Kilwinning Abbey

In the center of the town of Kilwinning (on the west coast of Scotland, near Glasgow) stands the abbey of the same name which was the origin of people in the area. The monks in charge of the abbey were Tironenses and it was directly dependent on the supervision of the Abbey of Kelso. Today it is in ruins, next to the church and you can go in for free. It is supposedly under government care through Historic Scotland but it can only be described as neglected, particularly as recent archaeological evidence has dated the construction of the abbey to around AD 1157. The abbey, dedicated to Saint Winning and the Virgin Mary, does not have any important relics but was an important place in its day due to the ongoing work that these monks contributed to the community, creating the village that now stands before us.