The establishment of the Abbey Kilwinning Abbey

kilwinning abbey stands today

the ancient name of town segdoune or saigtown , derived sanctoun , meaning town of saint . saint winning s festival on 21 january , year of arrival ireland 715 ad. site first church , later abbey revealed saint winning angel in vision.

kilwinning tironensian benedictine monastic community, named after tyron in diocese of chartres. abbey dedicated saint winning , virgin mary, , founded sometime between 1162 , 1188 monks coming kelso. patron not known certain, may have been richard de morville, lord of cunninghame , great constable of scotland, perhaps backing , assistance of king william of scotland. story developed sir richard de morville involved in murder of thomas becket founder of abbey, despite likelihood of families being same, dates of events make connection impossible. connection exist founding of arbroath abbey in 1178, tironensian abbey, in memory of thomas becket william lion (1165–1214).

saint winning

the abbey, located far away in west @ distance core of lowland scotland, not recorded, , few of records have come down posterity chartulary has been destroyed or lost. in 1571 records said have been carried away furious horseman, following attack upon abbey. in 1591 william melville took legal action against jean blair or cunninghame, widow of alexander cunninghame force return of records, not forthcoming. timothy pont in 17th century claimed have studied abbey s chartulary, possibly @ eglinton castle; seal of monastery preserved @ castle. @ beginning of 17th century had been seen in possession of earl of eglinton until loaned ayrshire , galloway archaeological society preparing publication never published.

it significant kilwinning abbey not founded monarch , beginnings accordingly less grand have otherwise been case.

an legend tells of saint winning sending monks fish in river garnock, no matter how hard tried or how long persevered catch nothing. saint in response placed curse on river, preventing ever having fish in waters; river responded changing course , thereby avoiding curse. clear river has substantially changed course in recorded history, having entered sea @ stevenston, ardeer therefore being island @ time. blaeu s map printed in 1654 shows this.

the area of kilwinning on east bank of river garnock still known corsehill in memory of cross used placed there welcome pilgrims visiting saint winning s shrine , place prayer.

the historian john smith records corsehillmuir site of ecclesiastical execution burning of witches , hanging of other types of condemned criminals barony. corsehillmuir have have been site of old churchyard of segdoune or kilwinning.

king robert ii granted abbey charter, erecting lands of barony of kilwinning free regality, full jurisdiction. received ratifications of charter robert iii , james iv. king james iv visited abbey in 1507, making offering of 14s. relics.

the abbot ecclesiastical baron of baronies held abbey , gave rights of pit , gallows , right hold baronial courts , other duties. court hill @ gateside, north ayrshire caput barony of beith held abbots. site @ bridgend near segdon inn may have been location of court hill of kilwinning.