📌 Lesmahagow, South Lanarkshire
★
Many great buildings retain a sense of grandeur or atmosphere long after they fall into ruin. Sadly, in our opinion, 12th century Lesmahagow Priory isn’t one of them. Established by Tironesian monks in 1144 as a daughter house for (the still impressive) Kelso Abbey 50 miles to the east, the church was destroyed during the 1560 Reformation, with its stonework subsequently quarried by enterprising locals. The layouts of some priory outbuildings are still recognisable – refectory (dining room), drains and east / west ranges – but the church itself has been covered up by its 19th century replacement, visible in the photo below. The real shame, however, was the amount of rubbish lying around the site on our visit: a disappointing sight in the centre of an otherwise reasonably attractive village.
🌍 Location
📌 Church Square, Lesmahagow village centre
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NS 814398
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 55.637669,-3.885433
🚌 Bus to Lesmahagow
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
⌚ Always open
🎫 Free
