Sunday 13th August 2017

It is Sunday today.  After a lovely day yesterday getting our chores done and in readiness for Monday we took a walk to see Cambuskenneth Abbey just a short walk from where we were in Stirling in Cambuskenneth a little village across the footbridge.  Years back it was proposed to build a road bridge across but that would have meant progress they did not want so the residents of the village protested against it and they won good for them, and a bridge for pedestrians only was constructed.  It just meant the village did not get any bigger, one can get there by road of course but it is a long way around.

We walked there thru a field of cattle very beautiful they were too we went thru the gate of the old Abbey the only part still standing is the Clock Tower kept probably to keep watch.  Sam and I were the only people there what a privilege.  The foundations of the Abbey are still there of course. Within these now ruined walls, history was made.  This is where Parliament met after the Battle of Bannockburn, where the future of the Stewart dynasty was determined and where King James III was buried. I photoed this little bit of info Sam is going to read it from phone:

Welcome to Cambuskenneth.  The name means Field of Kenneth after the 9th C Scottish King Kenneth MacAlpin fought and defeated the Picts in a battle near this area in AD834. Traditionally this battle has marked the foundation of Scotland when Kenneth MacAlpin became its first King.

Cambuskenneth Abbey was founded around 1140 by King David I and was originally home to Arrousaisian Canons.  The Abbey later became home to Augustinian Canons.  The Abbey was disbanded after the Reformation and its stones used to construct other buildings in Stirling.  (This is what happened to most Abbeys after the Reformation). The Campanile or Bell Tower along with the Western Doorway is all that survived of a structure that dates back to around 1300.

In the churchyard is buried King James III along with his wife Princess Margaret of Denmark. This was not their first resting place.  Queen Victoria paid for this resting place in her reign some 600 or so years later.

To walk in these places among these people from so long ago just gives me goosebumps not so for poor Sam.

We walked back sheltering under trees bus shelters the railway station until we made it back to our hotel.  I packed us in readiness for Monday and we had dinner in a beautiful Indian Restaurant called Ranas (I think) two doors from our hotel best Indian I have had.

Stirling is a delight and well worth a long stay.  Our hotel was in the perfect location and the staff could not have been lovlier.  It was extremely busy for breakfast lunch and dinner only small but delightful.

Sabine and Sam