List of religious houses in Scotland

List of religious houses in Scotland is a link page to any abbey, priory, friary or other religious house in Scotland.

Abbreviations and Key

The sites listed are ruins unless indicated thus:-
*	indicates current monastic function
+	indicates current non-monastic ecclesiastic function
^	indicates current non-ecclesiastic function
#	indicates no identifiable trace of the monastic foundation remains
~	indicates exact site of monastic foundation unknown

Trusteeship denoted as follows:-
HS	Historic Scotland
NTS	National Trust for Scotland
CS	Church of Scotland

Other abbreviations
trns	transferred
rmv	removed
c.	circa (about)
ante	before
post	after

Aberdeen

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Aberdeen (Red) Friars	Trinitarian before 1274		The - Church of the Holy Trinity, Aberdeen
Aberdeen (White) Friars	Carmelite c. 1273
Aberdeen (Black) Friars	Dominican 1230 x 1249		St John the Baptist
Aberdeen (Grey) Friars	Franciscan 1469	Observants

Aberdeenshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Deer Abbey	Cistercian from Kinloss 1214/19-1560 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Deer
Fyvie Priory	Tironensian from Kelso, under Arbroath		The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fyvie
Monymusk Priory	Culdees 1138, Augustinian c1245		The Priory Church of Saint Mary and Saint John, Monymusk

Angus

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Arbroath Abbey	Cluniac priory 1176(1178), later Tironensian		The Abbey Church of Saint Thomas of Canterbury, Arbroath
Brechin monastery	Culdees, site now occupied by the diocesan cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church
Restenneth Priory	Augustinian

Argyll & Bute

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Ardchattan Priory	Valliscaulian from Val des Choux 1230/1, part of church used parochially -1722, site now largely occupied by Victorian house (HS)		The Priory Church of Saint John the Baptist, Ardchattan
Eileach-an-Naoimh monastery, Garvellach Islands
Iona Abbey+	Benedictine abbey 1203 and cathedral, now restored and in use as ecumenical Christian community (HS)
Iona Nunnery	(HS)
Kingarth monastery	6thC (HS)	Cinngrad monastery
Oronsay Priory	Augustinian 1330		The Priory Church of Saint Oran, Oronsay
Saddell Abbey	Cistercian 1207-1507
Sgòr Nam Ban-Naomha monastery

Dumfries and Galloway

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Canonbie Priory	Augustinian
Dercongal Abbey	Premonstratensian from Soulseat 1220s	Holywood Abbey	The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Holywood
Dundrennan Abbey	Cistercian from Rievaulx 1142-1560 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Dundrennan
Glenluce Abbey	Cistercian from Melrose 1191/2-1560 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Glenluce
Kirkcudbright Friary+	Franciscan c1450, conventual church
Lincluden Collegiate Church	Benedictine Nuns 1164-1389, secular canons college late14thC (HS)
St Mary's Priory, St. Mary's Isle (Isle of Trahil)	Augustinian c1138, from Holyrood		Prioratus Sanctae Mariae de Trayl
Soulseat Abbey	Premonstratensian from Premontre 1152	Saulseat Abbey	The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint John, Soulseat
Sweetheart Abbey	Cistercian from Dundrennan 1273-1560 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Sweetheart
Tongland Abbey	Premonstratensian from Cockersand 1218
Whithorn Priory	Premonstratensian 1175, cathedral church of Galloway (HS)

Dumfries and Galloway non-Christian monasteries

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Samye Ling Monastery*, Langholm	Karma Kagyu school Tibetan Buddhist 1967		Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre

City of Edinburgh

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Blackfriars, Edinburgh	Dominican 1230
Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh	Augustinian from St. Andrews 1128, partly absorbed into 17thC Holyrood Palace (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Saint Andrew and All Saints, Holyrood
South Queensferry Priory	Carmelite

East Ayrshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Mauchline Priory	Cistercian (grange of Melrose) 1165		The Priory Church of Saint Cuthbert, Mauchline

East Lothian

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Dunbar Priory	Trinitarian 1218		The Priory Church of the Holy Trinity, Dunbar
Luffness Friary	Carmelite 1293
Haddington Friary	Greyfriars 1242		Lucerna Laudoniae or Lamp of Lothian. destroyed 1356
Nunraw*	Cistercian	cell of Haddington monastery	Sancta Maria Abbey, Nunraw
North Berwick Priory	Cistercian Nuns c1150

Fife Region

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Balmerino Abbey	Cistercian from Melrose 1227/9-1560, secularised 1603 (NTS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint Edward
Culross Abbey	Cistercian from Kinloss 1217/8-1560, currently partly in use as a parish church (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Saint Andrew and Saint Serf, Culross
Dunfermline Abbey	Benedictine priory c1070, abbey 1124/1128
Inchcolm Abbey	Augustinian 1123	St. Colm's Abbey, Inch	The Abbey Church of Saint Columba, Inchcolm
Inverkeithing Friary	Franciscan ante1384		poss. The Friary Church of Saint Mary, Inverkeithing
Isle of May Priory	Augustinian/Benedictine from Reading		The Priory Church of Saint Oran and Saint Colman, Isle of May
Lindores Abbey	Tironensian from Kelso c1190		The Abbey Church of Our Lady and Saint Andrew
Pittenweem Priory	Augustinian trns from Isle of May c1200
St. Andrew's Cathedral Priory	Augustinian 1144, cathedral 908 (HS)		The Cathedral and Priory Church of Saint Andrew, Saint Andrews
St. Rule's Priory	Augustinian from Scone 1133-1144 (HS)		The Priory Church of Saint Rule, Saint Andrews
Black Friars Abbey, St Andrews	Dominican	Blackfriars Chapel
St Monan's Friary+	Dominican 1471		The Friary Church of Saint Monan, Saint Monan's

