Soulseat

Title

Soulseat

Also Known As

Green Loch, Salsait, Saulesait, Saulissait, Saulisseat, Saulissete, Saulsait, Saulseat, Sawlsait, Sawlseat, Sedes Animarum, Sedes Sauli, Soulsait, Soulsaitt, Soulseid, Soulsete, Soulsett, Soulsiete, Soulsyde, Viride Stagnum

Dates

Founded 12th c.; dissolved 1630

Dedication

John the Evangelist

Affiliation

Prémontré

Medieval Diocese

Galloway

Circary

Scotland

History

Soulseat was founded in the mid-12th century by Fergus, lord of Galloway, perhaps on the site of a previous short-lived Cistercian house. By the late 14th century, it was reportedly already in a ruinous state because of warfare.

The last commendatory abbot of Soulseat was deposed in 1572, but the abbey was finally formally dissolved in 1630. Nothing of the monastic complex now remains.

Heads of Community

Abbots

Michael of Bangor, fl. 12th c.?
John, fl. 1273
Fionnlagh (or Finlay), 1386-1393
Patrick McChaquhirky, 1452-1458
Gilbert MacUlnan (or MacWilnane), 1458-1486?
Patrick MacCulloch, fl. 1486
Quentin Vaus, 1493-ca. 1525
David Vaus, ca. 1525-1532

Status

Abbey

Bibliography

Atkins, Stephen N. “A Fragment of Medieval Church Music in Stranraer Museum.” Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 74 (2000): 69–75.

Reid, R.C. “Soulseat.” Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 17 (1932): 172–81. http://www.dgnhas.org.uk/tdgnhas/3017.pdf.

Scott, Jack G. “The Origins of Dundrennan and Soulseat Abbeys.” Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 63 (1988): 35–44.

Image Credit

Former site of Soulseat Abbey, 2008. Wikimedia.

Files

Collection

Scotland

Citation

“Soulseat,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/145.

Geolocation

Item Relations

This Item DependentOn Item: Prémontré
Item: Kirkmaiden DependentOn This Item
Item: Whithorn DependentOn This Item