Mr Monkey trotted back past the harbour and into the Abbey. The abbey started out as a priory sometime between 1124 and 1165, and was promoted to an abbey in 1235 by Pope Gregory IX. It was officially closed as a religious institution in 1560, but the ex-monks stayed there until around 1578, and the abbey's lands became a secular lordship in 1611. Mr Monkey set off to investigate the ruins.
You can read about Inchcolm Abbey at the Historic Scotland website.
Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey. This page last modified 5 September 2005