
Signs of where it might have
locked, so probably, yes, it had a
door.
What do you think they grew the flowers and herbs for? Flowers for decoration in the
church; herbs for cooking and for
medicine.
Go into the Chapter House, the third doorway along.
Book shelf in cloister
Drawing of cloister buildings
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dryburgh abbey
Location 6: The Chapter House
Did you know...
Sometimes people got
angry in the abbey. It is on
record that in 1320 one
canon, Brother Marcus,
was suspended from the
abbey for punching the
abbot with his fist!
Other punishments
included being flogged
in front of everyone
or having to lie in the
doorway to the church,
so that everyone had to
step over you.
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•This room was called the Chapter House. It was the most important place in the
abbey after the church itself.
•Every day the canons would file in here and would listen to a chapter of an
important rule book for monks. The book was written by St Benedict in the 6th
century. It’s still used today – 1,500 years later!
•The canons would also discuss their work here and agree what had to be done
every day. They would also confess any sins here – and might be given their
punishments by the abbot.
•Look at the picture on the information panel which shows what the Chapter
House might have looked like when it was in use.
Teacher prompts
Where do you think all the canons would sit?
Where do you think the abbot and the other important people sat? Desired pupil responses
On stone benches against the side
walls.
Beneath the carved arches in the
east wall.
This room used to be beautifully decorated.
Can you see very faint paint patterns, under
the plastic near the arches, and high up by
the windows?
What colours can you see? Remains of red and white painted
patterns.
What clues can you find which tells you that this was a special room? Painted decorations, decorated
doorway, the size of it.
Leave the Chapter House and turn left. Continue down the steps through the
Cloister. Turn left at the bottom of the steps into the Warming Room.
Chapter house
Carved arches in chapter
house
Painted decorations
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dryburgh abbey
Location 6: The Warming Room and Novices’ Room
Did you know...
Sometimes young
boys were sent by their
families to join an abbey.
They didn’t always enjoy
it! It was seen as a good
place to get an education
and it meant that the
family had a better
chance of getting to
Heaven.
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•This room was the only room in the abbey where there was a fire for the canons
to warm themselves. They must have felt very cold sometimes.
Teacher prompts
Can you find where the fire used to be? Look for the decoration with a leaf on it. Desired pupil responses
Remains of chimney on the
cloister wall of the room.
Leaf decoration on the left of the
fireplace.
From here can you see where the day stair led down to the cloister? At north end of room there are
traces of steps.
Leave this room by the other door. Cross the narrow passageway known as the Slype
into the Novices’ Room.
•This was where new canons, known as the novices, had their special training.
They could be young boys or even quite old retired people. Hugh de Moreville,
who founded the abbey, joined the abbey as a canon in his old age.
Teacher prompts
What do you think the pillar in the middle of the room was for? Desired pupil responses
Possibly to hold up the roof.
Come out of the Novices’ Room. Go back up into the Cloister and stand by the side
with the railing.
Fireplace in the warming
room
Window in novices’ room
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dryburgh abbey
Location 8: The Dining Room
Did you know...
The monks spent a lot
of time in silence. At
meal times they were
not allowed to talk at all.
Some monks developed
a kind of sign language
so that they could
communicate during
meals. To ask for bread
you had to draw a circle
in the air with the thumbs
and first two fingers of
both hands.
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•The whole of this side of the cloister used to be the dining room for the canons.
It was called the refectory. The monks generally ate here twice a day. Their main
meal was around midday and they had a second, lighter meal around 7.30 in the
evening. In winter they would only have one meal a day.
•Food was generally vegetarian, mainly bread, vegetables and eggs. Fish was served
on a Friday. After washing their hands outside the refectory, the canons would file
through in silence; grace would be said, a gong would sound and then the meal
could begin. Throughout the main meal a canon would read out loud from a
religious book.
•Underneath the dining room you can see where they stored the food. All the local
churches and farmers who worked on abbey land had to pay a kind of rent to the
abbey. They paid some of this rent in food, such as sacks of grain, rather than in
money, and this was where it was stored.
•The food was prepared in a kitchen next to the store room. Then it was served
and brought up the winding stairs to the refectory. If you look outside, below the
window, you can see where the roof of the kitchen and servery used to be.
Teacher prompts
In the corner of the cloister, can you see where the canons used to wash their hands? It’s been changed a bit since then.
Where do you think the water came from for washing? Desired pupil responses
Used to be wash place in arched
alcove by stair down.
Water came from river.
Look up at the big window. Why do you Looks like a flower
think this kind of window is called a
rose window?
What do you think it would have looked Beautiful colours, specially in the
like when the sun shone through this window? evening.
Rose window in refectory
Site of wash place
Go down the steps in the corner of the cloister. Cross the little bridge over the dry
ditch to the Gatehouse.
Rose window with site of roof
of kitchen and servery
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education
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dryburgh abbey
Location 9: The Ditch and Gatehouse
Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
•This grassy channel used to be a drainage ditch. The canons were good at
designing and building, and channelled off water from the river to flush through
their toilets and wash rubbish away.
•There used to be a washing block with toilets for the monks nearby, but this has all
been destroyed now. There was also probably an infirmary, a kind of sickroom for
ill canons, but that’s gone now too.
