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The ruined red sandstone walls and Gothic arches of an abbey stand in mist, an information panel and gravestones on the lawn in front.
Dumfries and Galloway

Dundrennan Abbey

The Cistercian ruin where Mary spent her last night in Scotland.

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Welcome

Dundrennan sits in a hollow a few miles from the Solway, the kind of place Cistercians liked to build, and what survives of it is the best kind of ruin: enough to read.

The transepts stand nearly to their full height, the pointed arches of the chapter house are complete, and the plan of the whole church is laid out in the grass. It was founded in 1142 under David I and the monks came from Rievaulx. Its last well-known day was 15 May 1568, when Mary Queen of Scots arrived at the gates, thirteen days after escaping from Lochleven and two after losing at Langside. She spent the night here, probably in the commendator's house, and in the morning crossed the Solway to England and nineteen years of imprisonment. She never came back.

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The Daily for 31 October, from Scotland with love. A ring of standing stones set among mist and autumn birch
Before you go
How long
Three quarters of an hour to an hour and a half
Cost
By ticket
Getting there
Car park in the village beside the abbey.

Opening hours

Their website
Monday
10am–4pm
Tuesday
10am–4pm
Wednesday
10am–4pm
Thursday
10am–4pm
Friday
10am–4pm
Saturday
10am–4pm
Sunday
10am–4pm

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Did you know

The ruined red sandstone walls and Gothic arches of an abbey stand in mist, seen through a stone gap in the foreground wall.
Did you know

Founded in 1142.

It was a Cistercian house founded under David I, settled by monks from Rievaulx in Yorkshire.

The ruined red sandstone walls and Gothic arches of an abbey stand in mist, seen through a stone gap in the foreground wall.
Did you know

Mary's last night in Scotland.

She reached the gates on 15 May 1568, after Lochleven and Langside, and spent her last night on Scottish soil here before crossing the Solway.

The ruined red sandstone walls and Gothic arches of an abbey stand in mist, seen through a stone gap in the foreground wall.
Did you know

Enough left to read.

The transepts stand nearly full height and the chapter house arches are complete, so the plan of the whole church can still be walked.

Emily Rose Mawson

From our guide to Dumfries and Galloway

Most famous as being the site where Mary, Queen of Scots sought shelter on her last night on Scottish soil, these gothic ruins are special in their own right. As the major abbey of the Cistercian order in Scotland, Dundrennan features beautiful carvings on its remaining stonework and has an unusual three-storey design. Rare fairy foxgloves grow on its walls in early summer, which according to legend represent ground where Roman soldiers once trod.

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Where it is

In the village of Dundrennan, five miles south-east of Kirkcudbright on the A711.

Close byThe rest of Dumfries and Galloway, near at hand.
  1. The Whitehouse GalleryThe Whitehouse GalleryA contemporary art and craft gallery on St Mary Street in Kirkcudbright, showing over 200 artists, with changing exhibitions.6 miles 9 min by road
  2. Jake Irving CeramicsJake Irving CeramicsA potter's shop on St Mary Street in Kirkcudbright, with hand-made pottery in sea blues and greens and little glazed animal figures.6 miles 9 min by road
  3. Woman stands outside Pleat, Suneeta Rathore's shop with yellow doorPleat, Kirkcudbright6 miles 9 min by road
  4. KirkcudbrightKirkcudbrightA harbour town of painted houses that has been full of artists for a century.6 miles 9 min by road
  5. A woman in a black puffer jacket and floral scarf smiles at an outdoor café table, a shopfront window behind her.Kirkcudbright Art ToursA walk round the artists' town with somebody who knows whose door is whose.6 miles 9 min by road
  6. Paul Jones BakeryPaul Jones BakeryA traditional bakery on St Cuthbert Street in Kirkcudbright, known for its pies, scones, cakes and loaves.6 miles 9 min by road
Directions
Green-trimmed shopfront of Lily Knowles Florist at number 20ShoppingLily Knowles Florist6.2 miles
Gallery walls hung with framed paintings of horses and Highland cattleAttractionsHarbour Cottage Gallery6.2 miles
Pink-washed townhouse with round gable window and black railingsAttractionsBroughton House & Garden6.2 miles
A round stone tower with a corbelled top stands within the low ruined walls of a courtyard, trees lining the field behind.AttractionsOrchardton Tower8.7 miles
Wooden shelf with jars and Monin bottles below a "Service With A Smile" signCafeStreetlights Coffee House13 miles
Navy-blue shopfront of Designs Gallery & Café, with display windows either sideCafeDesigns Gallery and Cafe13 miles
Gravel path lined with red roses leads to a stone urnAttractionsThreave Garden and Nature Reserve14 miles
Ruined stone tower reflected in still water beneath a grey skyAttractionsThreave Castle14 miles

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Scotland, in print.

We want to show you the best that Scotland has to offer. The makers and the creatives, the enduring experiences, the evocative tales, the concealed corners. The roads less travelled that take you to places that matter. The adventures that gather you up and sweep you away. The blend of the wild and the artistic that makes Scotland what it is. We’d love for you to join us.

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What we have written about it, the collections it is in and more in Dumfries and Galloway.

From the magazineDiscovering the nooks and crannies of Dumfries and GallowayArticle15 Amazing Abbeys You Can Visit in ScotlandCollectionAbbeys in Scotland Worth the Detour
More in Dumfries and Galloway
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For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .