A roofless ruined chapel with a bellcote stands surrounded by weathered gravestones on a grassy churchyard.
Dumfries and Galloway

Whithorn Priory and Museum

The ruins of the priory and cathedral of Galloway at Whithorn, for 1,000 years a place of pilgrimage to St Ninian, with a museum of early carved stones.

Welcome

For more than a thousand years, pilgrims came to Whithorn to visit the shrine of St Ninian.

They travelled from England, Ireland and the Isle of Man, often arriving by sea, and their journey ended here, at the east end of the priory church.

The priory was founded in the 1100s and later became the cathedral church of Galloway. Little of the great cathedral survives, but the roofless ruins of the priory church still stand among the old gravestones.

The museum beside it holds one of Scotland's finest collections of early medieval carved stones: tall crosses, patterned grave markers, the Monreith Cross, once the tallest cross in Galloway, and the Latinus Stone, Scotland's earliest Christian monument. The site is cared for by Historic Environment Scotland with the Whithorn Trust.

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The Daily for 9 November, from Scotland with love. an autumn-wooded loch reflected in still water, rocks breaking the surface in the foreground
A short drive awaySaint Ninian's ChapelA chapel by the sea.7 min by roadSee itSaint Ninian's Chapel

Before you go

Check Historic Environment Scotland for the museum's hours.

Where
6 Bruce Street, Whithorn, DG8 8PY.
Founded
1100s.
See
The Latinus Stone.

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