Lord High Constable of Scotland

Its peaceful setting seems timeless, yet this place owes its existence to one of the most powerful Norman nobles in medieval Scotland.

The Abbey was founded in 1150 by Hugh de Moorville, Lord of Lauderdale and High Constable of Scotland.

Although he held Scottish titles, Hugh's family had Norman and English roots, and he invited Premon Stratensian Canons from Annick Priory in Northumberland to establish a new religious house here.

His exact motivation for founding the Abbey is uncertain, but it likely symbolised a significant act of generosity towards his spiritual renewal at a time when religious belief influenced everyday life.