Lincluden Collegiate Church

Dumfries, Dumfries & Galloway
★★

This 12th century Benedictine priory is now very much in ruins, but despite being disused for at least the last four centuries there’s still enough left to provide a glimpse into its past. Most of what still stands actually dates from the early 1400s, after the 3rd Earl of Douglas replaced the nuns with secular priests, citing moral decay (still applicable today, going by the rubbish on the floor…). The ornate, Gothic stone carvings around doorways and windows are probably the highlight here: a visit’s easily combined with a day exploring the nearby centre of Dumfries.