Lady Devorgilla Balliol
Lady Devorgilla Balliol is remembered for the building of
Sweetheart Abbey in New Abbey, 7 miles south west of Dumfries.
It is the most beautiful ecclesiastical building in south west
Scotland. With her Italian master-mason, Macolo, and John, the
first Abbot, she drew up plans for an abbey to be built in memory
of her late husband, John Balliol. She carried her husband's
embalmed heart, encased in an ivory casket wherever she went, and
it was laid beside her when she was buried at Sweetheart Abbey.
This is how the abbey came by its romantic name.
Devorgilla, (1210-1289) was descended from kings of Scotland and
was the daughter of Alan, Lord of Galloway. In 1233 she married
John Balliol of Barnard Castle, Northumberland, and with this
marriage the couple became the greatest landowners in Europe. Her
son, John (who was also known disparagingly as "Toom Tabard")
became a King of Scotland, as did her grandson, Edward. She was
educated, intelligent and active in the politics of her time. She
spoke Gaelic, English, French and Latin.
Jointly with her husband, Devorgilla was responsible for
establishing Balliol College, Oxford. In 1260 Balliol was publicly
punished at the door of Durham Cathedral for offending a bishop; he
was also made to provide for the perpetual maintenance of 16 poor
scholars at Oxford, and on his death this was carried on by his
widow.
Devorgilla founded a priory for Black Friars at Wigtown. At
Dumfries she built a bridge over the River Nith to help pilgrims on
route to the Christian shrine at Whithorn. Close to the present
Friars' Vennel in Dumfries she gave lands to the Grey Friars, where
they built a monastery. It was in the church of this monastery that
her grandson, John "the Red" Comyn was slain by supporters
of Robert the Bruce in 1306.
After the death of her husband she spent her widowhood at Buittle
Castle, near Dalbeattie.
Sweetheart Abbey, was built between 1273 and 1280, it was also
called New Abbey to distinguish it from the older Abbey of
Dundrennan, near Kirkcudbright. The monks were Cistercian and were
known as the White Monks because they wore white habits. Lay
brothers worked with them in agriculture, horse and cattle
breeding, the wool trade, and the making of salt from sea water.
The monks owned a water mill for grinding corn. Through their
harbour on the Nith they imported building materials for the Abbey,
including red sandstone from the Caerlaverock area. Massive granite
boulders removed from the monastery's 30-acre site were built into
a 12-foot high precinct wall. The abbey buildings included a
granary, a brewhouse, a bakehouse, a guest house, an infirmary, a
church and a school.