City of Glasgow

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Dominican Friary, Glasgow#	Dominican 1246, after the Reformation it was gifted by Mary, Queen of Scots to the University of Glasgow and served as a parish church. Rebuilt 1699-1702, it was demolished when the university re-located in the 1870s. 1870s
Fransiscan Friary, Glasgow#	Fransiscan 1477		Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Highland Region

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Beauly Priory	Valliscaulian from Val des Choux 1230 (HS)		The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist, Beauly
Fearn Abbey	Premonstratensian 1227		The Abbey Church of Saint Ninian, Fearn
Fort Augustus Abbey	built as a military fort, benedictine abbey and school in 20thC, now in private ownership
North Rona monastery	7thC

Lanarkshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Blantyre Priory	Augustinian Canons (a cell of Jedburgh) 13thC

Midlothian

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Newbattle Abbey	Cistercian from Melrose 1140-1560		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Newbattle

Moray

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Elgin (Black) Friary	Dominican founded 1233/4 by King Alexander II
Elgin (Grey) Friary	Franciscan, restored and now in use by adjacent convent
Kinloss Abbey	Cistercian from Melrose 1150-1560		The Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Kinloss
Pluscarden Abbey *	Valliscaulian priory from Val des Choux 1230, Benedictine priory, now Benedictine abbey		The Abbey Church of Saint Andrew, Pluscarden
Urquhart Priory	Benedictine from Dunfermline 1124		The Priory Church of the Holy Trinity, Urquhart

North Ayrshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Kilwinning Abbey	Tironensian from Kelso 1162		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Kilwinning
Kilwinning Convent	Situated at Stanecastle and mentioned in several charters

North Ayrshire non-Christian Monasteries

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Holy Island Monastery	Tibetan Buddhist

Orkney

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Brough of Birsay monastery	possible monastic settlement or episcopal residence
Eynhallow monastery#	possible site of monastic settlement 12thC

Perth & Kinross Region

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Abernethy Priory#	Augustinian 1273, on site of earlier monastery and Culdees community, and possible cathedral, later site of college, nothing remains		The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Saint Bridget and Saint Abrinca
Coupar Angus Abbey	Cistercian from Melrose 1161/64-1560, secularised 1606		The Abbey Church of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Coupar Angus
Elcho Priory	Cistercian nuns ante1241
Inchaffray Abbey	Augustinian from Scone 1200		The Abbey Church of Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Mary, Inchaffray
Loch Tay Priory	Augustinian from Scone 1122		The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Loch Tay
Montrose Abbey	Dominican 1230
St Fillan's Priory	Augustinian from Inchaffray 1317		The Priory Church of Saint Fillan, St. Fillan's
St Serf's Inch Priory, St Serf's Inch, Loch Leven	Culdee, then Augustinian Canons Regular c1150, now within an island nature reserve usually without public access (HS)	Portmoakso Priory, Loch Leven Priory
Scone Abbey	Augustinian from Nostell c1120		The Abbey Church of the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Laurence, Saint Augustine and Saint Michael, Scone

Renfrewshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Paisley Abbey+	Cluniac priory from Wenlock 1163, abbey 1245 (CS)		The Abbey Church of saints Mary, James, Mirin and Milburga
Renfrew Priory	Cluniac from Cluny 1163

Scottish Borders

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
St Bathan's Priory, Abbey St Bathans	Cistercian nuns
Coldingham Priory+	Benedictine from Durham 1098, part of priory church restored and now in parochial use		The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Saint Ebba and Saint Cuthbert, Coldingham
Dryburgh Abbey	Premonstratensian from Alnwick 1150 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Dryburgh
Fogo Priory	Tironensian from Kelso
Jedburgh Abbey	Augustinian from St-Quentin, Beauvais 1138 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Jedburgh
Kelso Abbey	Tironensian, relocated from Selkirk in 1128 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint John, Kelso
Melrose Abbey	Cistercian from Rievaulx/Holmcultram 1136/7-1560 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint John, Melrose
Peebles Friary	Trinitarian (Church 1261), Friary 1473	The Cross Kirk	The Friary Church of the Holy Trinity, Peebles
Selkirk Abbey	Tironensian from Tiron 1113

South Ayrshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Ayr Friary	Dominican 1230		The Friary Church of Saint Catherine, Ayr
Crossraguel Abbey	Cluniac from Paisley 1244 (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Crossraguel
Fail Monastery	Trinitarian 1561. Dedicated to St Mary	Failford Abbey	Fail Monastery, Tarbolton

South Lanarkshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Lesmahagow Priory	Tironensian from Kelso 1144		The Priory Church of Saint Malo, Lesmahagow

Stirling Region

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Cambuskenneth Abbey	Arrouasian from Arrouaise 1147, Augustinian (HS)		The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Cambuskenneth
Inchmahome Priory, Lake of Menteith	Augustinian 1238 (HS)

West Dunbartonshire

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Ross Priory, Loch Lomond

West Lothian

Foundation	Communities/provenance	Alt. Name	Formal Name
Linlithgow Friary	Carmelite c1401
Manuel Nunnery	Cistercian 1156		Emanuel Nunnery
Torphichen Preceptory+	Knights Hospitaller mid12thC

See also