Glenluce Abbey

📌 Glenluce, Dumfries & Galloway
★★★

🛠️ Abbey closed for masonry work – grounds open with reduced admission fee (checked April 2024)

Glenluce Abbey occupies a peaceful spot near the banks of the Water of Luce, a few miles upstream from where it meets the sea at Luce Bay. Like many of Scotland’s ruined abbeys it was established by monks from the Cistercian order in the 12th century, and was once an extensive site including a central cloister, chapter house, kitchens, living quarters and further outbuildings, and of course the church itself. Then came the Reformation, with gradual decline following. As you can see from the header photo, the abbey today is very much a ruin, but a characterful one with plenty to see. The chapter house is partly restored and still has its roof, while the layout of the main church can clearly be made out despite only surviving in small parts. There’s also a little museum and numerous ruined outbuildings – though details are sketchy on their exact original purposes.