Drainage ditch
•The little building here is the gatehouse. There would have been a kind of janitor,
who would check very carefully who came in and who left the abbey. Some of the
canons would never leave the abbey at all.
•There probably used to be a wall which went all round the abbey, but that’s gone
now too.
•You can see a carved pillar not far from the gatehouse. This was put here by a man
called the earl of Buchan who owned the ruined abbey in the 1700s. He was very
interested in history and had this pillar built to celebrate the foundation of the
abbey.
Gatehouse
James I on carved pillar
Teacher prompts
What else do you think the monks used the water from the river for?
Desired pupil responses
Useful for transport – specially
when they were doing building
work on the abbey.
Water for cooking and washing
too.
As well as the wall around the abbey, what else would protect the abbey? Unfortunately the protection didn’t work
well enough – the abbey was attacked
and burnt three times!
The river itself, the drainage
channel, possibly.
Look carefully at the gatehouse. Can you find two shields carved on to stones, high up?
Shields of the Greenlaw and Ker
families (one of which includes
a unicorn), high up on small
curved stones just below where
the roof begins, one either side.
Look on the carved stone. Can you find the date that the abbey was founded on it?
What or who else can you see? 1150
James I and Hugo de Moreville,
founder of the abbey.
This is the end of our suggested tour. For a change, walk back via the river (fenced
off) and then back to the starting place by following the gravel path.
The River Tweed from the
abbey
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education
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dryburgh abbey
Visiting Dryburgh Abbey
FAQ
Q What is the
minimum number of
adults required for
supervision?
A 1 adult to 10 pupils
Q Is there disabled
access?
A Wheelchair users can
gain access to the ground
level areas of the abbey
complex; however the
dormitory area is up a
flight of steps, and access
to the cloisters and beyond
is down short flights of
steps.
Q Are there lunch
facilities?
A In good weather pupils
can picnic on the site. In
poor weather it may be
possible to use the chapter
house.
Q Where are the toilets?
A There are toilets just by
the car park, a five minute
walk from the abbey. A
small charge is made for
entry to the toilets.
Q Do you carry out risk
assessments on behalf of
schools?
A Risk assessment of the
site is the responsibility of
the teacher in charge of the
group. Hazard information
sheets available on the
Historic Scotland website
provide information that
can help teachers prepare
their risk assessments.
Q Is there a shop?
A There is a small shop
that sells postcards,
guidebooks and souvenirs.
Pre visits: We strongly recommend that
teachers make a free visit to the abbey
to familiarise themselves with the site
and to make a risk assessment before
bringing school parties.
Booking a visit: Phone 01835 822381
to book a visit, discuss your needs
and confirm opening times with the
Steward. If staff are available, it may be
possible to arrange a guided tour.
Cost: Admission is free to a range of
educational groups including school
parties. More information about who
qualifies for free visits can be found on
the Historic Scotland Education Unit
website (see below).
Location: 13km south east of Melrose
on the B6404, near St Boswells (turn left
onto the B6356).
Parking: Coaches can park close to the
abbey in the abbey car park.
Health and safety: Please note the
following:
• Pupils should be supervised at all
times and should not climb on the
walls.
• As part of our commitment to Green
Tourism, we ask that any rubbish be
disposed of back at school.
Historic Scotland Education Unit:
For further information about school
visits, events and resources for teachers
linked to Dryburgh Abbey visit the
education pages on: www.historicscotland.gov.uk
Here you can also find and download
a template for building a model of the
abbey. This can be found in the section
of the Education pages called Free
Teaching Resources.
Acknowledgements
Photographic credits: All photographs
© Crown copyright Historic Scotland
Text: Elspeth Mackay
Series editor: Sue Mitchell
Design: N&Einteractive
Layout and print production: The
House
With special thanks for individual
contributions to Chris Tabraham and
Visitor Services staff at Dryburgh Abbey.
Additional resources
For teachers:
J Richardson and M Wood Dryburgh
Abbey Historic Scotland 1996. The
official guidebook to the site which
includes detailed information, maps and
lots of photographs.
A new pack for teachers Investigating
Scotland’s Abbeys and Priories is currently
under production by Historic Scotland
Education Unit. Check the website for
further details.
S Hebron Life in a Monastery Pitkin 1998.
Though slanted towards English sites, a
useful guide to life in monasteries with
plenty of photographs.
R Fawcet Scottish Abbeys and Priories
Batsford/Historic Scotland 1994. More
detailled and specialist architectural
information.
www.bbc.co.uk/history/
scottishhistory/index.shtml A clear
overview of the periods with helpful
essays on the medieval church and
Reformation.
www.scran.ac.uk Images of objects
associated with the medieval church.
www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/
stboswells/dryburghabbey/index.html
A good historical overview of the site
with clear photographs.
For pupils:
T Deary Horrible Histories: Bloody
Scotland Scholastic 1998
E Newbery Lookout! Mostly Monks Pitkin
1999. A lively pocket sized booklet
(with stickers); useful pictures and
information.
www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/
sysm/scots/index_choice.shtml This
website looks at the life of monks in preReformation Scotland.
www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/
as/burghlife/ This website explores
Burgh life in 1566.
www.ltscotland.org.uk/scottishhistory
An excellent library of resources with
some good pages on the Reformation.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education
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